When is my backflow test actually due?

Twelve months from the date your last test report was submitted, not the end of the calendar year. Every device runs on its own clock, which is why two buildings in the same portfolio rarely come due together.

What happens if I miss it?

DEP states that failure to perform the annual test could result in fines or disconnection of your water service. The water shutoff is the part most owners do not expect.

Does DEP tell me when it is due?

DEP says a notification letter is sent when a device is due for testing. Treat that as a courtesy rather than your system of record, since the obligation sits with the property owner either way.

How is the report filed?

Electronically, through DEP’s Backflow Test Form Online Submission, with the signed and sealed form attached.

← NYC compliance

Your backflow test is due 12 months from the last one, not in January

If your building has a backflow prevention device, New York requires it tested every year by a certified tester working under a Licensed Master Plumber. The clock runs from the date your last report was filed, so every device has its own deadline. Miss it and DEP can fine you or shut off the water.

The deadline is not a calendar date

NYC Rules § 20-04 sets each annual report as due within 12 months of the date the last one was submitted. File late one year and every following deadline moves with it. Two devices in the same building can be due months apart.

Does my building need one?

DEP publishes a long list of property types that require a device. The ones a commercial operator most often recognises:

Premises with a commercial or public kitchen
Supermarkets and food processing or preparation facilities
Hospitals, clinics, laboratories, medical and dental offices
Schools, colleges and nursing homes
Buildings with roof tanks or elevated storage lines
Buildings with large or chemically treated boilers
Water-cooled equipment or chillers
Laundries, dry cleaners and commercial car washes
In-ground irrigation sprinklers and swimming pools
Premises with more than one water service line

The full list is longer and includes breweries, tanneries, funeral parlors, marinas and photo processors. If you are unsure, check the DEP page rather than guessing.

Read DEP’s full list →

Who is allowed to test it

Two credentials, and you need both on the same report. The test has to be performed by a backflow preventer tester certified by the New York State Department of Health, and that tester has to be employed by a Licensed Master Plumber. The annual report carries the plumber’s seal.

This is where most late filings come from. Owners book a tester, the report has no seal behind it, and DEP does not accept it.

What happens if you miss it

DEP states that failing to perform the annual test could result in fines or disconnection of water service. For a restaurant or a residential building, losing water is not a compliance problem, it is a closure.

DEP sends a notification letter when a device is due. That is useful, but the obligation sits with the owner whether or not the letter arrives at the right address.

Common questions

When is my backflow test actually due?: Twelve months from the date your last test report was submitted, not the end of the calendar year. Every device runs on its own clock, which is why two buildings in the same portfolio rarely come due together.
Who is allowed to test the device?: A tester certified by the New York State Department of Health who is employed by a Licensed Master Plumber. The annual report has to carry the plumber’s seal, so the tester alone is not enough.
What happens if I miss it?: DEP states that failure to perform the annual test could result in fines or disconnection of your water service. The water shutoff is the part most owners do not expect.
Does DEP tell me when it is due?: DEP says a notification letter is sent when a device is due for testing. Treat that as a courtesy rather than your system of record, since the obligation sits with the property owner either way.
How is the report filed?: Electronically, through DEP’s Backflow Test Form Online Submission, with the signed and sealed form attached.

We track this deadline with the rest of your building

Backflow sits alongside sprinkler and standpipe testing, gas piping, and fire protection on the same building. Empire keeps one calendar for all of it and tells you before a date passes rather than after.

Ask about your building

Sourced from the NYC Department of Environmental Protection Backflow Prevention Devices page and NYC Rules § 20-04. Verified 2026-09-01. Requirements change. Check DEP before you rely on any date, including this one.