In the mol-ecule of the title compound, C7H9N3O3, the nitro and carbonyl groups are tilted with respect to the imidazole ring by 9.16 (6) and 65.47 (7)°, respectively. Neighbouring chains are linked via C-H⋯N and C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds forming two-dimensional slab-like networks lying parallel to (01-1).