The Development Services Department aims to bring our communities to a safe standard for Austin residents and visitors. If you receive an Administrative Citation for a City of Austin Code Violation, you will be automatically scheduled for an Administrative Hearing per City of Austin Ordinance No. 20170413-002. and City Code Chapter 2-13.
I Would Like to Know About
Payments | Attending a Hearing | Rescheduling | Appeal
I Want to Pay an Administrative Citation
If you choose to pay an administrative citation instead of attending an administrative hearing, your payment must be received NO LATER than ten (10) business days from the date listed on the front of the citation (Date Citation Issued).
Paying the citation is not an admission of guilt. It is an acknowledgment that the cited city code violation was present at the property on the date the citation was issued.
If ten (10) business days have already passed, you must email the DSD Code Compliance Administrative Hearing Team requesting a payment extension.
The DSD Cashier will not take your payment after 10 business days have passed unless the Administrative Hearing Team has approved a payment extension.
To request a payment extension, you must email DSDCREDAH@austintexas.gov explaining your circumstances. An Administrative Hearing Team member will respond to your email. If your request to pay the citation after the 10-business day deadline is approved, the staff will give you a new citation payment deadline. The staff will also let the DSD Cashier know of the payment extension.
*NOTE: No payments for an Administrative Citation will be taken on or after the day of a scheduled Administrative Hearing. Once the hearing date arrives, the administrative citation will be heard by an administrative hearing officer. The hearing officer will issue an administrative hearing order for the cited violation.
If you have attempted to reach DSD Cashier to pay a citation and have been unsuccessful, you must send an email to the DSD Code Compliance Administrative Hearing Team before the date of the scheduled hearing, DSDCREDAH@austintexas.gov, or you must attend the hearing as scheduled.
I Want to Pay an Administrative Hearing Order
Once an administrative citation is heard by a hearing officer, the hearing officer has seven (7) business days to issue an administrative hearing order.
The DSD Code Compliance Administrative Hearing Team will send the administrative hearing order to the cited owner via US Mail. If the owner is found liable for a citation, the DSD Finance Team will also send a copy of the administrative hearing order with an invoice to the cited owner.
To pay for an administrative hearing order, you must contact the DSD Cashier.
- Pay by Mail
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- Make check payable to: Development Services Department. You must include the Citation number on your check.
- Mail to: Development Services Department - Finance, P.O. Box 1088, Austin, TX 78767
- Pay By Phone
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- Call the Development Services Department Cashier’s Office at 512-974-7045. Please leave a detailed voicemail so our staff can return your call and provide you with prompt assistance.
- Pay by phone is available Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
I Do Not Want a Hearing
You may choose to pay the fine for the cited violation instead of attending an administrative hearing. You must pay the fine within ten (10) business days from the Violation Date on the citation. You must clear the violation on your property. If you do not clear the violation, you may be cited again.
Fine Amount – How Much Do I Pay?
Look at your Citation to see which City Code you were cited for and what the Occurrence Number is.
- City Code & Occurrence Fee Schedule
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If you were cited for one of the following City Codes:
10-5-21, Unsanitary Conditions
25-12-211, IPMC Violation
The fine amount is:
$250.00 — Occurrence Number 1
$500.00 — Occurrence Number 2
$750.00 — Occurrence Number 3+
If you were cited for one of the following City Codes:
25-2-899, Fence Height
25-2-893 (B)(7), RV & Boat Screening
25-11-32, Work Without Permit — Commercial
25-12-241, Work Without Permit — Residential
25-2-794, General Requirements for Short-Term Rentals
The fine amount is:
$500.00 — Occurrence Number 1
$750.00 — Occurrence Number 2
$1,000.00 — Occurrence Number 3+
Paying the fine amount listed above will satisfy the citation. This means the citation will not be set for a hearing with a hearing officer.
The penalty for a liable outcome is determined by the hearing officer and may be different than noted above. Owners found liable for a cited violation will also be assessed an administrative hearing fee.
You must still bring the property into compliance by addressing the cited violation at the property. You are responsible for contacting the Code Compliance Inspector listed on the citation to set up a final inspection.
Do you still have questions? Call the Development Services Department Cashier’s Office at 512-974-7045 or email DSDCREDAH@austintexas.gov. Please leave a detailed voicemail so our staff can return your call and provide you with prompt assistance.
I Want a Hearing
If payment is not received for an administrative citation, the DSD Code Compliance Administrative Hearing Team will automatically schedule you for an administrative hearing. The City will notify you of the date/time/place for your Administrative Hearing by sending you a Notice of Administrative Hearing letter. Using county property records, the City will send notification(s) of the hearing by regular & certified mail. The City may also post a courtesy copy of the Notice of Administrative Hearing Letter at the property address where the violation occurred.
