Violation Codes Can Be Hard to Understand for a NYC Homeowner

Violation codes from the NYC Department of Buildings are short letter‑and‑number labels that describe a specific problem, fine, or safety risk on your property. They appear on official notices and online records and can be confusing for NYC homeowners.

New York City has many different types of building violations. Each type uses its own codes, abbreviations, and short labels, so the same letters can mean very different things in different places.

Most owners first see these codes on a notice on their door, in a letter from the city, or in an online DOB record. The code often decides how serious the problem is, whether fines repeat every day, and how quickly you must respond.

If you do not understand a code on your notice or online record, you can look it up in our Violation Codes Glossary.

Open the Violation Codes Glossary to find the exact code, abbreviation, and next steps.

Types of Violations in NYC That Can Affect Homeowners

Homeowners in New York City may receive violation notices from different city agencies. Some violations are about health and safety, some are about building maintenance, and some are about work done without the right permit. It is important to read the full notice carefully because each violation type can have different rules, deadlines, and penalties.

Below are common violation types and the city agencies that may issue them. The short names used on notices can be confusing, so this list is meant to help homeowners understand the main categories.

• HPD housing violations — Issued by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. These usually involve apartment or house conditions such as no heat, no hot water, pests, leaks, mold, broken locks, missing smoke alarms, or other maintenance problems.
• DOB violations — Issued by the Department of Buildings. These may involve unsafe construction, illegal work, missing permits, building code and zoning issues, boiler and plumbing problems, electrical work, sidewalk and structural safety, or other property-related violations.
• ECB violations — This older term is often used for enforcement cases handled by the Environmental Control Board and now OATH. Many DOB-related summonses were commonly called “ECB violations” in past records and may still appear that way on older notices.
• ECB / OATH summonses — These are legal notices or tickets for breaking city rules. They often require a hearing, a response, or proof that the problem was corrected.
• Electrical violations — These involve unsafe or improper electrical work, failed inspections, or electrical code problems in the property.
• DEP violations — Issued by the Department of Environmental Protection. These may involve water meter problems, sewer issues, backflow devices, fuel and boiler systems, air quality concerns, or other environmental and utility-related violations.
• FDNY violations — Issued by the Fire Department. These may involve fire safety problems, blocked exits, missing fire protection devices, or other fire-code issues.
• DOF violations and finance notices — Issued by the Department of Finance. These often relate to property tax issues, unpaid fines, or other finance-related enforcement matters.
• Parking violations — These are usually tickets for parking-rule problems, such as blocking a hydrant, parking in the wrong place, or expired registration. They can affect homeowners but are not building-condition violations.

What Homeowners Should Do When They See a Violation Code

• Read the full notice carefully, including the code, agency name, and any deadlines.
• Find the code on your notice or online record, for example “AEUHAZ” or “VCAT/12345.”
• Look up the code in the Violation Codes Glossary or on this page to see what it usually means for owners.
• Open any related guides to learn what actions owners typically take next.
• Check whether you need a licensed professional or legal help before responding.
• Keep copies of all notices, screenshots, and emails related to this code.

AEUHAZ – Example of a Complex Violation Code

One of the best examples of this complexity is the code AEUHAZ. For example, a 1–4 family owner may get an AEUHAZ notice months after the original Class 1 violation, even if the work is already done, because the Certificate of Correction was never accepted by DOB.

AEUHAZ is a DOB enforcement label connected to an underlying Class 1, immediately hazardous OATH summons. DOB issues an AEUHAZ notice when an acceptable Certificate of Correction* was not submitted for the underlying summons as required.

For qualifying construction-site summonses that are not associated with a one- to four-family home, the additional DOB civil penalty is generally $5,000 for summonses issued on or after May 15, 2022. The notice, the underlying summons, and DOB NOW: Safety should be checked together because the exact compliance steps depend on the record.

Correcting the physical condition does not by itself prove compliance. The owner or respondent may also need required permits, proof of correction, payment or an approved waiver of applicable civil penalties, and an accepted Certificate of Correction.

NEXT STEP

How to resolve DOB violations in NYC

A Step-by-Step Guide to Resolving DOB Violations

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