Bikes in Office Buildings

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The Bike Access to Office Buildings Law was created to improve bike access in commercial buildings. Tenants can store bikes in commercial buildings with freight elevators. Tenants must store bikes in their rented space.  

If you rent a commercial space, you can request bike access. This allows employees to bring bikes into your office by elevator.

Requests should be sent to the building owner. The building owner will have 30 days from the date of the request to respond with one of the following:  

  • A Bike Access Plan  
  • An Exception Request 

A building owner may make an Exception Request:

  • If there is no freight elevator, or other elevator serving primarily as a freight elevator, in the building, or
  • If there is a sufficient, secure, alternate, no-cost, indoor or sufficient, secure, alternate, no-cost, covered off-street bicycle parking available either on the premises or within four blocks or 1,000 feet, whichever is less.

Get bike access information and request forms.

Download the Bike Access fact sheet.

You can report a commercial building owner who fails to follow this law.

Employees cannot request bike access from the building owner.

The following can request bike access: 

  • Employers 
  • Tenants 
  • Subtenants 
  • Leaseholders 
  • Someone authorized by leaseholder 

Employers who request bike access must provide areas to store bikes. 

Bike Access Plan Timeline 

The building owner has 30 days to enact a Bike Access Plan after receiving a bike access request. After enacting a Bike Access Plan, the building owner has 5 days to post the Plan in the building lobby or other visible area.

Exception Request Timeline 

After receiving the bike access request, the building owner has 15 days to file an Exception Request. If the Exception Request is approved, they will receive a letter. The building owner then has 5 days to post the Letter of Exception in the building lobby or other visible area.

You can report a commercial building owner who fails to respond to a bike access request. 

Commercial buildings with freight elevators must post a Bike Access Plan or a Letter of Exception. You can report a building owner who fails to do so.

Report a commercial building not posting a:

Commercial buildings with freight elevators must follow the Bike Access Plan or Letter of Exception that is posted in the building.

Report a commercial building not following a:

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