Facade Inspection Safety Program | FISP -(Formerly known as Local Law 11)
To keep buildings safe, owners of properties higher than six stories must have exterior walls and appurtenances, such as balconies, inspected every five (5) years – and they must file a technical façade report with the Department.
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See NYC Construction Codes §28-302.1 and RCNY §103-04.
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Property owners must repair dangerous conditions within 90 days of filing a technical report. Once the work is finished, owners must file an amended report within two weeks.All façade compliance filings must be submitted in DOB NOW: Safety. In DOB NOW: Safety you can:
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Submit façade compliance filings and report unsafe façade activity
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Make payments
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View and search information related to your façade filings
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Upload documents
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View the status of a façade filing
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Receive emails at milestones throughout the filing process
Inspection and Report Deadlines
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Sub-Cycle Last Digit of Block Number Filing Period/Deadline
A 4,5,6 or 9 February 21, 2015 - February 21, 2017
B 0, 7 or 8 February 21, 2016 - February 21, 2018
C 1,2 or 3 February 21, 2017 - February 21, 2019
Facade Classifications | FISP (Local Law 11)
The required façade inspections are called critical examinations and may only be performed by a Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI). QEWIs are New York State licensed Professional Engineers (PE) or New York State Registered Architects (RA). After performing an inspection, the QEWI must file an electronic technical report through DOB NOW: Safety indicating the façade’s condition and classifying the building with one of three ways:
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Safe: No problems and in good condition; or
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Safe With a Repair and Maintenance Program (SWARMP): Safe, but requires repair/maintenance; or
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Unsafe: Problems/defects threaten public safety.
With an Unsafe classification, the owner must immediately install protection, such as a sidewalk shed, construction fence, etc
Guardrail and Railing Regulations | FISP (Local Law 11)
New York City Building Code requires that railings and parapets around stairwells, balconies, roofs and other railings in similar locations shall be designed to resist the simultaneous application of a lateral force of 50 pounds per linear foot (plf) and a vertical load of fifty 50 plf, both applied to the top of the railing.
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On September 6th, 2013, the DOB issued an amendment Memo to rule RCNY §103-04, which specifically requests that balcony railings and connections be checked for structural soundness. Defective railings can lead to a facade being declared as UNSAFE.