For non-emergency city services in Boston, dial 311 from within city limits or 617-635-4500 from a cell phone or outside the area. For police, fire, or medical emergencies, call 911. The City Hall switchboard is 617-635-4000, and most departments residents actually need have their own direct lines, listed below. These are the City of Boston phone numbers worth saving.
Emergencies
Call 911 for anything involving an immediate threat to life or safety: crimes in progress, fires, and medical emergencies. Dispatchers coordinate police, fire, and EMS based on what you describe.1911.gov. Frequently Asked Questions
For suspected poisoning or chemical exposure, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. The line is free, confidential, and staffed 24 hours a day.2Poison Control. Poison Control
Boston 311
311 is the city’s hub for non-emergency problems: potholes, broken streetlights, missed trash pickups, graffiti, illegal dumping, sidewalk damage, and dozens of similar neighborhood issues. Have the street address and a clear description ready; the system opens a tracked work order you can follow up on.3Boston.gov. Boston 311
You can reach 311 three ways:
- Dial 311 from a Boston landline, or 617-635-4500 from a cell phone or outside the city
- The BOS:311 mobile app for iPhone or Android (lets you upload photos)
- The online portal at 311.boston.gov
Submit through any channel and you get a tracking number by email. The service center is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, including holidays.3Boston.gov. Boston 311 For most routine questions, 311 can transfer you to the right department as quickly as the City Hall switchboard can.
City Hall and the Departments People Call Most
The main City Hall switchboard is 617-635-4000.4City of Boston. Contacts for Online Payments and Transactions Direct lines for commonly needed offices:
- City Clerk: 617-635-4601 — business certificates, vital records, and other official filings. City Hall Room 601, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.5City of Boston. How to Apply for a Business Certificate
- Parking Clerk: 617-635-4410 — tickets, appeals, hearings. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.6City of Boston. Parking Clerk
- Assessing / Property Tax (TRAC): 617-635-4287 — property tax bills, residential exemptions, abatements. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.7City of Boston. Assessing
- Animal Care and Control: 617-635-5348 (adoption line: 617-635-1800). For stray or loose animals after hours, call 311.8City of Boston. Animal Care and Control
Permits, Zoning, Housing, and Public Health
Inspectional Services handles building permits, housing code violations, and inspection scheduling. Main line: 617-635-5300. Building permit information line: 617-961-3424.9City of Boston. Inspectional Services Contacts If a project is denied on zoning grounds, the Zoning Board of Appeal at 617-635-4775 handles variance requests, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.10City of Boston. Zoning Board of Appeal
The Mayor’s Office of Housing at 617-635-3880 covers residential housing assistance, affordable housing programs, and homelessness resources, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.11City of Boston. Housing The Boston Public Health Commission at 617-534-5395 covers citywide health services, infectious disease reporting, and community health programs on the same weekday schedule.12City of Boston. Boston Public Health Commission
Water and Sewer
Water and sewer service is handled by the Boston Water and Sewer Commission, which is separate from City Hall. For billing questions, payment plans, or to report a water emergency, call 617-989-7800.
Parking Tickets
The number for parking issues is 617-635-4410. One deadline is worth flagging because people miss it: you have 21 days from the date of the ticket to either pay or file an appeal. After that, the ticket goes overdue and a late fee is added. You can still appeal an overdue ticket, but you’ll owe the penalty if you lose. Five overdue tickets on a vehicle’s record puts it on the city’s boot list.13City of Boston. Parking Ticket FAQs If an appeal is denied, you have 10 days to pay or request a hearing by calling 617-635-4410.14City of Boston. How To Appeal A Parking Ticket
Hours and Holiday Closures
City Hall’s general building hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Most individual offices open at 9 a.m., and some close as early as 4 p.m.15City of Boston. Contact Boston City Hall Administrative offices close on standard federal and Massachusetts holidays, including Patriots Day in April and Indigenous Peoples Day in October.16City of Boston. City Of Boston Holidays 311 and emergency services stay staffed through weekends and holidays, so if you’re not sure whether a particular office is open, calling 311 first is the fastest way to find out.