DOB Elevator - CAT 3 Inspections (Hydraulic Elevators)

I have a Water Hydraulic Elevator; how frequently do I need to inspect my device? 

A CAT 3 inspection must be performed on water hydraulic elevators only every three years from the date of installation. 

• File on DOB NOW: Safety | (Filing ELV3 Form) 

• Late Filing - $250.00 Per month 

• Failure to File - $5,000.00 

• Correction Form – No form found at this time 

As of September 17, 2018, all new inspection/test reports and notifications for elevators and other related devices must be submitted online through DOB NOW: Safety at www.nyc.gov/dobnow. This applies to: 

• Elevator Inspection/Test Reports (ELV3) for Category 1, Category 3, and Category 5 inspections. 

Specifically, this test is performed on the unexposed portions of roped water hydraulic elevators and pressure vessels. According to the NY Daily News, the last water hydraulic elevator in the city may have been removed nearly 20 years ago in 1999. Water hydraulic devices were popular at the turn of the 20th century but were eventually replaced with electric systems.

Compared to the annual Category 1 requirement and the five-year Category 5 test for roped devices, the Category 3 test is infrequently mentioned and possibly rarely performed.