NYC owners owe $876 million in unpaid DOB penalties
As of Jul 10, 2026· refreshed daily from the city's official hearing records
Right now, New York City's hearing records show $876,250,715 in adjudicated, still-unpaid penalties on Department of Buildings summonses — spread across 163,976 open cases.
These aren't abstract fines. An unpaid OATH judgment accrues against the property, blocks permits, surfaces in every title search, and can become a lien. Most of this balance belongs to small and mid-size owners who missed a hearing date or never saw the summons.
| Borough | Outstanding | Open summonses |
|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn | $312,093,352 | 60,912 |
| Queens | $222,317,980 | 38,532 |
| Bronx | $184,564,756 | 31,087 |
| Manhattan | $125,512,525 | 27,794 |
| Staten Island | $31,762,102 | 5,651 |
If part of this balance is yours, it's usually fixable: recent defaults can be reopened within 75 days, decisions can be appealed within 30, and paying the right way is its own small maze — here's how.
Is your building in these numbers?
Look up any NYC address — open violations, penalties, and deadlines. Free, no signup.