Guides

What Is a PRC Number in New York, and How Do You Get One?

On a prevailing wage project in New York State, the NYSDOL Certified Payroll portal asks for a PRC number before it lets you set up the project. This guide explains what the number is, who gets it, where a contractor finds it, and what to do when nobody has given it to you.

What is a PRC number?

PRC stands for prevailing rate case. NYSDOL's Contractor User Guide calls it your "prevailing rate case number (PRC Number) for the project".

The number goes together with the project's wage schedule. NYSDOL says a wage schedule is generated and provided with all PRC numbers. That schedule lists the wages and supplements to be paid on the job.

A few basics:

• One project, one number. NYSDOL says that, generally, a PRC number is issued for each project.
• It is short. In NYSDOL's XML upload format, the PRC number field is exactly 10 characters long.
• It follows the project everywhere. You use it to set up the project, to upload payroll files, and the public can search submitted payrolls by it.

This guide is about projects you file in the NYSDOL portal. NYSDOL says payrolls for New York City public work go through NYC's own online certified payroll database instead.

Who requests the PRC number?

The number comes from the owner's side of the job. NYSDOL says the wage schedule, with its PRC number, is provided to the letting agency, or to the covered private owner or developer.

NYSDOL's online request form is called the Online Wage Schedule Application, and its first section is about the Contracting Agency. NYSDOL asks that each request be submitted only once. If the same request is submitted more than once, the system assigns different PRC numbers to the same project.

What the law says for public work

Labor Law Section 220 sets out who does what:

1. The department of jurisdiction works out, from the plans and specifications, which classifications of workers the project will use. It files them with the fiscal officer, with a statement of the work each classification will do. The law defines the department of jurisdiction as the state department, board or officer, or the municipal corporation, commission or board, whose duty is to prepare or direct the preparation of the plans and specifications.
2. The fiscal officer then classifies the workers and determines the schedules of wages and supplements. For public work by or for the state, a public benefit corporation, a county, a village or another civil division, that is the Commissioner of Labor. For a city of over one million people, it is that city's comptroller or similar officer.
3. Before bids are advertised, the fiscal officer files the schedules with the department of jurisdiction. The schedules are annexed to and form part of the specifications for the work.

Covered private projects

On privately owned projects covered by prevailing wage requirements, NYSDOL says the wage schedule goes to the covered private owner or developer. NYSDOL also says letting agencies and covered private owners and developers should tell contractors whether prevailing wages apply to the project.

Why does the NYSDOL portal need a PRC number?

The PRC number identifies the project. NYSDOL's XML schema describes the field as the PRC number of the project.

• You cannot set up a project without it. NYSDOL's FAQ asks whether a project can be entered without a PRC number. The answer is no, a PRC number is required.
• It is part of the setup list. To set up a new project you need your FEIN, your NYS contractor registration number, the PRC number for the project, and a copy of your payment bond for public improvement projects.
• The state uses it to track you. NYSDOL says the project details you give, like dates and case numbers, are used to monitor your compliance.
• Every XML upload names it. Each payroll file holds one project (PRC number) and one week ending date. If the number in the file does not match the project you picked, the portal shows the error "PRC Number does not match existing project".
• The public can look it up. NYSDOL says submitted payrolls are searchable by contractor or subcontractor name or by PRC number. Worker names are not shown, but the number of workers, their hours and pay rates are. A general contractor can use this to check whether its subcontractors have filed.

The full setup, step by step, is in our guide to submitting certified payroll in the NYSDOL portal.

Where does a contractor find the PRC number?

Start with the people who let the job.

• Ask the public entity that let the project. This is NYSDOL's own answer when a contractor has not been given a PRC number.
• Check your bid and contract documents. By law, the wage schedules are annexed to the specifications for public work, and NYSDOL says the schedule is provided with the PRC number.
• After setup, look at your dashboard. NYSDOL's upload guide says you can find the PRC number on your dashboard in the Certified Payroll portal.

Once you have the number, you can see the wage schedule that goes with it. NYSDOL's page for previously requested wage schedules has a "Find PRC" search with one field, the PRC number. How the supplement part of those rates and overtime work is in how fringe benefits and overtime are calculated.

Several contracts, maintenance work and changes

Several contracts on one project

NYSDOL's FAQ covers crews working under more than one contract on a single project:

• If a contract has its own PRC number, or a different general contractor, enter it as its own project in the portal.
• If the contracts all share one PRC number and the same general contractor, you can enter them together in a single certified payroll.

Maintenance and similar work

For maintenance, emergency clean up, and procurements that involve construction like work for installation, NYSDOL says a department of jurisdiction may have a single PRC number on file for the year, starting July 1. In that case a contractor may use the same PRC number for several projects. Maintenance PRCs name the maintenance activity. NYSDOL's example is "HVAC Maintenance 2025-2026".

If the number changes after setup

After you save a project, you can only make limited changes. The PRC number is one of them. Open the project from your dashboard with View Project, click Edit Project, change the PRC number, then Save Changes.

What if the agency has not given you a PRC number?

Do not let the payroll wait. Contractors have to submit payroll at least every 30 days for the length of the covered project, and NYSDOL lists "an inability to obtain a PRC number" among the reasons a payroll can end up late.

1. Ask the public entity that let the project whether they can provide the PRC number.
2. If they cannot, contact the Bureau of Public Work and Prevailing Wage Enforcement. You can reach NYSDOL at [email protected]. NYSDOL also lists Bureau of Public Work district offices on its site.
3. If it makes you late, tell the Bureau. NYSDOL asks contractors to notify the Bureau if they cannot get a PRC number. If a fine is issued, the Bureau reviews why the payroll was late and can waive or reduce the fine if the delay was outside the contractor's control.

What counts as late, and what the law allows when a payroll is late, is in our guide to the 30 day certified payroll deadline.

Common questions

What does PRC stand for? Prevailing rate case. NYSDOL calls it the prevailing rate case number (PRC Number) for the project.

Can I set up a project in the NYSDOL portal without a PRC number? No. NYSDOL says a PRC number is required to enter a project.

Who gets the PRC number from NYSDOL? NYSDOL provides the wage schedule, with its PRC number, to the letting agency or to the covered private owner or developer. If you were not given it, ask the public entity that let the project, and if they cannot provide it, contact the Bureau.

Can one PRC number be used for more than one project? Generally, no. One PRC number is issued for each project. For maintenance, emergency clean up and similar work, a department may have one PRC number for the year, which a contractor may use for several projects.

Will I be fined if I am late because I could not get a PRC number? NYSDOL asks you to notify the Bureau. If a fine is issued, the Bureau can waive or reduce it if the delay was outside your control.

How WeeklyCert helps

Once your project has its PRC number, WeeklyCert handles the weekly part. You enter the week's hours once, in one grid. Overtime, rates and fringe are checked before you sign. The NYSDOL file and the WH-347 for your GC are ready to send, and you get a reminder before every project deadline.

Watch the 60 second demo

Start free for 14 days, no card needed

This is general information, not legal advice.