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DOB violations compound quickly — a Class 1 unanswered becomes a stop-work in days.
NYC DOB · real-time
DOB · Detection engine
Search DOB violations by address, before the stop-work order.
The backbone of NYC construction compliance. Run a DOB violation lookup on any address, then keep monitoring it forever — every permit, every inspection, every new DOB violation as it lands.
Live scan
Every few minutes
183K+
2024 volume
~15 min
Alert latency
app.violationwatch.nyc
— DOB violation search by address
One building, two DOB systems, three record types.
A DOB violation search is the one lookup in New York City that most reliably comes back incomplete. The Department of Buildings splits its records across two portals and three record types, and none of them shows you the others. Here is what each one holds.
— The legacy system
DOB BIS
The Buildings Information System holds the historical record — older violations, complaints, and permits filed before the city's migration. Searchable by address or BIN. If a violation is more than a few years old, this is usually where it lives, and it is the only place it lives.
— The current system
DOB NOW
Newer filings, permits and violations run through DOB NOW. A building actively under work will have records in both systems simultaneously. Checking one and assuming it is complete is the single most common mistake in a DOB violation search.
The three things a DOB search can return
| Record type | What it means | Carries a fine? | How it clears |
|---|---|---|---|
| DOB violation | A code condition cited against the building. | Sometimes | Certificate of correction, accepted by DOB |
| ECB / OATH ticket | The monetary case attached to the condition, heard at OATH. | Always | Hearing, settlement or payment |
| Complaint | A report against the building, not yet inspected or confirmed. | No | Inspection closes it, or it becomes a violation |
The trap is the second row. A DOB violation and its ECB ticket are two separate records for one condition. Curing the DOB violation does not close the ECB ticket, and a cleared DOB record can sit alongside a penalty heading for default judgment. See what an ECB violation is for how that second record behaves.
Why a search by address comes back empty
The building is filed under a different address
Corner buildings, complexes and through-lots carry one primary address in DOB records and often a different one on the door. Look up the BIN first and search by BIN — it is the only identifier that does not move.
The record is in the other system
A clean BIS result means nothing if the active work is filed in DOB NOW, and vice versa. Any complete DOB violation search checks both.
It is an OATH case, not a DOB record
If what you are actually looking for is the fine, it sits on the OATH docket. A DOB search will not show it, no matter which portal you use.
— One search, every system
Search once instead of four times.
Our detection engine reconciles BIS, DOB NOW, the OATH docket and the complaint stream against a single building identity, so a corner-lot address mismatch or a record sitting in the other portal does not read as a clean building. Then it keeps watching, and tells you the moment something new is written.
The problem
Why DOB monitoring is hard to do manually.
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BIS and DOB NOW each hold only part of the picture. Missing one means missing real risk.
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Expediters charge $400+ to search, and they only search when asked.
What we detect
Every signal our engine surfaces for DOB.
Our detection engine fuses filings, inspection outcomes, complaint routing, and derivative signals into one feed. Public records are one input among many — never the ceiling.
- Violations (Class 1–3) issued at BIN level
- Stop-work orders (full and partial)
- Open complaints awaiting inspection
- Permit applications (new, renewal, expired)
- Certificate of occupancy changes
- Inspection results (passed / failed / rescheduled)
- FISP / facade filings (Local Law 11)
- Elevator inspection outcomes
183K+
DOB violations issued citywide in 2024
ViolationWatch detects every one of them
Classes & fines
Know the severity before it knows you.
DOB violations escalate in tiers. Every alert we send includes class, fine exposure, cure window, and the exact source record — no digging required.
Severity
Class & description
Our handling
CRITICAL
Class 1 — Immediately hazardous
Must be corrected at once. Escalates to stop-work if ignored.
Instant alert · routed
WARN
Class 2 — Major
Significant hazard. Must be corrected within a set window.
Instant alert · routed
INFO
Class 3 — Lesser
Non-hazardous but must still be certified corrected.
Instant alert · routed
Typical fine range · $250 – $25,000+
Check a specific address →The workflow
How DOB monitoring works for your buildings.
