Bronx HPD Violations: Classes A, B, C, I and Certifying

Many Bronx landlords do the repair and assume the violation is gone. It is not. On HPD's records, a violation stays open until the owner certifies the correction, and HPD's own guidance is direct about what happens otherwise: violations that are not certified on time remain open. For buildings with a steady stream of tenant complaints, the paperwork side of HPD compliance is often where the real money is lost.

Reading the letter: what each class means

HPD classifies Housing Maintenance Code violations by hazard, and the class sets the correction period printed on the Notice of Violation.

Class A: non-hazardous

These are conditions HPD does not consider a hazard to health or safety, but they still have to be fixed and certified. HPD's published guidance gives 90 days from receipt of the NOV to correct.

Class B: hazardous

Conditions HPD considers hazardous, but not immediately so, fall here. The correction period is 30 days from receipt of the NOV, which is shorter than many owners expect when a contractor has to be scheduled and tenant access arranged.

Class C: immediately hazardous

Lack of heat or hot water, lead-based paint hazards and missing window guards are among the Class C conditions HPD names in its correction guidance. Most Class C violations carry a 24-hour correction period. HPD lists 21 days from receipt for lead-based paint and window guard violations. Heat and hot water violations are measured from when the NOV is posted at the building.

Class I: orders

When HPD issues an Order to Repair or an Order to Repair/Vacate, it appears on the building's violation list with a hazard class of "I." These are not routine violations and usually call for prompt professional help.

Two ways to certify, and what each requires

Certification is a sworn statement that the condition was corrected. Bronx owners can file it in either of two ways:

• eCertification online. HPD offers this at no charge after enrollment through a notarized application. It cannot be used for lead-based paint, mold or pest violations.
• Paper certification. The Certification of Correction form is returned to HPD's Code Enforcement office in the borough where the building sits, by registered or certified mail with return receipt, or in person.

Either way, the certification must be filed by the certification date shown on the NOV. The form asks the signer to swear that they are the registered owner, officer, managing agent or other responsible party, that they examined the area, that the condition was corrected, and who did the work. Keep dated photos, invoices and tenant access records for every certified item.

What happens after you certify

HPD may inspect to confirm the work. For violations other than lead-based paint, HPD's guidance says a violation is deemed complied 70 days after the certification is received if no re-inspection occurs. If an inspector finds the condition still exists, the certification is invalidated and the violation stays on the record. Buildings that rack up repeat complaint inspections also face fees: HPD lists a $200 fee for the third and each later complaint inspection within 12 months where violations were not corrected.

False certification is not a paperwork error

Certifying a repair that was not made is treated seriously. The certification form warns that willfully submitting a false statement is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment for up to a year, or both. Separately, HPD's penalty schedule lists civil penalties for false certification that rise with the hazard class, from $50 to $250 for non-hazardous violations up to $500 to $1,000 for immediately hazardous ones. HPD also states that, beginning January 2025, buildings with significant false certifications may be required to have inspections before future certifications are accepted. The lesson for owners and supers is simple: never sign off on work you have not personally verified.

If the deadline has already passed

Once the certification date passes without a valid certification, HPD considers the violation overdue and the building exposed to civil penalties. HPD describes three routes to clear overdue items:

• Dismissal Request: an inspection to dismiss corrected violations, with fees HPD lists from $250 for a private dwelling to $500 for multiple dwellings with more than 500 violations. New violations may be written during that inspection, and HPD says that effective July 1, 2026 these applications go to Code Enforcement in Brooklyn.
• Violation Reissuance Program: available only to buildings with no open violations issued in the prior 12 months.
• Violations in Defect: for cases where HPD has confirmed the correction by inspection but is missing required documentation.

Registration keeps every other door open

None of this works if the building's HPD registration has lapsed. Multiple dwellings, and one- or two-family homes where neither the owner nor immediate family lives, must register annually, with a September 1 deadline and a $13 fee billed through the Department of Finance. HPD states that an unregistered building cannot certify violations, request a dismissal, or start a nonpayment case in Housing Court, and faces its own civil penalties. Registration is also how HPD knows where to mail NOVs, so an outdated managing agent address can cost you the entire correction window. See HPD's Clear Violations page for current procedures.

AM Expediting Drafting & Design Works LLC helps Bronx owners and managing agents audit open HPD violations, organize correction documentation, prepare certifications and dismissal requests, and resolve related DOB issues. If your Bronx building has a backlog of open or overdue violations, call (718) 971-0617 and we will review the record with you.

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