NYC’s Small Businesses Could Get A Break: Executive Order Signed To Slash Fees & Fines

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani made good on one of his first big promises on January 14, 2026 by signing Executive Order 11, a sweeping directive aimed at cutting costs, simplifying regulations, and easing the financial burden facing small businesses across New York City. Mamdani signed the order not in a City Hall press room, but on the counter of Sweets and Things, a locally owned small business in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn, emphasizing who the policy is meant to serve. Why It Matters -------------- Small business owners in NYC navigate a complex maze of more than 6,000 overlapping rules, fees, and civil penalties, making it hard to open–and keep open–restaurants, boutiques, salons, cafes, and other neighborhood staples. *NYT* adds that high fines for technical infractions, even seemingly minor ones like missing a posted sign or failing to display prices next to items on shelves, only amplify these challenges. Mamdani said at the signing: > You cannot tell the story of New York without our small businesses. Yet, our City has long made it too hard for these same businesses to open their doors, and to keep them open...we will bring that chapter to an end, instead delivering relief to businesses from the fines and fees that drive up their costs. What Executive Order 11 Does ---------------------------- * Inventory of Fees & Penalties – within 45 days, seven city agencies must compile a complete catalog of all fees and civil penalties that small businesses are charged * Cut the Ones Not Needed – in 90 days, agencies will pinpoint unnecessary fees and propose rules to eliminate or streamline them * Legislative Reform – within 180 days, officials must flag additional fees that require City Council action to be reduced or repealed * Business Relief Study – in one year, agencies will assess whether an amnesty or relief program could help small businesses recover from past fines or penalties Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su, the official leading the effort, said: > The small business owners who give this city its identity and vibrancy have too rarely been considered in the backrooms where decisions are made. Not on our watch...when New Yorkers feel a challenge, small business owners often feel it first. For us, uplifting small businesses is a core responsibility of city government. Local advocates have welcomed the move but note that planning is just the first step. Some have urged the city to shift away from a “fine first, ask questions later” culture and toward education and compliance support, according to *6SqFt.* A Shift in City Policy ---------------------- While previous administrations under Mayors Bloomberg, de Blasio, and Adams implemented gradual changes to reduce fines and streamline procedures, Mamdani’s order represents one of the most expansive efforts to take stock of the entire universe of costs that small business owners face. What’s Next ----------- The initial agency inventory is due this spring, and New Yorkers should start seeing proposals for cuts or eliminations of fees by early summer. A report on relief options is expected next winter. Source: https://secretnyc.co/nyc-mayor-zohran-mamdani-executive-order-11-cut-fees-fines-small-businesses/