The Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) records each violation and its correction. The Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) records the hearing and the penalty.
Use the five steps below to search both systems and read the results:
Pick the search tool that fits the details you have- Pull up a building’s record with only a street address
- Get a copy of a violation, even one from years ago
- Catch the hearing date before OATH rules without you
- Decode the status and code on every record
1. Lookup Tools: Match the Search to What You Know
Start with the most specific detail you have. With a record number, you open one violation directly. With only a street address, you add one lookup step.
FDNY Business, the fire department’s online portal, shows violation and summons information to anyone.
To use My Records, sign in with a NYC.ID account, the City of New York’s online login. My Records lists the records that name you as a contact, such as the building owner or a representative.
2. FDNY Business Search: Find a Record by Number or Address
FDNY Business lets you locate violation records by number or by building address, depending on the information you have.
Summons or Violation Order Number
Find the record number on your FDNY Summons or Notice of Violation.
FDNY recommends Microsoft Edge or Firefox for the portal.
FDNY Business shows a “no results” message for an invalid number. If the number matches your notice, call 311 and ask for FDNY Business Support, or email FDNY.BusinessSupport@fdny.nyc.gov.
Street Address
FDNY Business finds buildings by Building Identification Number (BIN), so look up the BIN first. Open Building Information Search in the Department of Buildings (DOB) BIS and enter the borough, house number, and street. The BIN appears at the top right of the results.
Anyone can search BIS without signing up. Back in FDNY Business, select Print Building Profile By BIN under Services and enter the number.
3. Violation Copies: Request the Original Notice
Check the issue date first, because FDNY posts copies online only for violations dated after September 1, 2021.
With your PR 5 request, include the violation number and a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Pay by check or money order, made payable to the NYC Fire Department.
To request a copy in person, visit the Public Records Unit at 9 MetroTech Center, First Floor, Brooklyn, through the Flatbush Avenue entrance. The office opens Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., excluding holidays. Call 718-999-2681 with questions.
4. OATH Hearings: Track the Date and Penalty
You must attend the OATH hearing on an FDNY summons unless FDNY approves your correction or excuses you first. If you miss the hearing, OATH can rule against you by default and impose higher fines.
Search OATH Summons Finder by name, address, or summons number. Each result lists your hearing date and amount owed, and you can download the summons or pay online.
To check several properties at once, open the OATH Hearings Division Case Status dataset on NYC Open Data. Filter the Issuing Agency column to Fire Department of NYC.
OATH handles the penalty, and FDNY handles the correction. After the hearing, FDNY still requires a Certificate of Correction. You file this form to certify the repair, even when you proved the fix at the hearing.
Summons Finder leaves out restaurant summonses, so call the OATH Clerk’s Office at 844-628-4692 for those.
To get hearing reminders by text, send “OATHreminder” to 917-451-8829.
5. Status and VC Codes: Read Your Next Step
Use the record type and status on each FDNY Business record to choose your next step.
Each notice also lists one or more violation category (VC) codes, and each VC code names a broad category of violation.
What to Do After You Find the Violation
Check whether the violation is still active, whether OATH lists a hearing or balance, and what correction the VC code requires. If the violation is open, complete the repair, keep proof of the work, and file the required Certificate of Correction with FDNY.