NYC DOB Complaint Lookup

DOB is the NYC Department of Buildings — the agency that regulates construction, building code compliance, and occupancy classification for every structure in the city. DOB differs from HPD: HPD enforces habitability (heat, pests, lead paint); DOB enforces construction and occupancy legality (permits, illegal conversions, Certificate of Occupancy). A building can be HPD-compliant but have DOB violations, and vice versa — both matter for renters.

DOB NOW (a810-dobnow.nyc.gov) is the current NYC portal, launched in 2017 and expanded through 2022. It holds all new permits, complaints, and violations from that point forward. BIS (Building Information System, at a810-bisweb.nyc.gov) is the legacy system with older records. For complete due diligence on a building, check BOTH portals — some active issues from pre-2018 may still only appear in BIS.

BIN stands for Building Identification Number — a permanent 7-digit ID that NYC DOB assigns to every structure. It starts with 1 for Manhattan, 2 for Bronx, 3 for Brooklyn, 4 for Queens, 5 for Staten Island. BIN is more reliable than address when searching because addresses change (renumbering, mergers) but BINs persist. You can find a building's BIN via address search on DOB NOW or via NYC's PLUTO dataset.

A Certificate of Occupancy is DOB's legal authorization that a building can be occupied for a specific use — residential, commercial, mixed-use, or a specific subtype (Class A multiple dwelling, Class B SRO, etc.). Every NYC building constructed or substantially altered after 1938 must have a valid CofO matching its current use. A building with no CofO, or a CofO for a different use than how it's being rented, is in illegal occupancy — this is a major red flag and can result in displacement if DOB enforces.

A Stop Work Order (SWO) is a DOB command that all construction activity at a property must halt immediately, usually because work is proceeding without permits, with incorrect permits, or in violation of safety code. If you see an active SWO on a building you're considering, it means the owner is in a confrontation with DOB right now. Common scenarios: illegal basement conversion, unauthorized roof addition, unpermitted gas work, or ignoring previous warnings. Rarely ends well for tenants caught in the middle.

ECB stands for Environmental Control Board — the adjudicatory body that handles DOB violation penalties. An ECB violation is a citation with a specific monetary fine attached (typically $300-$25,000) that the owner must either pay, contest at an OATH hearing, or have default judgment entered against them. Buildings with many unresolved ECB violations often have financial stress signals — landlords avoiding repairs because they cannot afford the accumulated fines.

Check the CofO. If the basement is listed as "storage" or "boiler room" but is being rented as a residential unit, that's illegal occupancy. Look for recent complaints with text like "illegal conversion," "illegal SRO," "basement apartment no CofO," or DOB Violation Code 27-147 (occupancy contrary to CofO). Also check for complaints from neighbors reporting multiple mailboxes on a single-family home — common signal of illegal subdivision.

Each complaint has: Complaint Number, Status (Active / Closed / Referred to ECB), Category (illegal occupancy, construction, elevator, plumbing, etc.), Priority (A / B / C), Date Entered, and Description. Focus on: (1) Priority A complaints that are still Active — these are the serious ones, (2) category patterns — same type of complaint recurring indicates structural issues, (3) resolution delta — DOB typically resolves complaints within 60 days; anything Active beyond that means the inspector couldn't gain access or the issue is disputed.

Yes. DOB complaints going back to the early 1990s are available across the BIS and DOB NOW systems, though data completeness improves from 2000 onward. For renter due diligence, the past 3-5 years are most predictive — older complaints may reflect prior ownership or already-resolved issues. Recurring complaints in the last 24 months are the strongest signal of current risk.

No. Like HPD complaints, DOB complaints are protected speech under NYC Human Rights Law and NYS Real Property Law § 223-b. A landlord cannot refuse to renew your lease, raise rent beyond standard increases, reduce services, or evict you because you filed a DOB complaint. Retaliation creates a presumption of illegal conduct that shifts the burden of proof to the landlord in housing court. Document everything and report retaliation to Met Council on Housing at (212) 979-0611.

Call 311 and describe the building condition (they will route to DOB). Or file online at portal.311.nyc.gov under "Building Safety." You can also file directly through DOB NOW (a810-dobnow.nyc.gov) if you want to select the exact violation category. Complaints can be filed anonymously — DOB inspectors do not share complainant identity with the building owner. Emergency complaints (active construction collapse, imminent danger) get on-site inspection within 24 hours; routine complaints within 40 days.

If the issue is active habitability (illegal apartment, unsafe conditions, lack of CofO), you may have grounds to break the lease under the warranty of habitability — the apartment is being rented illegally, making the lease potentially voidable. Document everything, file your own DOB complaint to put the issue on record, and consult Met Council on Housing or a tenant attorney before acting. For ongoing issues, you can also file an HP Action in Housing Court to compel repairs without needing a lawyer.