NYC DOB Violations Explained: Classes A, B & C With Examples

Some violations barely slow you down. Others shut entire projects overnight. The difference? How the NYC Department of Buildings classifies them. Confusion over Classes A, B, and C leads to missed deadlines, costly fines, and halted construction. The rules seem simple—until you’re the one facing the violation notice.

This article breaks it all down clearly. No jargon. No guesswork.

• What each DOB violation class actually means
• How Classes A, B, and C differ in urgency and penalties
• Real examples so you can spot the risks before they escalate

By the end, you’ll know exactly where each violation stands—and what needs immediate attention.

What each DOB violation class actually means

The NYC Department of Buildings groups violations into three classes: A, B, and C. Each class signals a different risk level and urgency for correction. Understanding these categories prevents unnecessary penalties and delays, especially when multiple violation number records show up across properties or when a significant number of agencies issue violations that property owners must comply with on time.

Class A – Non-Hazardous Violations

Class A covers issues that do not pose immediate safety risks but still break compliance rules. These violations require correction, but they typically come with lower penalties than the others.

Examples include:

• Missing or outdated building permits
• Administrative errors in posted notices
• Minor maintenance oversights without safety implications

Correction timelines vary, but they usually allow more time compared to Class B or C violations.

Class B – Hazardous Violations

Class B represents hazardous conditions that need quicker resolution. While not immediately life-threatening, these issues can impact tenant safety, building integrity, and fire safety readiness if left unresolved.

Common examples are:

• Faulty exit signs in residential or commercial buildings
• Damaged exterior walls with falling debris risks
• Malfunctioning fire doors or partial fire protection failures

Penalties rise with Class B, and deadlines for corrective actions become shorter.

Class C – Immediately Hazardous Violations

Class C is the most severe category. These violations pose immediate dangers to life, health, or property. They trigger the fastest response requirements and carry the highest fines.

Typical Class C violations include:

• Illegal gas connections
• Structural instability threatening collapse
• Blocked fire exits in occupied buildings

Failing to address Class C violations quickly often leads to stop work orders, heavy fines, or both.

How Classes A, B, and C Differ in Urgency and Penalties

Each DOB violation class carries different correction timelines and financial consequences. The severity of the condition directly affects how fast you must act—and how much you could pay if you delay.

Urgency Levels

DOB sets correction speed by risk and by what the summons states on its face: Cure Date, Compliance Date, or Correct Forthwith. Read those fields first, then plan work, permits, and certification in that order.

For practical planning, treat urgency this way:

• Class A – Non-hazardous: Typically, a longer window to correct. Many items are cure-eligible if you submit a complete Certificate of Correction before the Cure Date. If permits are required, file them quickly so you don’t miss the certification window.
• Class B – Hazardous: Shorter correction period. Cure eligibility is narrower. Expect quicker follow-up by the issuing unit. If the summons lists Compliance Date without cure, schedule abatement work immediately and prepare your certification package in parallel.
• Class C – Immediately hazardous: Marked Correct Forthwith or similar language. Treat as same-day or next-day action as stated on the summons. Conditions tied to fire protection, gas, structural stability, or egress can trigger a Stop Work Order until you remove the hazard and certify.

What DOB expects to see on time:

• Physical correction of the condition
• Permits filed and, where applicable, sign-offs or letters of completion
• Certificate of Correction via AEU eFiling with dated photos, invoices, and a notarized statement
• Proof that the cause of the violation will not recur (e.g., maintenance program, vendor contract, or testing logs)

Pro tip: build a “clock” for every summons—Cure Date, Compliance Date, Hearing Date. Work backward to set internal deadlines for permits, inspections, and document gathering.

Fast reference — urgency signals

Civil Penalty Structures

Penalties flow from class, code section, and procedural posture (cure, hearing, default, repeat offense). Base fines come from the OATH penalty schedule, then are adjusted up or down based on facts and history.

Here’s how the structure tends to work in practice:

• Class A: Lower base fines. Cure acceptance often avoids a civil penalty. If you miss a cure but fix it before the hearing, bring dated proof; the hearing officer may reduce the penalty. Defaults push fines higher.
• Class B: Mid-tier fines to reflect safety impact. Limited cure pathways. Expect higher penalties if you arrive at the hearing without proof of correction. Repeat conditions at the same property can trigger aggravated tiers.
• Class C: Highest base fines. Some conditions carry daily penalties until correction is certified. A Stop Work Order can introduce separate civil penalties to lift. Defaults often hit maximums allowed by the schedule.

