Fire Code Violation Removal
FDNY can issue a fire code violation to any property owner, including owners of one‑ and two‑family homes, if something at the property violates the NYC Fire Code.
What Is an FDNY Fire Code Violation?
FDNY fire code violations are about fire safety and fire prevention. They typically arise during inspections by local fire marshals and are classified by severity.
- life-threatening (for example, blocked exits or faulty alarms that must be fixed right away),
- severe (for example, gas leaks that can lead to evacuation),
- standard issues (for example, improper storage that usually gives you 30–90 days to fix).
An FDNY fire code violation is a notice from the New York City Fire Department that usually means there is a situation that can cause a fire or make it hard for people to escape during a fire.
Common fire‑related issues a homeowner can be cited for
- Blocked or obstructed exits and hallways
- Blocked fire escapes, or other ways to get out safely in case of fire
- Missing, non‑functional, or improperly installed smoke detectors, CO detectors, and other basic fire‑protection features required by state and local law.
- Open flame appliances or space heaters used improperly.
- Non‑code‑compliant boilers or furnaces (no safe clearance or no working chimney or vent).
- Unsafe or improper storage or use of flammable or combustible materials. (‘Materials’ here means things that burn easily, like gasoline, paint, cooking oil, paper, or many cardboard boxes stored together).
- Unsafe use of extension cords and other electrical fire hazards, for example using multiple extension cords daisy‑chained together or overloading power strips.
FDNY penalties and fines for violation
FDNY can issue different types of notices for fire code violations, which almost always result in penalties.
Important information
FDNY is separate from DOB; paying a DOB fine does not fix an FDNY violation and vice versa.
A summons – the paper describing violations. It tells you what is wrong, what law you broke, and what you must do to correct it.
You may see different types of papers, such as a Violation Order, a Notice of Violation, or a Criminal Court summons. Later on this website we may show sample documents, so you can see how they look and what headings they have.
An FDNY fire code violation gives you an order to correct a condition by a certain date. Many FDNY summonses go to OATH*, which is the New York City office that holds hearings for violations. On the summons, you will see a date, time, and place (in person or online) for the hearing.
What should a homeowner do?
If you receive an FDNY fire code violation or summons, do not ignore it.
Read it slowly and find four things: the description of the situation, the section of law, the ‘correct by’ date, and any hearing date at OATH*.
Do not ignore the paper. Put the notice in a safe place.
Take photos of the conditions before you start work and after you fix them.
For simple problems, like a blocked exit or missing smoke detectors, clear the exit and install approved smoke detectors as soon as possible.
For more serious problems, like unsafe electrical work, illegal gas lines, or large storage of flammable liquids, you should contact a licensed contractor or fire safety professional.
If there is an OATH hearing, do not skip it, even if you already fixed the problem.
If you do not understand the paper, ask someone to help you, or talk to a professional who knows FDNY and DOB rules. Fire code violations can bring fines starting in the low hundreds of dollars and going into the thousands for repeat or serious problems. They may also require you to appear at an OATH hearing.
Help for homeowners
For certain DOB violations at one- and two-family homes, NYC has a Homeowner Resolution Program. This is a program that lets first‑time owners correct specific problems and certify the correction, often reducing penalties if they fix the issue quickly. This program applies to certain DOB violations, not FDNY fire code violations, but many homeowners receive both at the same time, so resolving DOB issues quickly can still reduce your overall risk and costs.
Related terms
Some glossary entries use an asterisk * at the end of the term (for example, violation*). This mark is only a technical tool to stop the system from creating too many automatic links on the website. It does not change the meaning of the term.
- FDNY
- compliance
- Summons
- flammable materials
- smoke detector
- CO detector
- Violation Order
- blocked egress
- fire code
Additional information on ASM Integrators website (external site, not affiliated with IQ‑arius)
Fire Code Violations
Need help understanding an FDNY violation at your one‑ or two‑family home? You can also contact us for a free 15-minute consultation to review your specific notice and options.
