New York City DCWP License Applications

The New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) License Applications Dataset provides a detailed record of licensing activity within the city, encompassing applications for new licenses, renewals, and those that have been denied or withdrawn. This dataset offers valuable insights into the regulatory processes that support compliance and fair business practices across New York City. It serves as an essential tool for understanding trends in licensing, aiding researchers, policymakers, and business owners in analyzing the city’s economic and regulatory landscape.

Each record in the dataset includes important information such as the Application Number, License Type, and the current status of the application (e.g., pending, issued, denied). It also provides details about associated license numbers for successful applications, facilitating cross-referencing with other related datasets like the DCWP Issued Licenses Dataset. This connection enables a deeper exploration of licensed entities and their compliance histories, fostering transparency in regulatory processes.

The dataset spans a variety of license types, reflecting the diverse range of businesses regulated by the DCWP—from small vendors and retail stores to large-scale service providers. Updated regularly, it captures both historical and ongoing application activities, enabling longitudinal studies of business trends in the city. The inclusion of application statuses further supports monitoring of procedural efficiency and areas for administrative improvement.

By offering a centralized repository of license application data, the dataset highlights the DCWP’s commitment to fostering an equitable and transparent business environment. It empowers consumers to make informed choices, supports businesses in navigating compliance, and provides public officials with actionable data for improving licensing systems. This resource not only promotes accountability but also contributes to the vitality of New York City’s economic ecosystem.

Statistics

The dataset on license applications from the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) offers a wealth of insights, with a total of about 51,500 records. These applications span various license categories, with the most common being Home Improvement Contractor, which accounts for approximately 18% of all records, followed by Secondhand Dealer - General at nearly 8%. Other notable categories include Temporary Street Fair Vendor Permit and Tobacco Retail Dealer, each contributing roughly 8% and 7.7%, respectively. This distribution underscores the diversity of economic activities regulated by the DCWP.

The application statuses in the dataset highlight the outcomes of these processes. Over 56% of applications have been approved, while about 38% are marked as closed. Other statuses include denied (almost 3%) and additional information requested (1.5%), providing transparency into the lifecycle of license applications. These statuses reflect the administrative efforts in processing a large volume of requests efficiently.

From a temporal perspective, submissions are distributed across recent years, with 2023 accounting for more than 61% of the applications and 2024 for nearly 39%. This temporal breakdown allows for year-over-year comparisons and analysis of trends in business licensing activity, offering useful insights into shifts in economic engagement or regulatory changes.

Geographically, the dataset provides a snapshot of licensing activity across boroughs, with Queens leading at 15.5%, followed by Brooklyn (14.9%) and Manhattan (11.9%). Additionally, records indicate substantial activity from businesses in the Bronx, Staten Island, and even entities located outside New York City. Within the boroughs, specific neighborhoods and zip codes emerge as hotspots for license applications, such as Brooklyn with nearly 24% of the total applications.

In summary, this dataset is an invaluable tool for understanding the licensing ecosystem of New York City. Its comprehensive scope—from license categories and statuses to geographic and temporal distributions—provides a rich foundation for exploring business activity and regulatory dynamics in one of the world's most vibrant cities.

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