ACP-5 vs. ACP-7: What’s the difference?

ACP-5 vs. ACP-7: Which Asbestos Form Does Your NYC Project Need?

Two forms, two very different jobs — and filing the wrong one is a common reason an otherwise ready NYC project stalls.

Both forms go to the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and both start with the same step: an asbestos survey by a certified inspector. But what each form certifies, when it is filed, and what happens next are completely different.

What the ACP-5 Does

The ACP-5 is an Asbestos Assessment Report. A New York City DEP-certified asbestos investigator completes and files it based on the results of an asbestos survey of the work area.

In plain terms, the ACP-5 tells DEP and the Department of Buildings (DOB): this project was assessed, and it does not require a formal asbestos abatement project before construction can proceed. That is typically because the survey found:

1. No asbestos-containing material in the materials the work will disturb, or
2. Asbestos is present but will not be disturbed by the scope of work, or
3. The amount to be disturbed is below the threshold that triggers a full asbestos project.

The ACP-5 is filed in support of a DOB application. Without a survey behind it, an ACP-5 cannot be supported — the lab results for the exact materials your scope will touch are what the form stands on. No survey, no supportable ACP-5, and the DOB filing waits.

What the ACP-7 Does

The ACP-7 is an Asbestos Project Notification form. It is filed when the survey does find asbestos-containing material that will be disturbed in quantities above the project threshold — generally more than 10 square feet or 25 linear feet of material.

Instead of clearing the way for construction, the ACP-7 notifies DEP that a regulated asbestos abatement project is about to happen. It identifies the location, the material and quantity, the licensed abatement contractor and supervisor, and the project dates, and it must be filed in advance of the abatement start date — not after the work is already underway.

Only after that notified abatement is completed, with proper containment and air monitoring, does the construction scope move forward.

The Decision Is Made by the Lab, Not the Filing Cabinet

Owners, architects, and expediters sometimes ask which form a project "should" file before any testing is done. The honest answer is that the survey decides. The sequence in New York City is always:

1. Survey first — a certified inspector samples the suspect materials in the work area: floor tile and mastic, plaster and joint compound, pipe insulation, roofing, and similar materials.
2. Lab confirmation — an accredited lab analyzes the bulk samples, typically within about 24 hours.
3. Form follows the result — negative or below-threshold results point to an ACP-5; positive results above the threshold point to an ACP-7 and a notified abatement project.

Choosing the form before the results exist reverses that order, and DEP and DOB reviewers can tell. An ACP-5 filed for a space that was never properly surveyed, or an abatement that starts without the required ACP-7 notification, can lead to objections, violations, and stop-work delays that cost far more time than the survey itself.

Why This Matters for Schedules in All Five Boroughs

In co-ops and condos across Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, and in buildings in the Bronx and Staten Island, the ACP-5 is often on the critical path to a DOB permit and a board-approved alteration package. A survey done early — inspections are typically scheduled within 1–2 days — means the correct form is filed the first time.

If abatement is required, knowing early matters just as much: the ACP-7 notification period and the abatement itself can be built into the schedule instead of surfacing after demolition was supposed to start.

What Clear Advisory Handles

Clear Advisory is a Brooklyn-based environmental consulting firm serving all five boroughs. Founder Jevon Gratineau holds New York State DOL credentials as an Asbestos Inspector, Asbestos Contractor, and Asbestos Supervisor. Services include asbestos surveys with 24-hour lab results, ACP-5 filings, and related environmental inspection work — starting with the survey that determines which form your project actually needs.

Not sure whether your project is an ACP-5 or an ACP-7? Start with the survey and let the lab results answer it.

Call (877) 586-7172 or email info@clearadvisory.org to schedule a survey.