Each case begins with a Notice of Violation (NOV). An NOV is a written charge by an authorized City employee that a person, business, or other organization has allegedly violated one of the City's quality-of-life laws. The party charged with the violation is referred to as the respondent. The City agency that wrote the NOV is referred to as the petitioner. If a respondent wants to dispute the charge, ECB will provide a hearing and act as an independent decision-maker. At the hearing, an Administrative Law Judge will make findings of fact and conclusions of law for each violation issued. The decision of the ALJ becomes final if it is not appealed by either side within thirty days.

ECB is separate and distinct from the agencies that issue violations. ECB does not issue NOVs, establish enforcement policies, employ inspectors, or influence where, when and to whom NOVs are issued. ECB acts as an independent decision-maker when a respondent challenges an NOV.

ECB hears cases concerning alleged violations of the City's quality-of-life laws. Generally, these are the laws that protect the health, safety, and cleanliness of our environment and neighborhoods. Historically, those cases were heard in criminal court. In 1972, ECB was created through an amendment to the City Charter which decriminalized quality-of-life cases by moving them out of criminal court. Initially, the change affected only noise and air pollution cases. However, the number and types of cases heard by ECB have increased substantially over the years. ECB currently hears cases concerning alleged violations of certain provisions of the following rules and laws:

• Air Asbestos Code & Rules
• Air Code & Rules
• Building Code & Rules
• Community Right to Know Law & Rules
• Environmental Conservation Law
• Fire Prevention Code & Rules
• Food Vendor Rules
• General Food Vendor Code & Rules
• Hazardous Materials Law & Rules
• Health Code & Miscellaneous Food Vendor Rules
• Health Code Lead Abatement Code
• Hudson River Park Rules
• Landmark Preservation Code & Rules
• Noise Control Code & Rules
• Parks Department Rules
• Public Health Law: Canine Waste
• Public Market Code & Rules
• Public Pay Telephone Law & Rules
• Public Safety Graffiti Code
• Recycling Rules
• Sanitation Asbestos Code & Rules
• Sanitation Code
• Sewer Code & Rules
• Transportation Code & Rules
• Vehicle & Traffic Law
• Water Code & Rules
• Zoning Resolution

There are 11 City agencies that administer the City's quality-of-life laws. These agencies plus the Police Department also issue NOVs. Each agency has the legal authority to enforce certain types of violations, as prescribed by the Rules of the City of New York. In an ECB hearing, the agency charging the respondent with a violation is called the petitioner. The person who wrote the violation is called the issuing officer. Typically, the issuing officer is an inspector or other agent who works for the petitioner agency, or, in some instances, for another agency which has been authorized by the petitioner agency to issue its violations. Police officers may also issue NOVs for other agencies.

The primary agencies that administer the City's quality-of-life laws and/or issue NOVs are:

• Business Integrity Commission (BIC)
• Department of Buildings (DOB)
• Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA)
• Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
• Fire Department (FDNY)
• Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH)
• Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT)
• Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC)
• Department of Parks & Recreation (DPR)
• Police Department (NYPD)
• Department of Sanitation (DSNY) 
• Department of Transportation (DOT)