Guide
You got a DOHMH summons. Here's how the OATH hearing actually goes
The summons is not the fine. What you do between the kitchen door closing behind the inspector and the hearing date is what decides the number.
Health Department summonses are heard at OATH — and the difference between answering and ignoring one is up to five times the penalty. The options, the clocks, and the paperwork, in plain English.
When this applies
A DOHMH inspection produced a summons with an OATH hearing date — or one already went to a decision and you're staring at the penalty.
How it's normally done — and how we make it easy
| Step | The usual way | With DailyDog |
|---|---|---|
| Learn a summons exists | Certified mail, or the server's drawer | A bark that names the summons the day it dockets |
| The hearing clock | A date on paper, weeks out, easy to lose | A countdown with escalating reminders across every location |
| The paperwork | Blank city PDFs and guesswork | Reopen / reschedule / appeal forms prefilled from the summons, staged for the city's online filing |
| After it's over | Hope nothing else lands | The record re-checked daily, so the next one never ages in a mailbox |
Step by step
- 1
Read the charges like a hearing officer
Each charge on the summons cites a specific code section and condition. The hearing is about those exact words — not the inspection in general. Note which charges are critical (they carry the real points and penalties).
- 2
Cure immediately, and document like it's evidence — because it is
Fix the cited conditions now and keep dated photos, invoices, and logs. For many health citations, proof of a prompt fix is the difference between a sustained charge and a reduced or dismissed one.
- 3
Pick your answer path before the hearing date
You can admit and pay the standard penalty before the hearing (done, no appearance). Or contest: in person, by phone, or online. Whoever appears for a company must be authorized — an officer, or a representative with a signed authorization form.
- 4
Never, ever default
A no-show is a default judgment at up to five times the standard penalty, plus interest. If the date has already passed: a first request to reopen, received within 75 days, is granted automatically. Past 75 days you need a reasonable excuse; past a year, exceptional circumstances.
- 5
After the decision: pay, or appeal within 30 days
Lose and you have 30 days from the decision (35 if mailed) to appeal — with the penalty paid first, refunded if you win. The appeal argues errors in the hearing record; it isn't a second hearing.
✎ Skip the form-filling — we type it for you
Members answer plain questions and get the official form back — typed onto the city's own PDF, checkboxes placed exactly, e-signed, prefilled from their property's tickets — with the mailing address, deadline, and attachment checklist on the way out.
Before you start — have this ready
- The summons number(s), the hearing date, and who will appear.
- Dated cure proof for every cited condition.
- If a representative appears: the signed authorization form (GN4).
Who to contact
What to ask
Ask for a Procedural Justice Coordinator to walk through your answer options and what evidence helps — a free service, and they'll confirm the deadlines for your specific summons.
See if this is on your record
Look up any NYC establishment free — then let DailyDog watch the record so none of this sneaks up on you.
Frequently asked
- The notice went to a manager who left. Are we stuck with the default?
- Usually not — that's exactly what the 75-day reopen window is for. A first request received inside 75 days of the default decision is granted automatically, no excuse needed. DailyDog counts the days and prepares the form.
- Can we just pay and move on?
- You can admit and pay the standard penalty before the hearing and skip the appearance. For weak charges that's often the rational move — but paying doesn't fix the inspection record or the grade, only the summons.
- Does the fine grow if we ignore it?
- Yes. Defaults multiply the penalty up to five times, then interest accrues on the judgment — and unpaid judgments follow the business.
- Who can appear for an LLC?
- An owner, officer, or employee — or a registered representative or attorney with a signed authorization (the GN4 form, which DailyDog prepares).
Verified 2026-07-13· Informational only, not legal advice · Confirm current requirements on the city's official portal