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Don’t Boil Over

Getting acquainted with DOB’s new boiler violations portal.

Everything is moving online nowadays – including New York Building Code processes. While this move was already in motion with the rollout of DOB NOW, the COVID-19 crisis has made the digital migration even more crucial for the DOB and all their work affects.

The new Boiler Violations Portal, launched in DOB NOW: Safety on July 22, 2020, is the latest in this series of transitions. The new portal makes it mandatory to submit violation dismissal payments and civil penalty waivers through the portal, rather than by email or in person.

Here’s what you need to know.

How to Make Boiler Violations Payments

Once you’ve logged into DOB NOW: Safety via an eFiling account, you must:

  • Go to the Violations portal.
  • Select “Violations Payments” from dashboard.
  • Search for your property under “Violations Search” (by Violation Number, Device)
  • Select the violation you wish to pay for.
  • Save the application – information from your eFiling account will then autofill the respondent information boxes.
  • Complete the Statements & Signature section and Save the application again.
  • Select “Proceed to Pay” to enter the payment in the CityPay portal.
  • Note: Only one violation can be paid per application.

How to Waive Civil Penalties

To file a Boiler Waiver of Civil Penalties Form (BWP) via DOB NOW, follow the same steps to log in and go to the Violations portal. Then:

  • Select “Civil Penalty Waiver” from dashboard.
  • Search for your boiler device using the violation info, as above, and press “+Add”
  • Note: Only one device can be submitted per application, and only five violations can be submitted per device. Otherwise, you’ll need additional applications.
  • Select the Waiver Request Reason. (See 1 RCNY §103-01 and §103-05 for waiver information.)
  • Save the application – applicant info will then auto-populate the appropriate boxes.
  • Upload any required supporting documentation on the Documents tab.
  • Complete the Statements & Signature section and Save the application again.
  • Select the “Pay Now” button to submit the payment in the CityPay portal and click “Submit.” This is crucial, as the request will not be reviewed until it is submitted in the portal.

Payment Processing

For Violations 2016 and Earlier

  • Payments made in DOB NOW: Safety by credit card will be immediately processed, with BIS status changed to dismissed.
  • Payments made by eCheck take up to 10 days to be processed, and which point you will be notified by email.

For Violations 2017 and Later

  • For violations issued post-2017, you will need to file an accepted annual boiler inspection report in DOB NOW: Safety. Even with payment, a violation cannot be dismissed without this.
  • Once payment and inspection report are submitted, you will be notified by email and the violation will be dismissed within 24 hours.

Watch for the email notification when the payment has been processed and the request has been received by the DOB. Payments made by eCheck will take up to 10 days to be processed.

You will also be emailed with the status of the request throughout, and if granted, the violation will be updated in Building Information System (BIS) as “Dismissed.”

The new portal is a step in the right direction in terms of streamlining the violations dismissal processes, and useful for looking up violations.

However, you can only deal with one violation at a time. This makes it very time-consuming to resolve multiple violations on your own just to get your project moving again. And resolving the violations themselves takes time.

This is where you may need to look at tools and solutions outside those provided by the DOB. Software like BuildingOwl, powered by Outsource Consultants, provides a broad swath of building data for your property, including all types of violations. You also have access to a team of consultants to help you resolve issues faster so you can get back to work.

If you need help resolving current violations, feel free to reach out to the Outsource Consultants.

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