R5 districts have a floor area ratio (FAR) of 1.25, which typically produces three-story attached houses and small apartment houses. With a height limit of 40 feet, R5 districts can provide a transition between lower- and higher-density neighborhoods and are widely mapped in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx.

To ensure compatibility with existing neighborhood scale, the maximum street wall height of a new building is 30 feet, with a 15-foot setback and a maximum building height of 40 feet. Front yards for all housing types must be 10 feet deep or if deeper, a minimum of 18 feet to prevent cars parked on-site from protruding onto the sidewalk. Detached houses must have two side yards that total at least 13 feet with a minimum width of five feet for each one.

Semi-detached buildings and the end buildings in a row of attached houses need one eight-foot-wide side yard. The maximum street wall length for a row of attached buildings on a single zoning lot is 185 feet. Off-street parking is required for 85% of the dwelling units.

On blocks entirely within an R5 zone, optional regulations may be used to develop infill housing when the area is already predominately built-up. A higher FAR of 1.35 is available for qualifying sites, as well as 55% lot coverage, allowing for much larger buildings with more dwelling units. Off-street parking is generally required for two-thirds of the dwelling units.