We report spectra of the forbidden origin and several hot bands of the Ã^2E" ← X^2A'_2 transition of NO_3 using cavity ringdown and enhanced absorption spectroscopies. We directly observed the origin at T_0(Ã) = 7062.25(50) cm^(−1), which arises from a magnetic-dipole or rotationally-forbidden transition. We used this assignment to estimate fundamental frequencies in the à state. The Jahn Teller (JT) effect splits the vibronic levels E(Γ_(ev)) of the V'_4 = 1, E″⊗e′ manifold. We measured E(E″)–E(A"_1) to be 1.6(1.9) cm^(−1) implying weak JT effect in the Q_4 mode. We discuss the possible assignment of a band observed near the origin to either spin-orbit splitting or an A"_2 level.