Three official databases, one easy tool. Everything you need to find HPD and DOB violations on any NYC property — free.
Every HPD housing violation and DOB ECB building violation filed in New York City is public record. Whether you're a landlord checking your own portfolio, an investor researching a potential acquisition, a tenant verifying your building's history, or a property manager doing due diligence — this data is available to you, completely free, through NYC Open Data.
Method 1: NYC Violation Search (Fastest)
NYC Violation Search pulls live data directly from the same NYC Open Data APIs used by professionals. Search by borough, filter by violation class or severity, and see owner name and mailing address — all in one tool. No account required to search. For landlords who want to export results and build a mailer list, CSV export is available after signing in.
Method 2: HPD Online (Official HPD Database)
HPD's official portal at hpdonline.nyc.gov lets you search violations by address. Enter the street number, street name, and borough to pull up all open and closed violations for a specific building. The interface is functional but limited — you can't search by borough or filter by class, and there's no export function.
HPD Online is best for checking a specific address in detail, especially if you need the full violation history including closed violations. It also shows the building's registration status and contact information on file with HPD.
Method 3: DOB BIS (Buildings Information System)
The Department of Buildings' BIS portal at a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/ is the official source for DOB violations, permit history, certificate of occupancy, and complaint records. Like HPD Online, it's address-based and doesn't allow bulk searching.
For ECB violation details including hearing status, fine amounts, and payment history, DOB BIS is the authoritative source. You can also see whether a Certificate of Correction has been filed and whether the violation has been resolved.
What Information Is Available?
| Data Point | HPD Violations | DOB ECB Violations |
|---|---|---|
| Violation description | ✅ | ✅ |
| Violation class/severity | ✅ | ✅ |
| Issue date | ✅ | ✅ |
| Open/closed status | ✅ | ✅ |
| Owner name (registered) | ✅ | — |
| Mailing address | ✅ | ✅ (respondent) |
| Fine/balance due | — | ✅ |
| Hearing date | — | ✅ |
| Block and lot (BBL) | ✅ | ✅ |
How Real Estate Investors Use Violation Data
Experienced NYC investors search violation data before making any offer. A high number of open HPD violations indicates deferred maintenance — either a motivated seller who hasn't kept up the building, or a serious liability you'd be inheriting. Either way, it's critical due diligence information.
Open DOB violations, particularly those with outstanding ECB judgments, can complicate financing and title insurance. Most lenders will require violations to be cleared before closing. Knowing this upfront lets you negotiate a price reduction or require the seller to clear violations as a condition of sale.
How Property Managers Use Violation Data
Smart property managers run weekly violation searches on all buildings in their portfolio. This catches violations before the official notice arrives in the mail — often weeks later. Early detection means faster correction, lower fines, and happier clients.
For property managers looking to grow their client base, borough-wide violation searches identify buildings with high open violation counts — motivated landlords who need exactly the services a property manager provides.