NYC Building Violations: Free HPD & DOB Lookup (2026)
Before you sign an NYC lease, spend thirty seconds here instead of two hours on HPD Online. Type any address and DwellCheck pulls live data from 14M+ HPD violations, DOB complaints, bedbug reports, and heat records — so you see open violations, unresolved complaints, and pattern issues at a glance.
Check a Building NowWhat We Check
Our building health score analyzes violations and complaints across multiple categories to give you a complete picture.
Heat & Hot Water
HPD violations for inadequate heating or hot water supply
Critical in winter monthsBedbug Reports
Annual bedbug infestation filings required by NYC law
Check before signingDOB Violations
Department of Buildings code violations and complaints
Structural safetyElevator Issues
Elevator violations and maintenance complaints
Important for high-risesPlumbing & Leaks
Water damage, leaks, and plumbing violations
Mold risk indicatorElectrical Hazards
Electrical code violations and safety issues
Fire safety concernHow Building Health Scoring Works
Enter Any NYC Address
Type in the building address you want to check. We support all five boroughs and can look up any residential or mixed-use building in New York City.
We Query Official City Databases
DwellCheck instantly queries HPD violations, HPD complaints, DOB violations, bedbug reports, and other official NYC Open Data sources to compile a complete history.
Get a Building Health Score
We analyze the severity, recency, and frequency of violations to calculate a building health score. Severe or recent violations have more impact than old, corrected issues.
Review Detailed Breakdown
See exactly what violations exist, when they were filed, and whether they have been corrected. Identify patterns like recurring heat complaints or persistent maintenance issues.
Official Data Sources
All building health data comes directly from NYC government databases through the NYC Open Data Portal.
Bedbug Reports
Annual bedbug infestation filings by landlords (NYC Local Law 69)
Dataset ID: wz6d-d3jb
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if a NYC building has violations?
Enter the building address on DwellCheck to instantly see all HPD violations, DOB complaints, bedbug reports, and other housing issues. We aggregate data from multiple NYC government sources into one comprehensive report.
What is an HPD violation?
HPD violations are issued by NYC Housing Preservation & Development when buildings fail to meet housing code standards. Class A violations are non-hazardous, Class B are hazardous, and Class C are immediately hazardous conditions that must be corrected within 24 hours.
How recent is the building violation data?
DwellCheck pulls data directly from NYC Open Data, which is updated daily by city agencies. Our reports reflect violations and complaints filed within the past 24-48 hours in most cases.
Can I see bedbug history for a building?
Yes. NYC landlords are required by law to file annual bedbug infestation reports. DwellCheck shows this history so you can see if a building has had recurring bedbug problems before signing a lease.
What should I do if a building has many violations?
Multiple open violations, especially Class B or C HPD violations, are red flags. Consider: 1) How quickly were past violations corrected? 2) Are violations recurring issues? 3) Are there recent complaints? A pattern of slow repairs or repeated issues suggests poor management.
How do I search NYC building violations?
Three free options: (1) NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) BIS at a810-bisweb.nyc.gov — search by address or BBL for permits, violations, and Certificate of Occupancy. (2) HPD Online at hpdonline.nyc.gov — search by address for HPD housing violations, registered owners, and bedbug reports. (3) NYC 311 portal at portal.311.nyc.gov — search complaint history. DwellCheck combines all three into a single address lookup so you can see DOB + HPD + 311 + ACRIS at once without juggling four government portals.
What is the NYC Department of Buildings violations search?
The NYC DOB violations search is the official Department of Buildings tool for looking up construction, structural, and zoning violations on any NYC building. Access it at a810-dobnow.nyc.gov (DOB NOW, the modern interface) or the legacy a810-bisweb.nyc.gov. DOB violations cover unauthorized construction, lack of Certificate of Occupancy, illegal conversions, scaffolding violations, and Stop Work Orders — all distinct from HPD's housing-quality violations. Open DOB violations carry escalating penalties and may block sale or refinance of the building.
How do I look up NYC building violations by address?
Type the full street address (number + street + borough) into one of these portals: HPD Online at hpdonline.nyc.gov for housing violations, DOB BIS at a810-bisweb.nyc.gov for construction violations, and NYC 311 at portal.311.nyc.gov for service-request complaints. Each portal returns a different slice; DwellCheck unifies them and adds severity scoring so you can see which violations are open versus closed and how the building compares to the neighborhood baseline.
How do I find HPD violations on my building?
Go to hpdonline.nyc.gov, select "Search by Address," enter your building number, street, and borough. The result page shows: (a) every Class A, B, and C violation issued, (b) issue and certification dates, (c) current open/closed status, and (d) the registered managing agent and owner. Look for open Class C violations (immediately hazardous, 24-hour correction deadline) and recurring violations year-over-year — both are signs of a non-responsive landlord. DwellCheck flags these patterns automatically.
How do I check DOB complaints in NYC?
DOB complaints (separate from HPD housing complaints) are searchable at a810-dobnow.nyc.gov under "Search BIS" → "Complaints." Enter the address or BBL. Results show: complaint description, date filed, inspection outcome, and resolution status. Common DOB complaint categories include unauthorized construction, after-hours work, sidewalk obstructions, and illegal occupancies. Active complaints with no inspection within 14 days indicate a backlog; recurring complaints from the same address pattern suggest the issue is unresolved.
How do I find building violations in NYC for free?
Every NYC building violation search is free through official government portals — there is no charge for HPD Online, DOB BIS, NYC 311, ACRIS, or NYC Open Data. Paid SaaS tools (DwellCheck included) save time by aggregating these sources into one interface and adding analysis like severity scoring or trend detection, but the underlying records cost nothing to access directly. If you only need a quick check on a single address, the free portals suffice; for ongoing research across multiple addresses, the time savings of an aggregator typically justify a small fee.
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Free, instant building health reports for any NYC address. Know before you sign.
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