How to Clear DOB Violations in NYC

To clear a DOB violation in NYC, you correct the condition, submit proof of the correction to the Department of Buildings, and pay any DOB civil penalty. What “submit proof” means depends on whether you have a DOB violation (handled by the DOB unit that issued it) or an OATH summons, the old ECB violation, which also goes to a hearing and is closed with a Certificate of Correction filed in DOB NOW.

Both kinds stay open on the building's public record until DOB accepts your proof. Paying a fine alone does not close them.

DOB violation or OATH summons?

Look at the violation number in BIS or on the paper you received. DOB lists both types separately. The paths to close them are different:

For background on reading these records, see DOB violations explained and ECB/OATH violations explained.

Clearing a DOB violation

DOB violations are mostly about required filings and equipment: boilers, elevators, facades, fire safety and parking structures. DOB publishes a separate resolution guide for each; for anything else, contact the unit that issued it. Unit codes are listed on DOB's Unit Descriptions page.

Example: a boiler violation for a missed annual inspection report. DOB gives two options. Show proof you complied, such as a copy of the inspection report filed for that cycle, or pay the civil penalty and file a current inspection report in DOB NOW: Safety. If the boiler was removed and not replaced, a licensed professional must file a Boiler Removal Notification (OP49) in DOB NOW: Build within 30 days; late filings cost $50 per month. See NYC boiler inspection rules.

If BIS doesn't show the details you need, you can request copies from the issuing unit for $8 per violation ($5 for each additional duplicate) or file a Freedom of Information Law request through NYC OpenRecords.

Clearing an OATH summons: the Certificate of Correction

DOB classifies summonses by hazard, and the class decides your deadlines and options:

1. 1

   Correct the condition

   Do the work, and pull permits if the fix requires them. Hire licensed or registered professionals where the code requires it.
2. 2

   Pay any DOB penalties

   DOB won’t approve a Certificate of Correction until all DOB civil penalties are paid or waived. Work Without a Permit penalties are paid in person at the borough office that issued the summons.
3. 3

   Log in to DOB NOW: Safety

   Use an NYC.ID account. Go to Violations & Notices of Deficiency, then choose “+Certificate of Correction Review Request” and enter the summons number.
4. 4

   Enter the correction and upload proof

   The old AEU2, AEU20 and AEU3321 forms are no longer used; you enter the information directly. DOB’s COC User Guide lists the documents needed for each violation type.
5. 5

   Pick cure or stipulation if offered

   Choose the cure option to avoid the hearing with a zero penalty, or the stipulation option for a reduced penalty and more time. Both are admissions of the violation.
6. 6

   Owner attests

   If a contractor or expediter submits, the owner or respondent must log in and confirm on the Statements & Signatures tab that they authorized it.
7. 7

   Watch for the decision

   DOB emails the submitter and owner. Approved: the summons is resolved in BIS. Disapproved: fix the problem and resubmit, or file a dispute if you have a real reason.

Cure, stipulation and mitigation

• Cure. File an acceptable Certificate of Correction within 60 days of service for a cure-eligible violation. No hearing, zero penalty, but it counts as an admission and as a prior violation if the problem recurs.
• Stipulation. If DOB offers one, you admit the violation and get 75 days from the first scheduled hearing date to correct and certify. A pre-hearing stipulation cuts the penalty in half. Miss the 75 days and it reverts to the standard hearing penalty.
• Mitigation. If you prove at the hearing that you corrected the condition before the first hearing date, eligible violations get half the standard penalty. You still have to file the Certificate of Correction afterward.

Aggravated violations are never eligible for cure, stipulation or mitigation. The DOB penalty schedule in 1 RCNY §102-01 shows which violation types qualify for each.

The hearing still matters

Filing a Certificate of Correction does not cancel an OATH hearing unless you used the cure or a pre-hearing stipulation. Otherwise you must still answer the summons at OATH. Missing the hearing means a default with a higher penalty. Unpaid OATH penalties can lead to a Civil Court judgment, Department of Finance collections and loss of City licenses or permits. Our OATH hearing guide covers your options.

If DOB issues a hazardous-violation penalty (AEUHAZ) that you believe is wrong, the owner or respondent can challenge it in DOB NOW under “+Waivers and Challenges” within 30 days of the Notice of Violation issue date.

Checking your building

• Search the address in DOB BIS; the Property Profile Overview shows the number of open DOB violations. Use DOB's “View the Status of an OATH Summons” lookup for a specific summons.
• See the same records alongside HPD violations on Roofy's building lookup, or browse recent filings at NYC violations.
• For help with a Certificate of Correction, call DOB's Administrative Enforcement Unit at (212) 393-2405.

HPD housing violations are a separate system. To clear those, see certifying HPD corrections and HPD Dismissal Requests.

This is general information, not legal advice. DOB's penalty schedule and your summons control the deadlines that apply to you.