Support
Help with ViolationNow, the service that monitors NYC building records for the buildings you manage.
The ViolationNow web app is not yet available at app.violationnow.com, which shows a demo until then. Until it launches, links in our emails that open the web app (such as email-confirmation, sign-in, password-reset, invitation and "Manage alert settings" links) do not work, and anything this page says to do in the web app is not available yet. Email us at support@violationnow.com and we will help.
Contact us
Email support@violationnow.com. To help us answer quickly, include:
- the email address on your ViolationNow account;
- the building address or BIN, and the ticket number if your question is about a record;
- what you expected to happen and what happened instead; and
- screenshots, if they help.
Never send us your password or card number. We will never ask for them.
We answer email on business days (Monday to Friday, except US federal holidays), usually within two business days. We cannot guarantee a response time, and we do not offer phone support.
Do not wait for us. Contact the agency that issued the ticket (such as DOB, OATH or FDNY) directly. We cannot change City records, hearing dates or penalties.
Signing in
- The iOS app is for people who already have a ViolationNow account: account owners and the team members they invited. Accounts are created in the ViolationNow web app. Sign in to the iOS app with the email address and password of your account.
- Forgot your password? Choose "Forgot password?" on the sign-in screen of the iOS app or the web app. We email you a link that opens the web app, where you choose a new password. The link works once and expires after 30 minutes. Setting a new password signs you out on all your devices.
- Confirm your email first. You need to confirm your email address before you can sign in with a password. The confirmation link in our email is valid for 24 hours. If it has expired, ask for a sign-in link or reset your password in the web app: using either link also confirms your email address.
- Too many attempts? After several incorrect passwords, sign-in to the account is paused for 15 minutes. Wait, then try again or reset your password.
- Sign-in link. In the web app you can ask for a one-time sign-in link by email instead of using your password. It expires after 15 minutes.
- Face ID. In the iOS app you can lock ViolationNow with Face ID or your passcode (Account > Security). Face ID is handled by iOS; we never receive your face data.
- No email from us? Check your spam or junk folder, make sure you typed your address correctly, and request a new link if the old one expired.
Notifications
What we alert you about
New records for your buildings, such as violations, complaints, summonses, permits and job filings; changes to existing records, such as hearing dates, statuses, penalties and balances due; and ECB/OATH or FDNY summonses that no longer appear in City data. You choose which types of alerts you want in your notification settings.
How alerts reach you
- Push notifications in the iOS app, after you allow notifications. Signing out of the app stops push notifications to that iPhone.
- Email to the address on your account.
- Text messages, only if you add a mobile number, turn on text alerts and agree to receive them. Message frequency varies, and message and data rates may apply.
Who receives alerts
The account owner receives alerts for all of the account's buildings. Admins and members receive the account's alerts only when team alerts are turned on for them and they have confirmed their email address; email us if you need this. Viewers do not receive alerts. In the web app, the "Only addresses assigned to me" switch limits the alerts shown in that browser to the addresses assigned to you. The "Only my addresses" switch in the iOS app is saved only on that device. Neither switch changes which alerts we send by push notification, email or text message.
Quiet hours
During your quiet hours, push notifications and texts for non-critical alerts are held and sent when quiet hours end. Critical alerts are sent right away, and emails are never held.
Turn notifications off
- In the iOS app: Account > Notifications, where you can turn push, email and text alerts on or off and change alert types and quiet hours.
- In the web app: Settings > Notifications.
- On your iPhone: Settings > Notifications > ViolationNow. You can also hide notification previews on the lock screen there.
- Alert emails: use the "Manage alert settings" link at the bottom of any alert email.
- Text messages: reply STOP to any of our texts, turn text alerts off in your settings, or email us and ask us to stop. Reply START to receive texts again, or HELP for help.
Account emails, such as email confirmations, sign-in links, password resets and team invitations, cannot be turned off.
Not getting push notifications?
Check that notifications for ViolationNow are allowed in your iPhone's settings, that a Focus mode is not silencing them, that push alerts are on in Account > Notifications, and that you are signed in to the app.
Alerts are best effort. City data can be published late, and notifications can be delayed or fail. Always confirm hearing dates and deadlines with the issuing agency.
Billing
Billing is managed by the account owner in the ViolationNow web app, under Settings > Billing & plan. The iOS app does not handle payments. Admins, members and viewers do not pay. Removing a building in the iOS app stops monitoring it but does not change your subscription; the number of billed addresses is corrected the next time you add or remove a building in the web app. Removing all of your buildings does not cancel your subscription: billing continues for the number of buildings you had until you cancel. For billing questions, the account owner can email us from the account's email address. Our Terms of Service explain renewal, cancellation and refunds.
Delete your account
In the iOS app
- Open the Account tab.
- Tap "Delete account" (below "Log out").
- Enter your password and confirm.
By email
Email support@violationnow.com from the email address on your account and ask us to delete it.
What happens
- Any subscription you pay for is canceled right away, so you are not charged again.
- Every building you own is deleted, together with its records, notes, tasks and alerts.
- You are signed out everywhere and removed from any team accounts you belong to.
- This cannot be undone.
If you are a team member rather than an account owner, deleting your account removes you from the team; the owner's buildings and data stay with the owner. Some records, such as security logs, are kept after deletion; our Privacy Policy explains what we keep.
Removing a single building is different: it stops monitoring that building but does not delete your account.
About the data
ViolationNow uses public data from NYC Open Data and NYC Planning. ViolationNow is not affiliated with the City of New York or any of its agencies. City data can be delayed or incomplete, and the information in ViolationNow is not legal advice. Confirm anything important with the agency that issued the record.
Security
If you believe you found a security vulnerability, email support@violationnow.com with "Security" in the subject line. Please do not share it publicly until we have fixed it.