How do I check a building's bed bug history in NYC?

Ask for the annual bed bug history disclosure your landlord is required to provide, and check public housing filing records. Larger residential buildings must file an annual bed bug report with the city.

What is the NYC bed bug registry?

It refers to the public record of bed bug filings and complaints for NYC buildings. Owners of larger residential buildings must file an annual bed bug report, and tenant complaints are also recorded — together these let renters check a building's history.

How do I report bed bugs in my NYC apartment?

Report the infestation to your landlord or management in writing and keep a dated copy. If it isn't addressed, you can escalate a complaint to the relevant NYC housing authority. Document the bugs with photos.

NYC Bed Bug Registry & Reporting: How to Check and File

How NYC bed bug records work

NYC keeps public bed bug filing records, and landlords must give tenants an annual bed bug history disclosure — so you can check a building before you sign and report an infestation if one appears. Three things matter:

Annual disclosure — your landlord must provide a bed bug history disclosure (the building’s infestation history for the prior year) at lease signing and annually.
Annual filing — owners of larger residential buildings must file an annual bed bug report with the city.
Reporting — tenants report infestations in writing; unresolved cases can be escalated to the city.

How to check a building’s bed bug history

Ask for the disclosure — request the annual bed bug history disclosure before signing a lease; it’s your right.
Check public filing records — the city’s housing records capture bed bug filings and complaints by building.
Ask neighbours / current tenants — informal but useful in multi-unit buildings.

How to report an infestation (step by step)

Document — photograph the bugs, bites and any spots on bedding.
Notify your landlord in writing — email or letter; keep a dated copy.
Request professional treatment — DIY by tenants often worsens spread.
Escalate if ignored — file a complaint with the relevant NYC housing authority.

Why this matters

Because NYC requires both disclosure and (for larger buildings) annual filing, a documented, professional treatment protects landlords’ compliance and tenants’ rights. For the underlying rules, see our NYC bed bug law guide. For treatment with proper documentation — including canine (K9) inspection — we provide the records tenants, landlords and co-op boards need.

This is a plain-English explainer, not legal advice. For a specific dispute, consult a tenant attorney or the relevant NYC agency.