Except as otherwise specified in this code or other law, violations of this code, the 1968 building code, the zoning resolution or other laws or rules enforced by the department shall be punishable by criminal fines and imprisonment within the ranges set forth below:
1. Every person convicted of violating a provision of this code, the 1968 building code, the zoning resolution or other law or rule enforced by the department or an order of the commissioner issued pursuant thereto that is classified by the commissioner or the code as an immediately hazardous violation shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than twenty-five thousand dollars or by imprisonment of not more than one year or by both such fine and imprisonment.
2. Every person convicted of violating a provision of this code, the 1968 building code, the zoning resolution or other law or rule enforced by the department or an order of the commissioner issued pursuant thereto that is classified by the commissioner or the code as a major violation shall be guilty of a violation punishable by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars or imprisonment for not more than 15 days or both such fine and imprisonment.
3. Every person convicted of violating a provision of this code, the zoning resolution or other law or rule enforced by the department or an order of the commissioner issued pursuant thereto that is classified by the commissioner or the code as a lesser violation shall be guilty of a violation punishable by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars.
Exceptions:
1. The owner, lessee, occupant, manager or operator of a building affected by a natural or man-made disaster, as determined by the commissioner, shall not be subject to a criminal fine or imprisonment if notice of such violation was issued during the 90-day-period immediately after such disaster or, in the case of a major natural or man-made disaster as determined by the commissioner, during the six-month period immediately after such disaster. This exception shall not apply to immediately hazardous violations, violations charged as aggravated violations or violations without connection to such disaster.
2. The owner, lessee, occupant, manager or operator of a building where a violation occurs shall not be subject to a criminal fine or imprisonment for such violation if (i) such violation was connected to a natural or man-made disaster, as determined by the commissioner, and (ii) such building is undergoing, or scheduled or under evaluation for, work or acquisition through a city operated disaster recovery program responding to such disaster.
3. The owner, lessee, manager or operator of a building shall not be subject to criminal fines or imprisonment for a violation resulting from work done by a city employee or third party under contract with the city, in response to a natural or man-made disaster. This exception shall not apply to immediately hazardous violations or violations charged as aggravated violations.
4. The minimum fine for an immediately hazardous violation of article 110 of this chapter or chapter 33 of the New York city building code shall be $2,000.
5. The minimum fine for a major violation of article 110 of this chapter or chapter 33 of the New York city building code shall be $1,000.
(Am. L.L. 2016/054, 5/10/2016, eff. 8/8/2016; Am. L.L. 2016/059, 5/10/2016, eff. 8/8/2016; Am. L.L. 2017/203, 11/17/2017, eff. 3/17/2018; Am. L.L. 2019/118, 6/8/2019, eff. 3/8/2020; Am. L.L. 2021/126, 11/7/2021, eff. 11/7/2022)
Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 2016/054, L.L. 2016/059, and L.L. 2021/126.