To file an NYC 311 complaint, submit your report through one of four channels: call 311, use the portal at portal.311.nyc.gov, send a text to 311-692, or use the NYC 311 mobile app. Give the exact location, pick the category that matches your issue, describe the problem in concrete terms, and save the Service Request number the system gives you. That number is how you track the complaint and how you follow up if the agency doesn’t act.
When to Use 311 and When to Call 911
311 is for non-emergency city services and complaints only. If someone is in physical danger, a crime is happening right now, or there’s a medical emergency, call 911. A working rule: if the problem can wait an hour without anyone getting hurt, it belongs on 311.1NYC311. About NYC311
Beyond that line, 311 covers a wide range of issues, and each complaint type is routed to the specific agency that handles it. Housing maintenance goes to HPD, building safety to DOB, street conditions to the Department of Transportation, construction noise to DEP, and street or sidewalk noise to the NYPD. You don’t need to know which agency to name; the system routes it based on the category you select.
The Four Ways to File
All four channels feed into the same city database, so the choice is about convenience.
- Phone. Dial 311 from anywhere in the five boroughs. From outside the city, dial 212-NEW-YORK (212-639-9675). The line runs around the clock.2NYC311. NYC311
- Website. Go to portal.311.nyc.gov and work through the prompts to describe your issue.
- Mobile app. The NYC 311 app for iPhone lets you photograph the problem, uses AI to suggest the right complaint form, and can pull your GPS location automatically.
- Text. Send a message to 311-692 from any SMS-capable phone. An automated system walks you through the complaint by text, also available 24 hours.3NYC.gov. Contact NYC Government
The digital options have one practical edge for housing and street complaints: you can attach photos, which help the inspector understand the severity before they arrive.
What to Have Ready Before You File
Gather the location first. A street address is best; failing that, the nearest cross streets and the borough. The more specific you are, the faster the right crew finds the problem. Then pick the category that matches your issue from the menu the system presents. If you’re filing online or through the app, have photos or a short video ready to attach.
Write the description in objective, concrete terms. “No heat in apartment 4B since Tuesday” is useful. “My landlord is a terrible person” is not. The inspector works from what you wrote, so details about what is wrong, exactly where, and how long it has been going on affect how the complaint gets prioritized.
Can You File Anonymously?
Some complaints can be filed anonymously, but it isn’t always workable. For problems in common areas of a building, like a broken front door lock or trash in the hallway, an anonymous report can succeed because the inspector doesn’t need to enter your apartment. For conditions inside your own unit, anonymous filing is largely pointless: the inspector needs to get in to document the violation and can’t do that without contacting you.4NYC311. Apartment Maintenance Complaint
NYC 311 collects only the identifying information needed to process your request, which can include your name, address, and phone number.5NYC311. Service Requests When 311 data is published on the city’s open data platform, personally identifying information is stripped out.6NYC Open Data. 311 Service Requests from 2020 to Present If you’re worried a landlord will recognize your phone number when the inspector calls, one practical workaround is to provide a number the landlord wouldn’t know, like a Google Voice line.
Tracking Your Service Request
Every complaint you file produces a unique Service Request (SR) number. Save it. You can check the status of any complaint by entering the SR number on the NYC311 website or by giving it to a 311 operator over the phone.1NYC311. About NYC311
The status shows which agency received the complaint and where it stands. When the agency finishes working on the request, they close it with a note explaining the outcome, such as an inspection completed, a summons issued, or the condition corrected. If you filed online or through the app, you’ll get a confirmation with the SR number as soon as you submit.5NYC311. Service Requests
If Your Complaint Goes Nowhere
Sometimes the SR sits, or it gets closed with a vague note like “inspected, no violation found” while the problem continues. You have options.
File again. A single complaint is easy for an agency to close out; a stack of them about the same issue creates a documented pattern that’s harder to ignore. Response times vary widely by complaint type and agency, with some issues resolved in days and others sitting for weeks or months.7NYC Council. Are City Agencies Responding to 311 Repeat filings aren’t nagging; they’re how the system is built to work.
If filing repeatedly doesn’t produce results, contact your City Council member’s office. Council members have constituent services staff whose job is to intervene with agencies on behalf of residents. Have your SR numbers ready when you call so the office can follow up directly with the responsible agency.8NYC Council. Constituent Services A call from an elected official tends to move things faster than another 311 filing on its own.
Tenant Protection Against Retaliation
Tenants sometimes hesitate to file because they’re afraid of eviction, a rent hike, or a lease non-renewal. New York law addresses this directly. Under Real Property Law Section 223-b, landlords cannot evict a tenant, refuse to renew a lease, or substantially change tenancy terms in retaliation for a good faith complaint to a government authority about housing code violations.9New York State Senate. New York Real Property Law 223-B – Retaliation by Landlord Against Tenant
The statute protects three categories of tenant activity: complaints about health or safety violations made to the landlord or a government agency, actions to enforce rights under the lease or housing law, and participation in a tenants’ organization. If a landlord takes adverse action shortly after you file, courts can presume the action was retaliatory, shifting the burden to the landlord to prove otherwise. Tenants who prove retaliation can recover damages, attorney’s fees, and court costs.
Two boundaries to know. The protection applies to all residential rental units except owner-occupied buildings with fewer than four units. And it doesn’t apply if you caused the condition you’re complaining about.9New York State Senate. New York Real Property Law 223-B – Retaliation by Landlord Against Tenant
Filing in Another Language
Under Local Law 30, city agencies that provide direct public services must offer phone interpretation in at least 100 languages and translate their most commonly distributed documents into ten designated citywide languages: Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Bengali, Haitian Creole, Korean, Arabic, Urdu, French, and Polish.10NYC Service. New York Language Access When you call 311, you can request an interpreter no matter what language you speak. The text service at 311-692 also supports translation for several languages.