Important Reminder to Display Home Address Correctly in Case of Emergency

M.C. Millman

Displaying a home address may be an afterthought to some, but it is important to prioritize it. 

Rockland County Fire and Emergency remind residents to display their addresses correctly so first responders can help in an emergency. 

To ensure that numbers can be visible from the street, numbers should be placed on the house, away from obstruction, and near proper lighting. In addition, consider displaying house numbers near the road where they can be visible from both directions. The numbers can be placed on a post, mailbox, or monument. 

Keep in mind that this is not a suggestion. The Residential Code of New York State and the Property Maintenance Code of New York State require new and existing buildings to have visible premise identification. The law states that numbers must be a minimum of four inches high with a minimum stroke width of a half inch in Arabic numbers or alphabetical letters. The address numbers also must contrast with their background, and numbers cannot be spelled out.

If you have any questions about house numbers, contact the Rockland County Enhanced 9-1-1 office at (845) 364-8908.