Your options
Before the hearing date.
- Cure: if the summons shows a cure date, correcting the condition and getting a Certificate of Correction approved in time can mean no penalty.
- Stipulation: if offered, you admit the violation in exchange for time to correct it, generally at a reduced penalty.
- Admit and pay: pay the standard penalty before the hearing. The condition still has to be corrected and certified with DOB.
- Contest: attend the hearing and present evidence. Outcomes range from dismissal to the standard penalty.
- Don’t miss it: a default generally carries a penalty several times the standard amount.
How we help
Prepared for the hearing.
Review the summons
We read the summons, check the deadlines, and look at the property’s history so nothing is a surprise.
Choose the route
Cure, stipulation, payment or a hearing: we lay out the options and what each is likely to involve for your case.
Build the record
Permits, sign-offs, photos and documents that show the condition is corrected or the summons is wrong.
Close it out
After the hearing, we file the Certificate of Correction DOB needs so the violation actually comes off the record.
Questions
Frequently asked.
Is an ECB violation the same as an OATH summons?
For DOB matters, effectively yes. Cases that used to go to the Environmental Control Board are now heard by OATH, which is why both names are still in use.
I missed my hearing. What now?
Act quickly. A default usually means a much higher penalty, but OATH has a process for asking for a new hearing in some situations. Call us with the summons number.
Does a dismissal remove the violation?
A dismissal at the hearing means no penalty for that summons. DOB can still re-inspect, so it’s worth confirming the condition is resolved.
Do I have to attend the hearing in person?
Respondents may be represented at the hearing. Call us and we’ll walk you through how your hearing is scheduled and what to prepare.
General information about New York City procedures, reviewed November 2026. Rules and penalties change, and every property is different, so this isn’t legal advice. Call us about your specific situation.