FDNY Form Guide · TM-1

The FDNY TM-1 Form, Explained

The TM-1 is the application that gets your fire alarm plans in front of the FDNY. This guide walks through every section — and shows how to generate a filled TM-1 from just an address, using live DOB data.

The Basics

What Is the TM-1?

The TM-1 — Application for Plan Examination / Document Review — is the FDNY Bureau of Fire Prevention's cover application for the design and installation documents of fire protection systems. If you're installing or significantly modifying a fire alarm system anywhere in New York City, a TM-1 goes in before work starts, together with your plans, and must be approved by the FDNY's Technology Management unit.

It also covers other design document reviews (fire suppression, auxiliary radio communication systems, and more), but for fire alarm contractors it is simply the form that opens every job. The application and payment are submitted electronically through the FDNY Business portal, and the current official blank form is published on nyc.gov.

The catch: the TM-1 asks for precise building data — BIN, occupancy classification, construction details, landmark and flood zone status — that lives scattered across DOB BIS, DOB NOW, and the Certificate of Occupancy. Getting any of it wrong is the fastest route to a rejection letter.

Section by Section

What the TM-1 Asks For

1 · Submission Type

New submission or resubmission. Resubmissions must reference the existing FDNY reference number from the prior review.

2 · Document Type

Checkboxes for the system under review — fire alarm, fire suppression, or other design/installation document types defined by the Fire Code.

3 · Premises Information

BIN, building number, street name, borough, and occupancy classification. These must match DOB records exactly — this is where most mismatch rejections originate.

4 · Applicant Information

Name, license number, business contact details, and your role (engineer, architect, contractor). The FDNY corresponds with the applicant listed here.

5 · Building Characteristics

Height in feet, number of stories, construction classification, sprinkler coverage (fully / partially / none), plus landmark status and flood zone designation.

6 · Job Description

Required for every application: a narrative page describing the proposed work, attached separately. Vague narratives trigger review questions and delays.

7 · Signatures

Both the applicant and the building owner sign and date. A missing owner signature is an automatic bounce.

8 · Fees

Calculated with the form's Supplement #1 fee schedule and paid electronically through FDNY Business at submission.

Avoid the Bounce

Why TM-1s Get Rejected

Wrong or missing BIN. The Building Identification Number must match DOB records for the exact structure — corner lots and campuses often have multiple BINs.
Occupancy classification mismatch. The occupancy group on the TM-1 has to agree with the Certificate of Occupancy. Guessing from how the building "looks" is the classic error.
Missing job description narrative. The separate narrative page is mandatory for all applications, not just complex ones.
Missing owner signature. Applicant signature alone is not enough — the owner must also sign and date.
Landmark / flood zone left blank or wrong. Both statuses are DOB/city data points, and both are checked during review.
Outdated form revision. The FDNY revises the TM-1 periodically. Old PDFs floating around the office get bounced on sight.

Requirements change — always verify current instructions on the official FDNY Technology Management page before filing.

From Address to Filled TM-1 in 3 Steps

01
Enter the Address or BIN

Fire PDF Pro queries NYC DOB databases in real time: BIN, block/lot, occupancy group, construction class, stories, height, landmark and flood zone status.

02
Your Profiles Fill Themselves

Owner, applicant, and architect details come from your saved profiles — no retyping license numbers on every job.

03
Download the TM-1 PDF

An exact replica of the official form, correctly formatted and ready to sign and submit — typically in under two minutes.

TM-1 Questions, Answered

The TM-1 is the FDNY Bureau of Fire Prevention's Application for Plan Examination / Document Review. It accompanies the design and installation documents for fire protection systems — most commonly fire alarm systems — and must be approved before work begins. It is submitted electronically through the FDNY Business portal.

The applicant section identifies the responsible professional — typically a Professional Engineer, Registered Architect, or licensed contractor — along with their license number and role. Both the applicant and the building owner must sign the application.

Premises information (BIN, address, borough, occupancy classification), building characteristics (stories, height, construction class, sprinkler coverage, landmark and flood zone status), applicant and owner details, and a written job description narrative. Most of the building data lives in DOB records — Fire PDF Pro pulls it automatically from the address or BIN.

Frequent causes are a wrong or missing BIN, an occupancy classification that doesn't match the Certificate of Occupancy, a missing job description narrative, missing owner signature, incorrect fee calculation, or using an outdated revision of the form. Data pulled live from DOB records eliminates most of these mismatches.

Yes. Fire PDF Pro queries NYC DOB databases with just the address or BIN, then generates an exact replica of the official TM-1 PDF with the premises, building characteristics, owner, and your saved professional profiles already filled in — typically in under two minutes.
Related FDNY Forms

A-433

The fire alarm inspection application filed with your as-built package — one per system, with the full device schedule per floor.

B-45

The inspection request form that gets the FDNY Fire Alarm Inspection Unit to your finished, defect-free system.