# 255.621 Maximum allowable operating pressure: high-pressure distribution systems.

**Citation:** 16 NYCRR 255.621  
**Type / status:** regulation / current  
**Agency:** New York State Public Service Commission  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** Not stated

Transmission and Distribution of Gas. (a) No person may operate a segment of a high-pressure distribution system at a pressure that exceeds the lowest of the following pressures, as applicable:

(1) the design pressure of the weakest element in the segment, determined in accordance with this Part;

(2) 60 psig (414 kPa), for a segment of a distribution system otherwise designated to operate at o

## Document text

(a) No person may operate a segment of a high-pressure distribution system at a pressure that exceeds the lowest of the following pressures, as applicable:

(1) the design pressure of the weakest element in the segment, determined in accordance with this Part;

(2) 60 psig (414 kPa), for a segment of a distribution system otherwise designated to operate at over 60 psig (414 kPa), unless the service lines in the segment are equipped with service regulators or other pressure limiting devices in series that meet the requirements of section 255.197(c) of this Part.

(3) 25 psig (172 kPa) in segments of cast iron pipe in which there are unreinforced bell and spigot joints;

(4) the pressure limits to which a joint could be subjected without the possibility of its parting; or

(5) the pressure determined by the operator to be the maximum safe pressure after considering the history of the segment, particularly known corrosion and the actual operating pressures.

(b) No person may operate a segment of pipeline to which paragraph (a)(5) of this section applies, unless overpressure protective devices are installed on the segment in a manner that will prevent the maximum allowable operating pressure from being exceeded, in accordance with section 255.195 of this Part.

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://govt.westlaw.com/nycrr/Document/I505d5a2ccd1711dda432a117e6e0f345?viewType=FullText&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=CategoryPageItem&contextData=(sc.Default)>
- Source ID: `ny-dps-nycrr`
- SHA-256: `6a3f5d8e94252bd9147fbf7e3db7c322d3e636ecee7f840985151416b79050a7`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-12T06:20:40.894Z
- Exported: 2026-08-24T09:10:20.662Z
- Document slug: `ny-nycrr-255-621`

### Source metadata

```json
{
  "jurisdiction": "US-NY",
  "title": 16,
  "part": "255",
  "partTitle": "Transmission and Distribution of Gas",
  "scopeKind": "gas-pipeline-safety",
  "tocPath": [
    "Part 255 Transmission and Distribution of Gas",
    "Operations"
  ],
  "legalScope": "Complete current terminal legal unit exposed by the DPS-designated Title 16 NYCRR pipeline-safety part inventory.",
  "applicabilityCaveat": "Applicability depends on the part and section, Commission jurisdiction, commodity and facility type, intrastate or interstate status, operator and activity, exemptions, waivers, federal preemption, Commission orders, and incorporated law. DPS inspects portions of interstate systems for PHMSA, but PHMSA retains federal enforcement authority. DPS states that all jurisdictional Part 256 gas-holder and Part 257 LPG-plant facilities have been decommissioned even though those regulations remain unrepealed.",
  "incorporationCaveat": "These parts incorporate or rely on federal pipeline regulations, federal and New York statutes, Commission rules and orders, and privately authored technical standards. Part 10 supplies incorporation details. References metadata preserves explicit citations but does not reproduce external material, determine licensing rights, or decide whether a particular incorporation is static or dynamic.",
  "publicationCaveat": "The New York Department of Public Service identifies these eleven Title 16 NYCRR parts as its state pipeline-safety regulations and links to the public DOS/Westlaw NYCRR reading copy. That site labels the online text unofficial and directs users needing evidentiary accuracy to the Official NYCRR maintained by the Department of State Division of Administrative Rules. Each section's 'Current through' date is the most recent official NYCRR supplement covering that section, not a uniform corpus-wide amendment date.",
  "rights": "New York government-edict text is preserved with DPS, Department of State, and publisher attribution. The public reading site's presentation and enhancements, agency marks, forms, annotations, and incorporated federal or privately authored standards require separate rights review; this connector does not claim rights in those materials.",
  "rightsReviewRequired": true,
  "currentThrough": "2024-05-31",
  "historyEvents": "No event is emitted because the section reading copy does not supply an explicit adoption, filing, or effective-date history.",
  "publisherCitation": "16 CRR-NY 255.621",
  "identityAnomaly": null,
  "references": [
    {
      "citation": "16 NYCRR 255.197",
      "referenceType": "new-york-administrative-code",
      "url": "https://govt.westlaw.com/nycrr/Document/I505c9714cd1711dda432a117e6e0f345?viewType=FullText&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=CategoryPageItem&contextData=(sc.Default)"
    },
    {
      "citation": "16 NYCRR 255.195",
      "referenceType": "new-york-administrative-code",
      "url": "https://govt.westlaw.com/nycrr/Document/I505c9711cd1711dda432a117e6e0f345?viewType=FullText&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=CategoryPageItem&contextData=(sc.Default)"
    }
  ],
  "region": "NY"
}
```