DOB Violations Explained for Renters and Buyers
What NYC Department of Buildings violations mean: type codes like LBLVIO and IMEGNCY, active vs dismissed, how they differ from HPD and ECB, and when to worry.
7 min read · Updated
A DOB violation is a notice from the NYC Department of Buildings that a property doesn't comply with the Construction Codes, Zoning Resolution or related rules. An active one means DOB has not yet received proof it was fixed; most are paperwork or equipment issues like a missed boiler inspection filing, but some flag unsafe or illegal conditions.
For renters, HPD violations usually say more about day-to-day living conditions. For buyers, open DOB violations matter more: DOB says they show up in title searches, can prevent a sale or refinance, and stop DOB from issuing a new or amended Certificate of Occupancy or Letter of Completion.
At a glance
- DOB violations issued since Jan 2025
- 35,163
- BIS dataset, as of Oct 12, 2026
- Most common type
- Low pressure boiler
- 52.5%: failure to file an inspection
- Still active
- 80.6%
- Of those issued since Jan 2025
- Adjudicated by OATH?
- No
- ECB/OATH summonses are a separate record
Three kinds of DOB records
DOB enforcement shows up in three separate public datasets. Knowing which one you're looking at avoids double counting.
| DOB violation (BIS) | DOB safety violation (DOB NOW) | ECB / OATH summons | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Older civil penalties and orders in the Buildings Information System | Newer civil penalties issued or payable in DOB NOW | A summons adjudicated by OATH, with a penalty |
| Hearing | No OATH hearing; cleared with the issuing DOB unit | No OATH hearing; civil penalty | OATH hearing unless cured, settled by stipulation or paid |
| Fines | Some, such as missed boiler or elevator filings | Civil penalties | Penalty set at the hearing or by default |
| Open data | 3h2n-5cm9 | 855j-jady | 6bgk-3dad |
Some violations appear in both the BIS and DOB NOW datasets. The ECB dataset's dictionary says that when an ECB violation is issued, DOB also issues a DOB violation; the two records are linked by the ECB number and DOB violation number. For the summons side, see ECB/OATH violations.
DOB vs HPD violations
| DOB violation | HPD violation | |
|---|---|---|
| Agency | Department of Buildings | Housing Preservation and Development |
| Law | Construction Codes, Zoning Resolution | Housing Maintenance Code, Multiple Dwelling Law |
| Typical issues | Boilers, elevators, facades, illegal work, unsafe structures | Heat, leaks, mold, pests, paint, locks |
| Applies to | All buildings, including houses and commercial | Rental housing |
| Severity scale | Type code (and ECB class if a summons) | Class A, B, C |
| How it clears | Owner submits proof to the issuing DOB unit, which dismisses it | Owner certifies, or HPD reinspects |
Violation type codes
The type code is the prefix you'll see on a DOB violation number and in the violation type field. Counts are for violations issued since January 1, 2025.
| Code | Meaning | Issued since Jan 2025 | What it usually signals |
|---|---|---|---|
| LBLVIO | Low pressure boiler | 18,473 | All carried the text “failure to file 2024 external low pressure inspection.” A paperwork lapse, but a boiler with no filed inspection. |
| C | Construction | 10,170 | Work without a permit, failure to maintain walls or alleys, structural problems. Read the description. |
| HBLVIO | High pressure boiler | 1,649 | Failure to file internal or external high pressure boiler inspections. |
| IMEGNCY | Immediate emergency | 1,555 | DOB ordered urgent action: fence a site, seal a fire-damaged building, demolish. |
| AEUHAZ1 | Fail to certify Class 1 | 1,095 | Owner didn’t certify correction of an immediately hazardous ECB violation. |
| LANDMK | Landmark | 940 | Issue on a landmarked building. |
| P | Plumbing | 679 | Plumbing work or condition. |
| UB | Unsafe buildings | 193 | DOB found the structure unsafe. |
| FISP… | Facade Safety Program | 171 | Hazardous facade, failure to fix “safe with repair” conditions, or missing facade report. |
| EGNCY | Emergency | 72 | Emergency condition order. |
| Z | Zoning | 71 | A Zoning Resolution issue. Read the description. |
| E | Elevator | 60 | Elevator device violation. |
| CLOS | Padlock | 30 | Premises ordered closed. |
| B | Boiler | 1 | Older boiler code. |
Active, dismissed and resolved
The status is the violation category field. An asterisk (*) after the prefix means it is closed. "Work without permit" categories (VW, VPW) are worth noticing on any building you plan to rent or buy.