Penalty movers that matter

• Cure vs. no cure: Cure acceptance can zero out the penalty for eligible summonses.
• Mitigation: Corrected after the Cure Date, but before hearing, with solid proof can lower fines.
• Aggravated levels: Prior violations at the same property within a defined lookback can increase penalties.
• Daily penalties: Apply to certain immediately hazardous conditions until you file an accepted certification.
• Default: Missing the hearing leads to a default judgment at the highest tier and added administrative fees.
• Stipulations: In some cases, you can enter a stip with set payments and compliance milestones; miss the milestone, and enhanced penalties apply.

Fast reference — penalties by class

Organize every certification like an audit file—issuance, timeline, permits, photos (before/during/after), signed statements, invoices, and test results. Tight documentation cuts hearing time and reduces penalty exposure.

Real Examples So You Can Spot the Risks Before They Escalate

Patterns matter. So do timelines. Enforcement volume shifts year to year, which raises the cost of late action. In 2024, DOB reported 13% more OATH violations and 4% more Stop Work Orders than in 2023—proof that delays can get expensive fast.

Class A examples that commonly appear

Class A covers low-risk administrative or minor maintenance issues. You still fix them and certify on time, or small problems turn into fines.

Typical Class A conditions

• Permit poster mismatch — Wrong permit number, contractor name, or expiration on the posted card or site information panel.
  • Fix: Reprint with correct data, post at the entrance, photograph wide and close-up, submit AEU2 Certificate of Correction with a notarized statement and photos.
• Outdated site information panel — Missing 24/7 contact or superseded permit references.
  • Fix: Update the panel, keep it weatherproof, date-stamp photos, and submit AEU2 with an explanation of the change.
• Minor housekeeping inside a controlled area — Debris not in lidded containers but fully contained behind fencing with no public exposure.
  • Fix: Remove or contain, photograph before/after, attach vendor ticket or staff log, file AEU2.
• Administrative posting gaps — Missing after-hours variance posting, faded tenant protection plan posting on the corridor board.
  • Fix: Post current documents in the required location, add photos showing context and readability, certify via AEU eFiling.

Documentation that speeds acceptance

• Before/after photos (wide context + readable close-ups)
• Copy of corrected posting or panel artwork
• Notarized owner/contractor statement describing the cause and fix
• If a permit was needed, PW1 record and sign-off screenshots

Common pitfalls

• Photos that don’t show location context
• Posting corrected inside the lobby when the requirement calls for street-visible placement
• Submitting AEU2 without the narrative that ties each photo to the cited condition

Class B examples that demand faster action

Class B affects safety or building integrity. Deadlines compress, and inspectors expect evidence that you moved quickly.

Typical Class B conditions

• Self-closing door that fails to latch — Corridor or stair door doesn’t close and latch under its own power.
  • Fix: Adjust closer, replace hinges or latchset, verify swing/closing force, perform door cycle test, document with video or sequential photos; file AEU2. Where work alters life-safety components, use a licensed contractor and upload invoices.
• Localized façade spall or loose masonry (no widespread failure) — Small area with fall potential over a sidewalk.
  • Fix: Install immediate protection (netting or a short shed), file repair permit in DOB NOW: Build, repoint, or patch per drawings, pull an engineer letter describing condition and corrective work, provide sign-off and photo log.
• Exit sign or emergency lighting outage — Fixture in a means of egress not illuminated.
  • Fix: Diagnose power/battery, replace unit or driver, photograph illumination with timestamp, include electrician invoice, and test record.
• Guardrail or handrail loosened from substrate — Movement at anchors but no active fall event.
  • Fix: Re-anchor per manufacturer or engineer detail, perform pull test if specified, photograph fasteners and finished rail, certify with AEU2.

A correction workflow that holds up under review

• Stabilize first (temporary protection or isolation)
• File permits and upload drawings when the scope exceeds maintenance
• Use licensed trades for life-safety components
• Capture test results: door self-close, illumination, torque/pull values
• Submit AEU2 with the engineer or vendor letters tying tests to the correction date

What inspectors look for

• Evidence that the hazard cannot recur under normal use
• Proof that the repaired element now meets performance: latch engagement, light output, fastener capacity
• Paper trail that matches dates on the summons, permits, and invoices

Class C examples that require immediate correction

Class C signals immediate danger to life, health, or property. Treat the summons language Correct Forthwith as same-day action unless the document states a specific timeframe.

