NYC owners owe $889 million in unpaid DOB penalties
As of Aug 29, 2026· refreshed daily from the city's official hearing records
Right now, New York City's hearing records show $889,061,875 in adjudicated, still-unpaid penalties on Department of Buildings summonses — spread across 165,973 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 | $315,644,195 | 61,533 |
| Queens | $224,974,780 | 38,940 |
| Bronx | $187,090,633 | 31,537 |
| Manhattan | $128,752,085 | 28,209 |
| Staten Island | $32,600,182 | 5,754 |
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.