| Category | Meaning | Since Jan 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| V – DOB Violation – Active | Open. DOB hasn’t accepted proof of correction. | 28,341 |
| V* – DOB Violation – Dismissed | Closed after the owner showed it was fixed, or otherwise dismissed. | 6,728 |
| V* – DOB Violation – Resolved | Closed as resolved. | 12 |
| VW – Work Without Permit – Active | Open violation for work done without a permit. | 11 |
| VW* – Work W/O Permit – Dismissed | Closed work-without-permit violation. | 2 |
| VPW – Unserved ECB – Work Without Permit – Active | Work-without-permit violation tied to an ECB summons that was not served. | 18 |
| VP / VP* – Unserved ECB – Active / Dismissed | Violation tied to an unserved ECB summons. | — |
| V% / V%* | DOB lists V% as a precept issued for an Unsafe Buildings violation. | 47 |
What an open DOB violation means for you
If you rent
- A missed boiler filing alone says little about whether you'll have heat. Check the building's winter heat complaints and HPD heat violations instead.
- Unsafe building, immediate emergency, padlock or zoning types are serious and worth asking about directly. If a violation describes an illegal occupancy or conversion, the apartment itself may not be legal. See how to read a Certificate of Occupancy.
- Elevator and facade violations affect safety. A hazardous facade finding is worth a question about repairs and timing.
If you buy
- Ask for all open DOB and ECB violations in writing and who will clear them before closing. Your attorney's title search will pick them up.
- Work without a permit may mean an alteration has to be legalized or removed.
- An active AEUHAZ1 means the owner failed to certify correction of an immediately hazardous (Class 1) ECB violation.
Type codes and VIOLATION_CATEGORY values checked against DD_DOB_Violations_2019-03-19.xlsx, live VIOLATION_TYPE labels (LBLVIO, CLOS, FISP* not in the dictionary) and DOB’s Types of DOB Violations page (asterisk = dismissed, V% = unsafe-building precept). Dataset scope from the Open Data descriptions. Title search, sale/refinance and CO/LOC block from DOB’s What is a DOB Violation page; clearing process from DOB’s Resolving a DOB Violation page. ECB-to-DOB-violation link verified in the DOB ECB Violations dictionary (DOB_VIOLATION_NUMBER field). Removed an unsourced Criminal Court line and replaced the 2011 tool kit as the main clearing source with current DOB pages. Re-queried 3h2n-5cm9 (issue_date >= 20250101) on 2026-10-12: 35,163 total, 28,341 active (80.6%), LBLVIO 18,473 (52.5%), all type and category counts matched.
Sources
- DOB Violations (dataset and data dictionary) · NYC Open Data / NYC Department of Buildings (accessed October 12, 2026)
- DOB Safety Violations (dataset) · NYC Open Data / NYC Department of Buildings (accessed October 12, 2026)
- DOB ECB Violations (dataset) · NYC Open Data / NYC Department of Buildings (accessed October 12, 2026)
- What is a DOB Violation? · NYC Department of Buildings (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Resolving a DOB Violation · NYC Department of Buildings (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Types of DOB Violations · NYC Department of Buildings (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Tool Kit: Resolving Violations · NYC Department of Buildings (accessed October 12, 2026)
- What is an OATH Summons? · NYC Department of Buildings (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Housing Maintenance Code Violations (dataset) · NYC Open Data / NYC HPD (accessed October 12, 2026)
General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change; confirm with the agency or a professional before you act.