License check
How to check an oil tank removal company's license in Suffolk or Nassau
A license number takes a minute to check and tells you the company can legally do the work. Here is who issues it in each county, where to look it up, and what else to ask, from the official pages we read on 2026-11-03.
What New York State and federal rules say
- Most home heating oil tanks fall outside New York's Petroleum Bulk Storage regulations because they hold less than 1,100 gallons, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
- Tanks that store heating oil for use on the premises where it is stored are excluded from federal underground storage tank regulations. EPA adds that state or local agencies may regulate them.
- DEC names Nassau and Suffolk among its three delegated counties, and it encourages residents there to ask the county Department of Health whether heating oil tanks under 1,100 gallons are regulated.
- State law requires heating oil tanks, aboveground and underground, to be emptied, cleaned and purged of all vapors, DEC's homeowner guide says.
- When an underground heating oil tank is removed, its vent line and fill line must be removed as well, or the fill line must be capped with concrete.
- Contamination from a leaking tank must be reported to the state's Spills Hotline at 1-800-457-7362.
Towns with a license of their own
- Town of Shelter Island: Shelter Island's notice to contractors says every contractor or subcontractor working on the island, landscapers included, needs a town license.
Beyond the license
- Ask for a certificate of insurance sent to you by the insurer, naming you as the certificate holder.
- Ask who files the permit and books the inspections, and get it in the contract.
- Get the price, the scope, the start and finish dates and the payment schedule in a written contract.
Related
Questions homeowners ask
Do I have to remove an old oil tank on Long Island?
It depends on the tank, the county and the town. The town pages below quote what each official page says about tank removal and abandonment.
Should a buried oil tank be checked before I buy a house?
Ask the seller what they know, and ask a licensed company how a tank would be located and tested. A real estate attorney can advise on the contract side.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from these official pages. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the office before you file anything.
- NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Underground Heating Oil Tanks: A Homeowner's Guide (read 2026-11-03)
- U.S. EPA, Frequent Questions About Underground Storage Tanks (read 2026-11-03; page dated June 3, 2026)
- Town of Shelter Island, Notice to All Contractors (read 2026-11-03)
Checked 2026-11-03. Facts come only from the official pages listed, read on that date.
Talk the job through before you call anyone
Tell us about the house and the job in about four minutes. Revival calls you, free, to go over the scope, the budget, the timing and your town's permit office. Contractor matches open as our first licensed partners sign.