FDNY ARCS, the Auxiliary Radio Communication System, is dedicated to Fire Department communications. It supports firefighters’ portable radios through an in-building antenna network and dedicated equipment. Cellular DAS serves occupants’ mobile phones; an office with good cell reception has not thereby demonstrated ARCS compliance. NYC’s ARCS application guidance explains the dedicated system and its filing process.
For a commercial owner, facilities manager or GC, the first decision is which scope the building needs: FDNY radio communications, tenant cellular coverage, or both. This guide separates those decisions, identifies the current code references and turns the approval process into a bid checklist. Sources were checked September 15, 2026.
Which NYC buildings require ARCS?
Section 916.3 of the 2022 NYC Building Code lists high-rise buildings constructed under Section 403, underground buildings under Section 405, and buildings with total gross area exceeding 250,000 square feet. It also contains exceptions, including an FDNY determination that a radio communication system is unnecessary. A qualifying Group R-2 exception has several conditions; it is not a general exemption for commercial buildings. Have the project’s registered design professional check the applicable filing and code path. DOB: BC 916.
An existing building needs a more specific review than “major renovation means ARCS.” DOB Buildings Bulletin 2024-001, issued February 9, 2024, identifies alteration triggers involving the value threshold under BC 901.9.4.1, creation of a high-rise or specified large-area building, and particular changes of occupancy or use. The bulletin also recognizes the FDNY determination under BC 916.3. Ask the designer to identify the actual trigger in writing rather than pricing from the renovation label alone. Read the bulletin, Section III.
Why some ARCS pages say 917 or 511
Older documents use BC 917, FC 511 and 3 RCNY 511-01. Current references are BC 916, FC 510 and 3 RCNY 510-01. The city’s adopted rule amendments took effect October 30, 2023, and corrected the ARCS numbering. Some application pages still display legacy citations. Read those pages for filing instructions alongside the current code and rule compilation; do not treat the old numbers as a second ARCS approval system. NYC adopted amendments and current FDNY rules.
ARCS, ERRCS and cellular DAS: what are you buying?
DAS means distributed antenna system. ERRCS is used for emergency responder radio communication systems. For procurement, establish the intended users and approving authority before treating these terms as a hardware specification.
| Scope | Procurement question |
|---|---|
| FDNY ARCS in NYC | Who owns the design filing, approved radio-system scope, commissioning report and FDNY acceptance coordination? |
| Public-safety ERRCS outside NYC | Which local authority and radio-system operator set the project requirements, coverage criteria and acceptance process? |
| Commercial cellular DAS | Which carriers, occupied areas and performance targets are included, and who secures the signal source and required carrier coordination? |
These scopes may share construction coordination, but one test report should not be assumed to accept all three. Identify them separately on the proposal, including any shared pathways or equipment assumptions. Use the New York DAS service guide for a statewide scoping overview and the NYC DAS page for borough project planning.
How to check FDNY-approved ARCS companies
Start with the current approved-company list linked from FDNY’s company-approval page. Check the contracting company’s exact legal name and current approval; ask which person will supervise your commissioning work. A company approval and an individual’s credential are different records. FDNY company approval and official list.
For a step-by-step hiring companion — how to read the list, match credentials and compare proposals — see our FDNY approved ARCS companies guide.
Installation and testing have distinct qualification requirements. FC 510.2.1 requires ARCS installation by a master electrician licensed by the NYC Department of Buildings, together with any additional qualifications prescribed by rule. Name that installation responsibility in the contract as well as the commissioning team. NYC Fire Code, FC 510.2.1–510.2.2.
FDNY’s B-03 guidance identifies the B-03 Certificate of Fitness, FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License and employment by an approved ARCS testing company for the covered operation and testing work. Ask for the proposed testing professional’s current credentials and role in your project. A general cabling qualification alone does not establish those credentials. FDNY B-03 study material.
Low Voltage New York scopes commercial enquiries and matches them with partner contractors. This page does not represent LVNY itself as an FDNY-approved ARCS company. The proposed contractor’s qualifications, responsibility and project documents should be checked before award.
Put the approval steps in the bid
- Design and filing: name the registered design professional, identify the code basis and assign responsibility for plans, owner agreements and submissions. NYC’s application guidance requires certified design plans and Project Authorization before work proceeds. ARCS filing guidance.
- Installation and coordination: identify who provides risers, equipment locations, electrical work and access. Record what the radio contractor includes and what the GC or other trades must provide.
- Commissioning package: require the test-grid plans, audio-quality and signal measurements, recordings, equipment information, signed documentation and as-built drawings applicable to the filing. The city’s commissioning-report page lists the submission documents and explains the review before inspection. Commissioning report requirements.
- Acceptance and closeout: assign inspection scheduling, attendance, correction work and delivery of final records. Make the bid state what happens if a test fails and whether a return visit is included.
Treat plan review, site access, installation, commissioning and acceptance as separate schedule dependencies. A proposed completion date should state which approvals and building conditions it assumes. This guide does not quote a universal installation duration or predict the FDNY inspection calendar.
A scoping checklist for the owner or GC
Prepare this information before comparing proposals:
- Building: address, borough, occupancy, floor count, below-grade areas and approximate gross area.
- Project: new construction, alteration, change of use, existing-system repair or recertification; include the filing number and designer’s applicability notes if available.
- Existing records: approved drawings, prior letters and test reports, plus any open deficiency describing the work required.
- Construction access: occupied work areas, riser and equipment-room access, ceiling status, work windows and other trades using the same routes.
- Responsibilities: a named owner for design, filing, pathways, power, testing, corrections and maintenance handover.
- Price boundaries: distinguish the radio package from related construction, filing fees, recurring service and changes caused by revised drawings.
Use a scope narrative for the initial enquiry. Exchange detailed security-sensitive plans through an agreed project channel after the appropriate contractor is identified.
What happens after acceptance?
ARCS has continuing obligations. The current FDNY rule calls for daily console inspection, annual certification at intervals no longer than 12 months, and a five-year recertification in place of that year’s annual certification. It also addresses impairment response and records. Before closeout, assign who performs and documents these tasks and where the building keeps its system records. 3 RCNY 510-01(g)–(i), July 2026 compilation.
Owner questions before requesting a DAS estimate
Does a successful cell-phone walk test satisfy FDNY ARCS?
No. A mobile-phone test concerns the cellular service tested. An ARCS project has its own FDNY communications purpose, approved design and acceptance documentation. Specify both scopes when the building needs both.
Can an existing building need ARCS during alterations?
Yes, depending on the applicable code and work. Ask the design professional to review the triggers in DOB Bulletin 2024-001 and any relevant FDNY determination. Do not assume that every interior fit-out has the same requirement.
Does an FDNY company listing guarantee acceptance of my project?
No. Verify the proposed company’s standing, then review the design, filing and testing responsibilities for the individual building. Company approval is not a substitute for that project’s approvals and records.
Do NYC ARCS rules apply everywhere in New York State?
Use the jurisdiction’s actual code path. New York State’s 2025 Uniform Code took effect December 31, 2025; NYC has its own building and fire-code framework. For a project outside the city, identify the applicable authority, adopted requirements and radio-system criteria before commissioning a survey or pricing equipment. NYS adoption notice and state guidance on NYC’s separate building codes.
What should I send for an initial estimate?
Send the building location, intended radio or cellular scope, approximate size, project stage and timing. Mention existing drawings or an agency deficiency without assuming a particular equipment solution.
For commercial ARCS, public-safety radio or cellular DAS scoping, Get a Free Estimate. Low Voltage New York will use your project requirements to match the enquiry with the appropriate partner-contractor scope.