*You must respond to your Summons.* If you wish to fight a summons, you must do so on or before the hearing date listed on the summons. If you do not appear for a hearing in person, online, by mail, by phone or by video (webcam), you will be found "in violation" of the charge by default and you may have to pay a higher fine.
A Hearing by Mail allows you to fight the summons by sending a written defense to the OATH Hearings Division by regular mail. If you want to have a Hearing by Mail you must send your defense letter to OATH before the hearing date on the summons. You may include other documents to support your case.
Not all summonses are eligible for a Hearing by Mail.
Enter the violation code on your summons below to learn if you are allowed to have a Hearing by Mail. Get help finding your OATH code.
All summonses that are issued for a violation of the NYC Health Code (for example, restaurant, rodent and pest control, day care, swimming pool, radiation and nuisance cases) are eligible for a Hearing by Mail even if the violation code you enter below is not found.
If you were issued a summons by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) you should use this list to see if your summons is eligible for a Hearing by Mail.
For all other summonses, if your violation code is not found below, you must appear in person.
I [print your name] _____________________________ CERTIFY UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY THAT I AM AUTHORIZED TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT THIS DEFENSE LETTER AND THAT TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, ALL INFORMATION I INCLUDED ON THIS DOCUMENT AND IN THE ATTACHMENTS, IF ANY, IS TRUE.
If you feel more comfortable writing your defense in a language other than English, please do so. OATH will have your defense letter translated into English before it is given to the Hearing Officer assigned to your case. All translation services are provided by OATH free of charge.
You will not have the option of community service. If you choose to have a Hearing by Mail and you are found to be "in violation" a monetary penalty will be imposed.
Not all summonses allow for the option of community service.