NYC violation deadlines — cure date vs correction deadline
Class 1 must be corrected immediately; Class 2 and 3 within 40 days. The “cure date” is something else: it is printed on your summons and differs from one summons to the next — don't use a number from the internet.
Last checked: 2026-08-13 · Based on official NYC websites; sources at the end
Two completely different deadlines that people mix up
Many different “you have so many days to fix it” claims circulate online, all with different numbers. The reason is that there are two kinds of deadline, and they govern different things.
1. The deadline to correct and certify (by class)
Class 1 (Immediately Hazardous): must be corrected immediately.
Class 2 and Class 3: corrected within 40 days.
After correcting, you still have to certify it to the Department of Buildings — now by filing a Certificate of Correction through DOB NOW: Safety.
2. The cure date (the chance of a $0 penalty)
A “cure” means admitting the violation charged on the summons, but with a $0.00 penalty and no hearing at OATH.
First check whether your summons shows a “CURE DATE”. If there is a date, you are usually eligible; if that field is missing or says “N/A”, no cure is available. A cure only exists when the Department of Buildings offers one.
If you are eligible there are three things to do: correct the condition, file a Certificate of Correction, and have the Department of Buildings approve it on or before the cure date.
Note the last step: submitting is not enough — it has to be approved.
A trap: even the City's own handout is out of date
OATH's cure handout (February 2026 edition) still tells people to submit the AEU2, AEU3321 and AEU20 forms.
But the Department of Buildings' own Certificate of Correction page is clear: those forms no longer need to be submitted, and the information is entered directly into the COC request.
Where the two disagree, go by the Department of Buildings, the agency that reviews your filing. Most of the guides circulating in Chinese were copied from the old handout, which is why they are out of date.
A cure once does not mean leniency later
OATH specifically warns that even if this summons is cured, a later summons from the Department of Buildings may still be treated as a repeat offence and penalised more heavily.
So: don't use a number from the internet
The cure date is printed on your summons, and each one can be different. Any “always so many days” claim may be wrong for yours.
Go by the date printed on your paper. If you cannot read what it says, take the paper and ask — but the date itself is on the paper.
One more thing: a cure does not necessarily close the case
Unless the summons is dismissed at an OATH hearing, you still have to certify the correction to the Department of Buildings.
That is why “the fine is paid but the violation is still open” happens — that article is here.
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Check building violationsSources
All from official New York City sources- 1NYC Department of Buildings (DOB)Certificate of CorrectionClass 1 immediately; Class 2 and 3 within 40 days
- 2NYC Department of Buildings (DOB)Violation/Summonses Scheduled for Hearings at OATH/ECB (AEU)The cure date is printed on the face of the summons; filing before it can avoid the hearing and penalty
- 3NYC Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH)How To Obtain A “Cure” For Your DOB Violation(s)What a cure is, who is eligible and how to file (note: still lists the AEU forms, superseded by DOB's page)
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This page is general information, not legal or engineering advice. This website is not affiliated with any New York City government agency. The amounts and deadlines on your own notice take precedence.