What an HPD violation lookup does and where to find it

An HPD violation is a code violation issued by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development when an inspector finds a problem in a building — anything from a broken window to a heating system that does not work. You can search for violations on any building in New York City using the HPD's free online database, which shows the violation number, the date it was issued, what the problem is, and whether the owner has fixed it.

The database is called the HPD Violation Information System, and you reach it through the HPD's website at hpd.gov.ny.gov. You do not need to create an account or log in. You search by the building's address, and the system returns every violation on record for that building, going back years. This is the same database that landlords, tenants, housing advocates, and city inspectors use.

The reason to look up violations depends on who you are. If you are a tenant, you may want to know what problems the city has documented in your building and whether your landlord has corrected them. If you own a building, you might check to see what violations are listed under your address and what their status is. If you are thinking about renting or buying in a building, the violation history tells you what maintenance problems have been documented.

Key Takeaways

  • The HPD Violation Information System is a free public database at hpd.gov.ny.gov where you can search any New York City building address and see all violations on file.
  • Each violation record shows the violation number, the date issued, a description of the problem, and the current status — open, closed, or pending.
  • You search by street address, and results include violations going back several years, though older violations may have been removed from the active list.
  • Violations marked as closed mean the owner corrected the problem and the city inspector verified the fix; open violations mean the problem has not been corrected yet.

How to search the HPD database step by step

Go to hpd.gov.ny.gov and look for the link labeled "Violation Information System" or "Check Building Violations." The exact wording changes, but it is always on the main page. Click it, and you will land on a search page with a single text box.

Type the building's street address into the box — for example, "123 Main Street, New York, NY" — and click Search. The system will return a list of all violations for that address. If the address does not return results, try entering just the street number and street name without the borough or zip code, or check that you have spelled the street name correctly. Some buildings have multiple addresses on file, so if your first search does not work, try a slightly different version of the address.

Once you have results, you will see a table with columns for the violation number, the date the violation was issued, the violation type or description, and the status. Click on any violation number to see more detail, including the specific apartment or unit where the problem was found (if applicable), the inspector's notes, and the date the violation was closed (if it has been closed).

Understanding violation status and what each one means

Every violation in the database has a status that tells you whether the problem has been fixed. The three main statuses are Open, Closed, and Violation Issued or Pending. An open violation means the city issued the violation and the owner has not yet corrected the problem or the correction has not yet been verified by an inspector. A closed violation means the owner fixed the problem and an HPD inspector came back and confirmed the fix was done correctly.

Pending or "Violation Issued" means the violation was recently issued and the city is waiting for the owner to correct it or waiting to schedule a follow-up inspection. The time between when a violation is issued and when it must be fixed depends on the type of violation — some must be corrected within a few days, others within 30 days, and some within several months. The violation record does not always show the important date, so if you need to know when a specific violation must be fixed, you may need to contact HPD directly or speak with a housing advocate.

If you see a violation that has been open for a very long time, it may mean the owner has not corrected it, or it may mean the record has not been updated. The database is maintained by the city, but there can be delays between when an owner fixes a problem and when the city updates the record to show it as closed.

What to do if you find violations in your building

If you are a tenant and you find violations that match problems you have reported to your landlord, you have several options. You can use the violation record as evidence that the city has documented the problem, which can be useful if you are disputing a rent increase or if you need to show your landlord that the problem is serious. You can also report the violation to your local housing court or to a legal aid organization if you are involved in an eviction case.

If you find violations that have been open for longer than the important date allows, you can report this to HPD's Complaint and Violation Hotline at 311 (or 212-788-8000 from outside New York City). Tell them the address, the violation number, and how long it has been open. HPD will investigate and may issue additional violations or take enforcement action against the owner.

If you are a building owner and you see violations on your property, check the status of each one and make sure you understand what must be corrected and by when. If a violation is listed in error or has already been corrected, you can contact HPD with the violation number and request a reinspection or a correction to the record. The contact information for HPD's owner services is also available on the HPD website.

Limitations of the HPD violation database

The HPD database is public and free, but it has some limits. It shows violations that HPD inspectors have found, but it does not show every problem in a building — only those that have been formally documented by the city. If a landlord fixes a problem before an inspector arrives, or if a tenant never reports a problem, it will not appear in the database. The database also does not show violations from other city agencies, such as the Department of Environmental Protection (water and sewer issues) or the Fire Department.

Older violations may be removed from the active database after a certain period of time, so you may not see the complete history of a very old building. The database is updated regularly, but there can be delays of days or weeks between when an owner corrects a problem and when the city updates the record to show it as closed. If you need the most current information about a specific violation, calling HPD directly is faster than relying on the online database.

Other ways to research a building's history

The HPD violation database is one tool, but there are others. You can also search the Department of Finance's property tax records to see who owns the building and whether there are outstanding tax liens. You can search the court system's website to see if there are active eviction cases or housing court cases at that address. Housing advocacy organizations and tenant unions sometimes publish lists of buildings with chronic violations or problem landlords, which can give you more context than the HPD database alone.

If you are renting and you want to know more about your building's condition, you can also request a copy of the most recent HPD inspection report from your landlord — tenants have the right to see this document. You can also file a complaint with HPD yourself if you observe a condition that violates the housing code, and HPD will send an inspector to investigate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I search for violations by owner name instead of address?

The HPD Violation Information System searches by address only, not by owner name. If you know the owner's name but not the address, you can search the Department of Finance property records by owner name to find the address, then use that address to search HPD violations.

How far back does the violation database go?

The database typically shows violations from the past several years, though the exact timeframe varies. Very old violations may be removed from the active system. If you need the complete violation history for a building, you can contact HPD directly and request historical records.

What should I do if I disagree with a violation on my building?

If you believe a violation was issued in error or has already been corrected, contact HPD with the violation number and explain the situation. You can request a reinspection or ask HPD to correct the record. HPD's contact information is on their website, or you can call 311.

Does the database show violations for commercial buildings or only residential?

The HPD database includes both residential and commercial buildings in New York City. You can search any address the same way, and the results will show violations for that property regardless of whether it is used for housing or business.

If a violation is closed, does that mean the problem is definitely fixed?

A closed violation means an HPD inspector visited the building after the owner reported the fix and confirmed that the problem was corrected. However, it is possible for a problem to recur later, so a closed violation does not may provide the problem will never happen again.