HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FISP

New York City’s Facade Inspection Safety Program (FISP), formerly known as Local Law 11/98, mandates that buildings taller than six stories need to have their facade and appurtenances inspected every five years. ‌

According to local codes, a facade encompasses a building’s exterior walls and windows, including the front and any side facing a street or sidewalk with regular pedestrian traffic. An appurtenance, on the other hand, refers to any attachment to the facade, such as exterior fixtures, signs, flagpoles, copings, guardrails, parapets, window frames, flower boxes, window A/C units, and balcony enclosures.

WHY IS FISP IMPORTANT?
In 1980, a piece of masonry fell from the facade of a building on the Upper West Side, tragically killing a college freshman passing by. This incident sparked a citywide discussion on mitigating the dangers of deteriorating facades, leading to the enactment of Local Law 10.

In 1998, following a partial building collapse on Madison Avenue, Local Law 11 was introduced to strengthen inspection requirements, recognizing the need for stricter measures to protect pedestrians.

Previously, inspections were only required for the front facade and side walls up to 24 feet from the street. Local Law 11 expanded this mandate, requiring physical inspections of all four sides of a building from scaffolding—unless they were within 12 inches of an adjacent structure. The law also revised the reporting system, replacing the simplistic “pass” or “fail” classifications with three categories: “safe,” “safe with a repair and maintenance program,” or “unsafe.”

Local Law 11 was implemented to ensure that hazards from deteriorating facades were promptly identified and addressed. In recent years, the Facade Inspection Safety Program (FISP) has further strengthened this initiative, enhancing the overall effectiveness of facade maintenance and improving safety for all NYC residents.

WHAT IS INVOLVED IN A FISP INSPECTION?
Property owners and property managers must arrange a comprehensive facade inspection by a Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI) who must be either a New York State Registered Architect (RA) or New York State licensed Professional Engineer (PE) with at least seven years of experience.

Anyone involved in the inspection process working under a QEWI’s direct supervision must either have three years of relevant experience with a bachelor’s degree in architecture or engineering, or five years if lacking the degree.

The inspection encompasses the building envelope and all appurtenances on facades taller than six stories, including parapets, balconies, railings, fire escapes, and balcony or greenhouse enclosures.

Hands-on inspections are mandatory for facades facing streets and public rights-of-way and can be conducted using motorized scaffolds, boom lifts, or other methods. Other facades are typically examined using high-powered binoculars.

The inspector records and documents the condition of the walls through notes and annotated photographs and produces a final written report (FISP Report) that will be electronically submitted to the New York City Department of Buildings.

FILING FISP REPORTS
FISP reports must be electronically submitted through the DOB NOW online portal.

To access DOB NOW, property owners and managers must register with the NYC.ID and DOB NOW account. FISP Reports cannot be filed if the building owner has not registered, but once the owner is registered, the actual filing process can be completed by a registered building manager.

LATEST FISP REQUIREMENTS
In February 2020, the Amended Rule for the 9^th Cycle of the Facade Inspection Safety Program, issued by the New York City Department of Buildings, came into effect. Changes of importance include:

• • Hands-on inspections are required every 60 feet along facades facing streets and public access ways.
  • Investigative probes are required along every 60-foot interval of cavity wall facades every other cycle (i.e. Cycle 9, Cycle 11), to check for the presence and condition of wall ties.
  • Owners must post and maintain a facades conditions certificate in the lobby, much like an elevator certificate, to alert building occupants of the status of the exterior wall(s).

FILING CLASSIFICATIONS TO COMPLY WITH FISP
Facade inspection reports must be submitted within 60 days of the QEWI’s final inspection and no later than one year after the hands-on inspection. To ensure timely filing with the DOB and avoid re-inspection, building owners should promptly sign the reports in DOB NOW.

When filing a FISP report, buildings are classified as one of the following:

Safe: Everything is in good condition, and there are no apparent issues with the facade.

Safe with a repair and maintenance program (SWARMP): The facade requires certain repairs be completed by the next cycle or they will be classified as unsafe. The QEWI will designate a specific deadline for you in the technical report.

Unsafe: The facade has severe defects or obvious issues that significantly threaten public safety. These require immediate attention, and repairs must be made within 30 days of the inquiry. Additionally, public protection (like a sidewalk shed) must be installed until the issue is properly addressed.