01
Add a building by address
Paste any NYC address. Our engine auto-resolves to BIN & BBL, backfills prior DOB history, and flags every open item on day one.
02
Our engine monitors 24/7
Signal fusion across every DOB source runs continuously. New filings, inspection outcomes, and derivative indicators are caught within minutes.
03
Alerts route to the right people
Email, WhatsApp, Slack, SMS — per-building and per-severity. Your super sees heat complaints; your counsel sees Class 1s and OATH dates.
Address-level search
Start with a free DOB violation lookup — then monitor it forever.
A one-time NYC DOB violation search by address tells you what is open today. What it does not tell you is what arrives tomorrow. ViolationWatch starts with a full DOB violation lookup at the BIN level, then continues running that NYC DOB violation lookup every few minutes — every new filing, every status change, every escalation.
You also get the rest of the picture in the same view: open DOB complaints (the NYC DOB complaint lookup most owners forget to run), permit history, stop-work orders, and FISP filings. One address, every signal, indexed and searchable from day one.
Common questions
How do I run a DOB violation lookup by address?
Paste any NYC street address into the free lookup tool. The detection engine resolves it to a BIN and pulls every open and historical DOB violation, complaint, permit, and stop-work order tied to that building. No signup required for the first search.
Can I run a NYC DOB violation search by address for free?
Yes. The free address tool runs a one-time DOB violation search across BIS and DOB NOW with no account. To turn that one-off lookup into ongoing monitoring (so you catch every new DOB violation as it is filed), you start a 7-day free trial.
What is the difference between a DOB violation lookup and a DOB complaint lookup?
A NYC DOB complaint lookup shows reports filed against the building (often 311-routed, awaiting inspection). A DOB violation lookup shows the formal findings issued by an inspector. Catching the complaint at lookup time gives you a head start before it converts into a violation.
Does ViolationWatch help with DOB violations removal?
We surface every open DOB violation, the cure path, the deadline, and the exact source record. For the actual cure work — re-inspections, AEU filings, dismissal motions — we route you to vetted partners on the violation removal page.
DOB guides
Go deeper on DOB compliance.
DOB
NYC Building Permits: Cost, Types & How to Get One (2026)
What a building permit costs in NYC, which work needs one, how to file through DOB NOW, and how to check any permit by address — with the penalties for skipping it.
Read the guide →
DOB
311
DOB Complaint Lookup NYC: Check Any Address (2026)
How to look up DOB complaints on any NYC building by address — free — plus what the priority codes mean and what happens after a complaint is filed.
Read the guide →
DOB
ACRIS NYC: Search Property Records & Deeds (2026)
How to use ACRIS to pull deeds, mortgages, and liens on any NYC property free — search by address or owner name, and what ACRIS won't show you.
Read the guide →
DOB
Certificate of Occupancy NYC: Free Lookup & Guide (2026)
How to look up any NYC certificate of occupancy free, what to do when a pre-1938 building has none, and when a renovation forces you to amend the C of O.
Read the guide →
DOB
HPD
ECB
FDNY
Best NYC Violation Monitoring Tools & Services (2026)
An honest, up-to-date comparison of the best ways to monitor NYC building violations in 2026 — ViolationWatch, SiteCompli, the free NYC.gov portals, DOBGuard and more.
Read the guide →
DOB
HPD
ECB
Best Free NYC Building Violation Lookup Tools (2026)
The best free ways to look up NYC building violations in 2026 — the official DOB, HPD, and OATH/ECB portals, what each covers, and where the free tools fall short.
Read the guide →Related monitoring
Every NYC agency. One signal feed.
HPD
Housing Preservation & Development
Class A / B / C · heat season
View coverage →
ECB
Environmental Control Board
OATH hearings · fine mitigation
View coverage →
FDNY
Fire Department of New York
Fire code · C of F · vacates
View coverage →
311
City Service Complaints
Early warning · pre-violation
View coverage →Start today
Start monitoring DOB today.
Seven-day free trial. Cancel anytime. Setup in under a minute. Cover one building or a whole portfolio — same engine, same speed.