The DSD Code Compliance Administrative Hearing team relies on county records for property owner information, including the property owner’s name and mailing address.
Visit the What If I Do Nothing? section to learn more about what happens if you do nothing.
Administrative Hearings
Administrative hearings are quasi-judicial proceedings overseen by an administrative hearing officer. The hearing officer will hear the evidence and issue a written order within seven (7) business days of the hearing. You have three (3) options for attending your hearing, including by phone or virtually.
- Attend In Person
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Administrative hearings take place at 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive, Austin, TX 78752. Please click here for directions. Free parking is available next to the building.
Hearings may be scheduled on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Only citations scheduled for a hearing will be heard. You may not walk in and request a hearing.
You may park in the parking garage; however, the parking garage is not free. Staff will not be able to validate your parking.
- Attend By Phone
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You must contact us at least seven (7) business days before your scheduled hearing to let us know you want to attend by phone. We need to provide you with the access code for your hearing. Call 512-974-9167 to get your access code or Email: DSDCREDAH@austintexas.gov. Please leave a detailed voicemail so our staff can return your call and provide you with prompt assistance.
Read the Remote Administrative Hearing Guide in English (PDF) or the Remote Administrative Hearing Guide in Spanish (PDF). - Attend Virtually
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The City of Austin uses Microsoft TEAMS for all video hearings.
You must contact us at least seven (7) business days before your scheduled hearing to let us know you want to attend by Video. We need to provide you with the access code for your hearing. Call 512-974-9167 to get your access code or Email: DSDCREDAH@austintexas.gov. Please leave a detailed voicemail so our staff can return your call and provide you with prompt assistance.
Read the Remote Administrative Hearing Guide in English (PDF) or the Remote Administrative Hearing Guide in Spanish (PDF).
Facts, Photos, and Evidence
You will have an opportunity to hear and see the City’s facts, photos, and evidence at the Administrative Hearing.
- Get a Copy of the City's Evidence
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Call 512-974-9167 or email DSDCREDAH@austintexas.gov. Please leave a detailed voicemail so our staff can return your call and provide you with prompt assistance.
You will also have an opportunity to explain your situation and show your facts, photos, and evidence.
- Submit My Evidence
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It is important to understand that the purpose of an administrative hearing is to determine if your property was in violation of a city code on the date the citation was issued.
If you have evidence, including documents, permits, photos, and/or receipts, that clearly show your property was not in violation of the city code you were cited for, you may send your evidence to the hearing coordinator. Any evidence you submit will be included in the administrative hearing case packet that will be presented to the hearing officer on the day of the hearing.
Email your evidence to DSDCREDAH@austintexas.gov with the subject line "My Evidence".
Inspector Attendance
Per City of Austin Ordinance No. 20170413-002, you must contact us at least seven (7) business days before your scheduled hearing to let us know that you want the assigned Code Compliance Inspector to attend your hearing. Please call: 512-974-9167 or email: DSDCREDAH@austintexas.gov. Please leave a detailed voicemail so our staff can return your call and provide you with prompt assistance.
What to Expect At a Hearing
Please read the information sheet in English (PDF) or Spanish (PDF) to help you prepare for your scheduled administrative hearing and know what to expect when you arrive.
I Need to Reschedule
You must contact us in writing at, DSDCREDAH@austintexas.gov at least five (5) business days before your scheduled hearing if you are unable to attend your hearing and you want to reschedule. Rescheduling requests are only approved when a legitimate “for cause” situation is supported by documentation.
If you cannot attend in person you may also attend virtually.
Interpreters, Translators, and Accommodations
The City of Austin complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended. To request a sign language interpreter at the hearing, ensure mobility access to the meeting room, or request alternates to print format, i.e., Braille, large print, contact the ADA office at 512-974-3256.
If you require translation services or accommodations at the hearing, please make your requests at least seven (7) business days before your scheduled hearing. You can call: 512-974-9167 or email: DSDCREDAH@austintexas.gov.
Hearing Decision - When Will I Get the Order?
The hearing officer may issue a decision/order at the end of the hearing, but the written decision/order will not be issued until seven (7) business days after the hearing. The decision/order will be emailed to you or sent by U.S. mail. There are two (2) outcomes from the administrative hearing.
- Liable
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If you are found liable for the violation, the decision/order will include information on the penalty assessed and your right to appeal. Please note that if you do not attend your scheduled hearing, you will waive your right to appeal.
If you are found liable for the violation, the decision/order will include a required administrative fee set by city council.