Upon identification of an Unsafe condition, an Unsafe Condition Notification (FISP 3) must be filed, the DOB must be notified via 311, and public protection must be installed immediately. Unsafe conditions must be corrected within 90 days of filing a report with an Unsafe status. An amended report must then be filed within two weeks of completing the repairs. In cases when Unsafe conditions cannot be corrected within 90 days an Initial Extension Request (FISP 1) and Additional Extension Requests (FISP 2) must be filed providing updates until the corrections are complete.

REPORT FILING CYCLE
Façade report and maintenance/repair deadlines are divided into cycles. The Department of Buildings has added sub-cycles to make it easier for owners to hire qualified professionals and contractors. The last digit of a building’s block number determines if the property falls into sub-cycle A, B, or C. Buildings have overlapping two-year windows for filing and are grouped according to the last digit of their block number.

Cycle 10 runs from February 21, 2025 to February 20, 2030, and the following are the filing windows:

1. 1. • Cycle 10A

      Block numbers ending in 4, 5, 6, or 9:
      Reports must be filed between February 21, 2025 and February 21, 2027.

      • Cycle 10B

   2. Block numbers ending in 0, 7, or 8:
      Reports must be filed between February 21, 2026 and February 21, 2028.

      • Cycle 10C

   3. Block numbers ending in 1, 2, or 3:
      Reports must be filed between February 21, 2027 and February 21, 2029.

   4. 

       

FILING FEES AND PENALTIES
Initial Report                                      $425.00
Amended/Subsequent Report           $425.00
Extension Request                            $305.00

Penalties apply after the filing period ends.

Late Filing (initial report)                           $1,000 per month
Failure to File (initial report)                      $5,000 per year
Failure to correct unsafe conditions          See schedule in 1RCNY 103-04
Failure to correct SWARMP conditions      $2,000

1. 1. • • Owners who fail to correct an Unsafe Condition face a $1,000 per month penalty plus an additional monthly penalty based on the linear footage of sidewalk shed until the condition has been corrected and an acceptable Amended Report has been filed.
        • A civil penalty of $2,000 will be assessed for failure to correct Safe with a Repair and Maintenance Program (SWARMP) conditions by the next cycle.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO AVOID FISP VIOLATIONS
Preparing for a FISP inspection can feel overwhelming—and expensive—but taking a few preventative steps can help keep your building in top condition before the QEWI arrives.

1. 1. • • Gather information on your building’s age, as well as any additions or alterations it has undergone.
        • Maintain detailed records of exterior repairs and related permits, including drawings or photos when possible  and previous FISP reports..
        • Ensure all areas of the building are accessible.
        • Remove debris and personal items from roofs, terraces, balconies, and fire escapes.
        • Keep access and egress areas free of obstructions.
        • Ensure all hardware is present, functional, and securely attached.
        • Verify that exterior fixtures are properly installed and securely anchored.
        • Have building staff check that window A/C units are installed with an exterior bracket or interior angle support.

On the day of the inspection, your superintendent should accompany the inspector throughout the property. This will help them understand the inspector’s perspective, ask relevant questions, and relay important details to the board, ensuring future compliance with FISP requirements.

Keep in mind that some facade materials are more susceptible to damage than others. Be especially diligent with maintenance if your building’s cladding includes:

1. 1. • • Terra cotta
        • Masonry
        • Brickwork
        • Joint materials
        • Metal components

NEW BUILDINGS FILING
A newly constructed building is governed by FISP reporting requirements once five years have passed since the initial Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO) was issued. An owner must comply with the first filing deadline for that property that occurs after the five-year TCO milestone has been reached (or the Final CO in the rare cases where a TCO was never issued).

For example, if a building with a block number ending in 7 was issued its initial TCO on May 15, 2022, the Owner would be required to file the first facade inspection report no later than the 10^th Cycle deadline for that property of February 21, 2028. (See filing window chart above.)

If, however, that same building received its initial TCO on May 15, 2023, the owner would not have to file for the 10^th Cycle because the filing deadline (February 21, 2028) will pass before the initial TCO is five years old (May 15, 2028). In this case, the owner will not have to file until the 11^th Cycle deadline, projected to be February 21, 2033.

OTHER DOB RESOURCES
Facade Inspection Safety Program and Compliance Overview
Facade Report Guidelines