Guide

What did I just receive? Identifying a NYC building notice

The City sends — or tapes to the door — more than one kind of “ticket”. Work out which one you have first, because the deadline, the penalty and whether there is a hearing all depend on it.

Last checked: 2026-08-13 · Based on official NYC websites; sources at the end

Don't panic — first work out what it is

Most people's first reaction to a letter from the City is “how much am I being fined?”. The more important question is which kind of document this is — some need a hearing and some don't, one means work must stop immediately, and one is not a penalty at all, just a record that someone called in a complaint.

The five below are the most common. Look at which agency is printed at the top and whether there is a “hearing” date, and you can usually match it.

Four places to look on a summonsDiagram · not a real document

1Heading: which agencyOATH / ECB means a summons with a hearing. Department of Buildings alone is usually a violation notice, with no hearing.
2Hearing dateThe hardest deadline. Missing it means a default decision, and the penalty is usually 2–3 times higher.
3Cure date (if there is one)Not every summons has one. If yours does, correcting the condition and filing a Certificate of Correction before that date can avoid both the hearing and the penalty.
4Violation classClass 1 must be corrected immediately; Class 2 and 3 within 40 days.

Layouts differ by summons type; go by what is actually printed on yours. This is an illustrative diagram, not a real document.

1. OATH/ECB summons (Violations-OATH/ECB)

A summons: the hearing is at OATH, and the penalty is paid to OATH. It shows a hearing date, and the heading usually says OATH (Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings) or ECB.

This is the one to watch most closely: it has a firm deadline, and not appearing has consequences. The actual amount and deadline are printed on your summons — every one is different, so go by what is printed on yours.

2. DOB violation (Violations-DOB)

Recorded against the building. No hearing. It does not give you a hearing date; instead it sits on the building's public record.

No hearing does not mean you can ignore it — it still shows as open, and it can still hold up a sale or a refinance.

3. Stop Work Order

Work must stop immediately, until the Department of Buildings lifts the order. This is the most urgent of the five.

Continuing work while a Stop Work Order is in force brings a separate OATH/ECB summons. Whether the building is still under a Stop Work Order today is not in the public data — check the Department of Buildings' official record before any work resumes.

4. HPD housing violation (HPD Violations)

Living conditions: heat, hot water, leaks, pests. These come from the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), not the Department of Buildings — a different agency with a different process.

They usually concern tenants' living conditions.

5. Complaint (Complaints) — this one is not a penalty

Someone reported it to 311 — an allegation, not a finding. The Department of Buildings sends someone to look, and afterwards may issue a violation, or may not.

A complaint on your building's record is no reason to panic — on its own it is not a penalty and carries no fine.

Once you know which it is

If the paper shows a hearing date, write the date down first — that is the hardest deadline.

Then check which open records the building has in total — sometimes the one in your hand is only one of several. Our free lookup shows them from an address, with no sign-up.

One more thing many people don't know: paying the fine does not close the violation. That has its own article.

See what is on the building's record first

Just enter an address — free, no sign-up

Check building violations

Sources

All from official New York City sources

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.