Got an OATH Summons? What to Do Next
It's never a good day when you find an OATH summons on your door. The worst thing to do is ignore it.
What OATH is
The NYC Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) hears summonses issued by many city agencies, including the Department of Buildings, the FDNY and the Department of Transportation. It took over the hearings once held by the Environmental Control Board (ECB), which is why older papers still say ECB.
Why you should not ignore it
If you ignore an OATH summons, you may be issued more summonses or violations for failure to comply. You can also be issued a stop work order, which can shut down a project until all penalties and violating conditions are resolved.
Work without a permit summonses
Department of Buildings summonses for work without a permit are among the costliest you can receive. You will need a licensed professional to help you obtain a permit, and you will have to pay a civil penalty to the Department of Buildings. That penalty can run from $600 to $10,000 for one- and two-family homes, and from $6,000 to $15,000 for other buildings. There is also the OATH penalty shown on the summons, paid to the Department of Finance.
How we help
S & M Expediting represents clients at OATH hearings and works to keep penalties as low as possible. Start with what an ECB violation is and how to check your property, then how to resolve an ECB violation. Call 718-833-2333 to find out how we can help with your summons.
Questions
Does paying an OATH summons close the violation?
Not by itself for a Buildings Department case. Paying admits the charge, and the violation can stay open on the DOB record until a certificate of correction is accepted, unless the case is dismissed.