Daily fines begin from the violation issuance date — not from when you receive the letter. If you received an HPD rodent violation, act today. Every day without an appointment is money lost.
What HPD Class B and C Rodent Violations Mean
HPD issues rodent violations under two classes that property owners need to understand immediately upon receipt.
Class B (Hazardous): Fines starting at $50 per day with a 30-day cure period. Typically issued for rodent evidence in non-habitable areas or building exteriors.
Class C (Emergency): Fines of $1,000 to $2,500 per day per citation with immediate remediation required and a 30-day certification window. Issued when rodent evidence poses an immediate health threat in habitable areas.
Here is the critical detail most property owners miss: HPD issues a separate violation for each distinct rodent condition or entry point. A building with four unsealed entry points receives four simultaneous Class C violations. At the low end of the daily fine range, that is $4,000 per day.
Step 1: Pull Your Violation Record Immediately
Go to HPD Online at hpdonline.hpd.nyc.gov and search your property address. Download the full violation record including the violation ID number, class, date of issuance, and the specific condition cited. You need this violation ID referenced on every document you submit for clearance.
Step 2: Book a Licensed Contractor the Same Day
Contact a licensed pest control contractor who specifies HPD violation clearance experience. Verify that they hold a current NY State DEC Pesticide Applicator license — the license number must appear on the documentation package you submit to HPD.
When you call, provide: the violation class (B or C), the violation ID, your borough and building type. This allows the contractor to plan the correct scope before arriving.
Step 3: What the Inspector Will Document
The contractor performs a systematic inspection of every potential entry point in your building. Every gap, penetration, and structural defect is photographed with a timestamp and documented in writing with location and dimensions. This inspection map drives both the treatment scope and the exclusion scope.
Step 4: Treatment Before Exclusion — Always
Treatment must precede exclusion when an active infestation is present. Sealing entry points before eliminating the existing population traps live animals inside the structure. Trapped rats cause additional structural damage and die inside walls, creating an odor problem requiring its own remediation. Eliminate the population first. Confirm population reduction. Then seal.
Step 5: Physical Exclusion at Every Cited Entry Point
Every identified entry point receives permanent exclusion material appropriate for the opening: stainless steel mesh, hardware cloth, hydraulic cement, or commercial door seals. Each sealed point is photographed with a timestamp showing before and after condition.
Step 6: The Documentation Package You Need
A proper HPD clearance package includes all of the following:
- Technician service report with NY State DEC Pesticide Applicator license number
- Timestamped photographs of every entry point before and after sealing
- Product application log: product name, EPA registration number, location applied, quantity
- Written scope of work identifying each entry point by location, dimension, and material used
- Reference to the specific HPD violation ID number on all documents
Standard service receipts from national chains do not include these elements. Attempting HPD certification with a standard service receipt results in rejection and continued daily fines.
Step 7: Submit Certification Through HPD Online
The property owner or managing agent submits certification through HPD Online using the documentation package provided by the contractor. For Class C violations, HPD schedules a follow-up inspection within 30 days. For Class B violations, complete documentation typically closes the violation at certification without re-inspection.
Timeline: What to Expect
With a qualified contractor, most Class C violations can be certified within 14 to 21 days of the first call. The documentation package is ready at job completion and can typically be submitted to HPD Online the same day.
Contractors who have completed HPD clearance work before know the format HPD requires. Ask specifically how many HPD violations they have successfully cleared before booking.
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