R6 vs R6A vs R6B Zoning in NYC
All three are medium-density residence districts, and together they cover 133,693 NYC tax lots in MapPLUTO 26v2, most of them in Brooklyn. The letter matters. R6B is the smallest envelope and R6A the largest. Plain R6 matches R6A within 100 feet of a wide street, and sits in between farther away.
R6, R6A and R6B side by side
| Rule | R6 | R6A | R6B | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max residential FAR | 2.2 beyond 100 ft of a wide street; 3.0 within 100 ft of a wide street | 3.0 | 2.0 | ZR 23-22 |
| FAR, qualifying affordable or senior housing | 3.9 | 3.9 | 2.4 | ZR 23-22 |
| Base height (min–max) | 30–45 ft beyond 100 ft of a wide street; 40–65 ft within 100 ft of a wide street | 40–65 ft | 30–45 ft | ZR 23-432 |
| Max building height | 55 ft beyond 100 ft of a wide street; 75 ft within 100 ft of a wide street | 75 ft | 55 ft | ZR 23-432 |
| Max height, qualifying affordable or senior housing | 85 ft beyond 100 ft of a wide street; 95 ft within 100 ft of a wide street | 95 ft | 65 ft | ZR 23-432 |
| Optional sky exposure plane rules | Available (FAR by height factor, ZR 23-732) | Not available (letter suffix) | Not available (letter suffix) | ZR 23-731 |
| Tax lots mapped (MapPLUTO) | 67,772 | 15,188 | 50,733 | MapPLUTO 26v2 |
A wide street is 75 ft or more in width; a narrow street is less than 75 ft wide (ZR 12-10). R6 gets the higher numbers on zoning lots, or portions of them, within 100 ft of a wide street (footnote 1 to ZR 23-22 and 23-432). The lower R6 numbers apply on a narrow street beyond 100 ft of a wide street, and on the part of a lot with only wide-street frontage that lies more than 100 ft from the street line (footnote 2 to ZR 23-432). ZR 23-22 and 23-432 last amended Dec. 5, 2024; ZR 12-10 last amended Mar. 26, 2026; checked Nov. 10, 2026.
What the letter means
NYC Planning calls districts with an A, B, D or X suffix contextual districts. Under the current Zoning Resolution, all three districts follow the same height and setback section (ZR 23-43): street wall location under ZR 23-431, and the base and building heights in the table above under ZR 23-432. Those are the district rules, not an optional program. R6B adds line-up rules: a new street wall generally has to line up with eligible adjacent buildings (ZR 23-431). The real split is the alternative. Plain R6 has no letter suffix, so ZR 23-731 lets a lot use the optional sky exposure plane rules instead (not in R6-1, R6-2 or Limited Height Districts), with FAR set by height factor under ZR 23-732 in place of 23-22. R6A and R6B cannot use that option. Older guides call R6A and R6B rules "Quality Housing". ZR 12-10 now defines a Quality Housing building only as one built under that program as it existed before Dec. 5, 2024.
Why R6 depends on the street
R6 is the only one of the three whose numbers change with street width. ZR 23-22 and 23-432 give R6 lots, or the parts of lots, within 100 feet of a wide street the same FAR and heights as R6A (footnote 1 to each table). Beyond 100 feet, whether on a narrow street or deep in a lot that fronts only a wide street (footnote 2 to ZR 23-432), R6 drops to a lower FAR and the same 55 ft cap as R6B. So two R6 lots on the same block can carry different limits. Check the street width before you price an R6 lot.
A 25 x 100 lot in each district
FAR times lot area is the ceiling on zoning floor area. On a 2,500 sq ft lot:
- R6B: 5,000 sq ft (6,000 sq ft for qualifying affordable or senior housing)
- R6, beyond 100 ft of a wide street: 5,500 sq ft
- R6A, or R6 within 100 ft of a wide street: 7,500 sq ft (9,750 sq ft for qualifying affordable or senior housing)
This is arithmetic, not a building plan. Yards, lot coverage, height, the existing building, zoning-lot history and special districts can all lower it. Zoning floor area is not gross building area.
R6, R6A and R6B questions
What is the difference between R6, R6A and R6B?
All three are medium-density residence districts. R6B is the smallest: FAR 2.0 and a 55 ft height cap. R6A allows FAR 3.0 and 75 ft. Plain R6 allows FAR 2.2 and 55 ft beyond 100 feet of a wide street (a narrow street, or the far part of a wide-street lot), and FAR 3.0 and 75 ft within 100 feet of a wide street (ZR 23-22, 23-432). Plain R6 has no letter suffix, so it may also use the optional sky exposure plane rules (ZR 23-731), with FAR set by height factor (ZR 23-732); R6A and R6B may not.
What counts as a wide street in NYC zoning?
A wide street is any street 75 feet or more in width; a narrow street is any street less than 75 feet wide (ZR 12-10). The higher R6 numbers apply to zoning lots, or the portions of them, within 100 feet of a wide street (footnote 1 to ZR 23-22 and 23-432). The lower R6 numbers apply on a narrow street beyond 100 feet of a wide street, and on the part of a wide-street-only lot more than 100 feet from the street line (footnote 2 to ZR 23-432).
How much can I build on a 25 x 100 lot in R6, R6A or R6B?
FAR times lot area gives the ceiling on zoning floor area. On a 2,500 sq ft lot that is 5,000 sq ft in R6B, 5,500 sq ft in R6 beyond 100 feet of a wide street, and 7,500 sq ft in R6A or in R6 within 100 feet of a wide street. Yards, lot coverage, height and the existing building can lower that number, and zoning floor area is not the same as gross area.
Does affordable housing raise the limits in these districts?
Yes. ZR 23-22 sets a higher FAR for qualifying affordable or senior housing: 3.9 in R6 and R6A and 2.4 in R6B. ZR 23-432 raises the height cap to 95 ft in R6A, 65 ft in R6B, and 85 ft (beyond 100 feet of a wide street) or 95 ft (within 100 feet of a wide street) in R6. The affordability terms decide whether a project qualifies; check them with HPD and a professional.
How do I find out which of the three my lot is in?
Search the address or BBL on the free NYRezone map or on NYC Planning's ZoLa map. A lot can sit in more than one district or under a special district or overlay, so check every district on the lot. The $49 NYRezone report puts the lot's zoning, FAR fields, built floor area and owner of record on one page.
See which one your lot is in
Search an address or BBL on the free NYRezone map. For one lot, the $49 report puts the zoning and FAR fields, lot and building area, owner of record, the last recorded deed and sale price, and flood-zone data where available on one page. See a sample report first.
Sources & freshness
Rules: NYC Zoning Resolution 23-22 (floor area), 23-43, 23-431 and 23-432 (street wall, height and setback), 23-731 and 23-732 (optional sky exposure plane rules), each last amended Dec. 5, 2024; and 12-10 (wide and narrow street, Quality Housing building), last amended Mar. 26, 2026. Read Nov. 10, 2026. Lot counts: NYC MapPLUTO 26v2 (checked Sept. 28, 2026). This is orientation, not legal advice. Confirm a lot with the Department of City Planning and a licensed professional before you act on it.