The City of Chicago violation notice number is how the City tells your case apart from every other one. The notice itself is the document that matters: it states the alleged violation, the date, time and place, and your options. Keep the number with you when you call the Department of Buildings or the hearings office, and use your address when you look the case up online.
You are holding a City notice and you want to know what the number on it does. Short version: it identifies your case, and every office that touches the case will ask for it. We have no City source that explains how the number is built, so we will not guess at its format. Here is what the City does say about the notice.
What is on a Chicago violation notice?
According to the City's Department of Administrative Hearings (DOAH), the notice generally tells you the alleged violation, the date, time and place it occurred, and your options. Those options include mail-in payment where eligible, a mandatory appearance, or how to request a hearing. If the notice says you must appear, it states the date, time and place.
Read all of it. Our walkthrough of what a Chicago violation notice really says goes line by line.
What do I use the number for?
Treat it as the label on your file. Use it when you:
- Call the Department of Buildings (DOB) about why you were cited. DOAH does not investigate or file cases, so questions about why you were cited go to the issuing department, which for building cases is DOB.
- Contact the hearings office about your date.
- Send photos, permits or invoices that prove the work is done. Write the number on every page and in every email subject line.
- Talk to an attorney or a contractor about the case. Hand them a copy of the notice, not a description of it.
Keep the paper notice, the envelope and any posted copy from the building. The notice is what the City relies on, and ignoring it can lead to a default judgment.
Can I look up my case without the number?
For records on the building, yes. DOB's online records search lets you search permit, inspection and violation records by address, and the City's Data Portal carries a building violations dataset for violations issued by DOB from 2006 to present. Our guide to looking up Chicago building violations by address shows how.
A lookup tells you what is on record. It does not replace the notice, because the notice carries your hearing date. If the record and the paper disagree, call DOB and ask. If you are not sure who to call first, see who to call about a Chicago building violation.
What if I lost the notice?
Search the address first. Then contact the issuing department, DOB, with the address and ask for the case details and the date. Do not wait for a second notice. A missed date can end in a default.
Akats handles the repair and the City paperwork for owners in this spot. See our building code violations service or the full owner guide. This is general information, not legal advice.
Common questions
It is on the notice the City sent or posted. If you cannot find it, search the building's address in the Department of Buildings records search, then call the Department of Buildings with the address to confirm the case and your hearing date.
We have no City source saying they are linked, so treat them as separate. Keep each number labeled. When you send proof of repair, write the notice number on every page and attach the permit if one was pulled.
For why you were cited, call the issuing department, which for building cases is the Department of Buildings. The hearings office does not investigate or file cases. For legal decisions, talk to an attorney.
Sources
- City of Chicago, Department of Administrative Hearings: How to Prepare for a Hearing
- City of Chicago, Department of Buildings: Search Building Department Records
- City of Chicago, Department of Administrative Hearings: Why Was I Issued a Notice of Violation?
Facts last checked: October 7, 2026.
This article explains general rules and common situations in Chicago. It is not legal advice, and City rules change. For a specific property, check with the Chicago Department of Buildings or a licensed professional.