New York City MEA Numbers

In accordance with Section 27-131 of the New York City Building Code, certain materials and equipment require Department of Buildings acceptance. These manufactured items affect public safety, health and welfare (including structural stability and fire safety) and are usually a permanent part of a building. They include such items as boilers, air-conditioning equipment, commercial cooking equipment, fire-rated assemblies, fire alarm and suppression equipment, wheelchair lifts, etc. The actual list of accepted products to date is known as the MEA Index.

Established in 1969, the Materials and Equipment Acceptance (MEA) Division was created under Department Rule 1-01 to implement the Code requirement and ensure that certain permanent building materials and equipment meet the minimum national standards required by the Building Code. The unit also reviews the qualifications of testing laboratories and testing services for acceptance by the Department.

It is the building owner's responsibility to ensure that all materials and equipment used in the construction of his or her building have MEA numbers where required by Code. If a building owner uses a piece of equipment or material that requires an MEA number but does not have one, he or she is subject to a violation.