The penalty for a liable outcome is determined by the hearing officer and may be different than the penalty paid in lieu of a hearing . Owners found liable for a cited violation will also be assessed an administrative hearing fee.
You must clear the violation on your property. If you do not clear the violation, you may be cited again.
- Not Liable
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If you are found not liable for the violation, you will not be assessed a penalty or administrative fee.
You must clear the violation on your property. If you do not clear the violation, you may be cited again.
What If I Do Nothing?
If you do not pay the citation within ten (10) business days of the citation date you will automatically be scheduled for a hearing. The City will send the cited owner a Notice of Administrative Hearing Letter, which will provide the date, time, and place of the hearing. Only citations scheduled for a hearing will be heard. You may not walk in and request a hearing.
The DSD Code Compliance Administrative Hearing Team relies on county real property records to identify the real property owner’s name and mailing address.
- Travis County - https://countyclerk.traviscountytx.gov/departments/recording/real-property/
- Williamson County - https://www.wilcotx.gov/countyclerk
- Hays County - https://www.hayscountytx.gov/county-clerk/records-division
If a property owner has questions, concerns, or needs to update their mailing address with the county, they must contact the county clerk’s office directly. The DSD Code Compliance Administrative Hearing Team, the Code Compliance Officer, and/or the DSD Cashier cannot update a property owner's name or mailing address.
As a courtesy, the Development Services Department may also post a Notice of Violation Letter and/or a Notice of Administrative Hearing Letter at the property address where the violation occurred.
If you fail to appear for your scheduled hearing, a default judgment may be entered against you. This means you may be found liable for the cited violation, and you may have to pay a penalty and an administrative fee.
- No Show or Late Arrivals
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It is important to know that a “No-show” waives your right to an appeal.
Late arrivals that show up thirty (30) minutes or later after the hearing begins will be considered a “No show.”
All administrative hearings begin at 9:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m. – see your Notice of Hearing letter for your hearing time.
- Collections
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Administrative hearing cases under Chapter 2-13 are against the individual, not the property.
If an administrative hearing officer rules in favor of the city and finds an individual liable for the cited violation, the city can send a demand letter to the individual who was named in the citation.
If the individual fails to respond, the City Code/State law allows the City to sue the individual named in the citation to collect the penalty assessed by the hearing officer.
Administrative hearing orders are filed only with the City Clerk.
I Want to Appeal
If you were found liable by a Hearing Officer, and you attended your hearing, you may appeal the decision/order by:
- Filing a petition with the Clerk of the Municipal Court before the 31st day after the Hearing Officer's decision/order is filed with the City Clerk; and
- Paying a non-refundable filing fee.
If you did not attend your scheduled hearing, you are not entitled to an appeal hearing under Section 2-13-21 or the Municipal Code.
- File An Appeal
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To file an appeal, you must fill out the Municipal Court Administrative Hearing Appeal Form (PDF).
The contact information for Municipal Court is:
Phone: 512-974-4800
Email: court@austintexas.gov
Location: 6800 Burleson Road, Building 310 Ste 175, Austin, Texas 78744
Website: austintexas.gov/municipal-court
Additional Information
For questions regarding a citation or the administrative hearing process, please call 512-974-9167, or email DSDCREDAH@austintexas.gov, or contact DSD Code Connect. Please leave a detailed voicemail so our staff can return your call and provide you with prompt assistance.
Public/Media Attendance & Testimony
Members of the public and media are welcome to attend all administrative hearings. If you want to observe an administrative hearing please contact the Administrative Hearing Coordinator. The coordinator will provide you with the dates/times of upcoming hearings. Members of the media must provide a 24-hour notice prior to arrival at an administrative hearing. You can call 512-974-9167 or email DSDCREDAH@austintexas.gov.
As outlined in §2-13 of the city ordinance, an administrative hearing is a quasi-judicial process whereby the cited property owner is given an opportunity to respond to an administrative citation. Per the city ordinance, a hearing officer makes the hearing decision based on the evidence presented by the city and the cited owner. Administrative hearings are open to the public however, the public is not a permitted participant.
Direct testimony from interested parties, neighbors, and members of the public is not granted in the ordinance.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the hearing officers will accept a notarized statement related to a particular property. If you are an interested party, i.e. a neighbor, a tenant, etc., you may send a notarized statement to the Development Services Department, via US mail or email.
OUR MAILING ADDRESS IS:
City of Austin
Development Services Department
CRED - Administrative Hearings
P.O. Box 1088
Austin, TX 78767
OUR EMAIL ADDRESS IS:
Legal Authority
City Code Chapter 2-13, Administrative Adjudication of Violations.