Typical Class C conditions

• Illegal gas work or unsafe gas piping — Unpermitted tie-in, leak indications, or failed tightness test.
  • Fix: Coordinate shutoff with the utility, isolate the affected branch, file emergency work, pressure-test the system to the required test pressure and duration, replace defective fittings, obtain a licensed master plumber sign-off, upload test affidavit, photos of gauge readings, and permit records.
• Structural instability — Sagging shoring, racked frame, or compromised bearing.
  • Fix: Engage a NYS PE to issue a stabilization plan, install shoring/bracing, remove overloaded materials, file an emergency repair permit, document field conditions, and provide an engineer letter with calculations or sketches validating the stabilization and permanent repair.
• Blocked egress — Storage or locking devices in a required path of travel.
  • Fix: Clear the obstruction immediately, remove unapproved locks, verify panic hardware operation, photo-document the full path from space to exit discharge, and submit certification. Where required, add an interim fire watch and document logs until permanent compliance holds.

Action clock and paperwork

• Stabilize or remove the hazard first, then permit and certify
• Upload AEU2 with: before/during/after photos, licensed contractor or engineer letter, permits and sign-offs, and any required test records (pressure tests, load tests, functional checks)
• Keep a dated site log capturing who did what and when; attach relevant pages to the certification

Daily penalties and SWO exposure

• Certain immediately hazardous items trigger daily penalties until the DOB accepts the certification
• A Stop Work Order may remain until the hazard is removed and re-inspection confirms safe conditions
• Track three dates on the front of the file: Correct Forthwith target, re-inspection date, hearing date

Field tips that cut risk

• Photograph gauges and test setups with a clear scale and timestamp
• Label photos to match the summons narrative and the repair drawing
• Keep your PE or LMP available on the hearing date for a concise technical statement if needed

Why ViolationWatch Becomes the Logical Next Step for Landlords

After breaking down every DOB violation class, the next question is simple: how do you stay ahead of building violations before they become fines or enforcement actions? Manual monitoring doesn’t cut it. Violations issued by multiple agencies land at different times, open violations pile up fast, and deadlines leave little room for error.

That’s where ViolationWatch steps in—with an AI-driven monitoring system built specifically for NYC building owners. It tracks HPD violations, ECB violations, and local law requirements tied to DOB, FDNY, Housing Preservation, and other city agencies. The moment a DOB inspector reports a new violating condition—from window guards to lead-based paint or smoke detectors—it triggers alerts so you can respond before fines escalate.

How ViolationWatch Works for Every Class of DOB Violation

The platform’s workflow automates the entire process from detection to resolution while keeping public interest and responsibility in focus.

• Property enrollment – Add premises once, and the system continuously monitors every types of violations issued across agencies.
• AI-triggered monitoring – The platform flags major violation notices in real time, automatically assigning priority based on severity (Class A, B, or C).
• Multi-channel alerts – Email and WhatsApp notifications go to multiple recipients, ensuring no one misses a deadline for immediate corrective action, where violations must be corrected immediately.
• Centralized compliance dashboard – All occupancy records, certificate of occupancy details, and violation data sit in one place, organized by urgency, class, and status.

Each violation class—whether administrative, hazardous, or immediately hazardous—receives a response path aligned with DOB enforcement practices so property owners can maintain compliance across all premises.

Affordable Pricing vs. Escalating Penalties

The financial contrast is clear when outdoor advertising infractions, hot water complaints, or mold violations appear. Hiring a qualified code consultant for every case has a lesser effect when a single platform organizes everything for a fraction of the cost.

One missed Class C violation tied to housing preservation could cost hundreds of times more than an annual subscription.

Why It Outperforms Manual Monitoring

• Automated detection removes human delays
• Alerts hit multiple decision-makers instantly
• Centralized records support hearings, certifications, and compliance deadlines
• AI-prioritized workflows cut time to correction, keeping every responsible party aligned

Pro Tip: Many New York City owners set up portfolio-wide alerts so property managers, compliance officers, and legal teams all receive violation notices at the same time—preventing single points of failure.

Stay Ahead of NYC Building Violations with Confidence

You’ve seen how DOB violations break into Classes A, B, and C—from paperwork oversights to immediately hazardous conditions carrying massive penalties. The difference between a simple fix and a five-figure fine often comes down to how quickly you act once a violation lands.

But speed requires visibility. Manual tracking across multiple agencies leaves room for delays, missed deadlines, and unnecessary costs.

That’s why property owners and managers use ViolationWatch:

• Continuous AI-driven monitoring for all properties under one platform
• Instant alerts for every violation, organized by severity and urgency
• Centralized records to support certifications, hearings, and resolution workflows
• Affordable pricing that’s negligible compared to penalty exposure

Bottom line: Whether it’s a Class A administrative notice or a Class C emergency hazard, ViolationWatch keeps you informed, organized, and ahead of escalating fines.

The smartest move isn’t reacting faster—it’s eliminating surprises entirely. With a system watching violations 24/7, you stay compliant, protect your properties, and keep budgets under control.