Authored by: Rimkus Built Environment Solutions Marketing Team
Published 4/24/2026
Cycle 10 of the Façade Inspection and Safety Program (FISP) is underway across New York City. Under FISP, about 16,000 buildings greater than six stories are required to have their exterior walls inspected within an assigned sub-cycle deadline. For owners and co-op or condo boards managing this process, one term appears repeatedly: QEWI.
A QEWI is a Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector: the licensed professional who carries out or oversees a FISP inspection and files the technical report with the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB).
Knowing what the QEWI does and examines may make it easier to plan ahead and reduce the risk of late-filing penalties.
Key takeaways: What building owners need to know about QEWI façade inspections
Cycle 10 generally creates specific planning demands for owners and boards. The bullets below outline who may perform the inspection and general filing timing.
QEWI role and qualifications generally establish who is authorized to file a report:
- A QEWI is a New York State PE or RA with at least seven years of façade experience who completes a DOB approval process before filing FISP reports.
- The NYC DOB publishes an approved QEWI list that confirms filing eligibility, and building owners should verify their QEWI appears on this list before engagement.
Not every licensed engineer or architect qualifies for a given building.
Cycle 10 compliance timing drives when each building’s filing is due:
- Cycle 10 filing deadlines are generally based on tax block number, with sub-cycle windows running from February 2025 to February 2029.
- Uncorrected conditions from prior cycles may escalate to Unsafe and trigger protective measures plus accumulating penalties.
Mapping the sub-cycle window early may help owners reduce the risk of compounding penalties.
For tailored guidance on Cycle 10 planning, contact Rimkus to talk through a building’s specific situation.
QEWI role and authority
A QEWI is generally a DOB-approved design professional: a New York State PE or RA with at least seven years of façade experience. Once approved, the QEWI can perform the inspection, assign the building a condition classification, and file the official report with the city.
That role grew out of the city’s façade inspection laws. Local Law 10 of 1980 was the first to require periodic façade inspections. Local Law 11 of 1998 then expanded the rules. Today the program operates under FISP, and the terms FISP and Local Law 11 are commonly used interchangeably to describe the same requirements. A detailed Local Law 11 history traces these regulatory milestones.
Under the NYC rules that apply to the program, the QEWI has defined responsibilities. That includes filing a technical report (called a TR6) through the city’s online system, DOB NOW: Safety. If the QEWI identifies an unsafe condition, the inspector is generally required to notify both the DOB and the owner, which typically starts the timeline for public protection and repairs.
Because the QEWI is both hired by the owner and approved by the city, the role carries two lines of accountability. As the owner’s hired professional, the QEWI is generally accountable to the building owner for the inspection work. As a DOB-approved filer, the QEWI is also generally accountable for what the TR6 certifies to the city. That accountability typically continues after repairs are done, since an amended report is generally required when conditions change.
Buildings subject to QEWI requirements
Buildings greater than six stories in New York City must retain a QEWI for periodic façade examinations. The rule generally applies across property type, ownership structure, and use class. One exception exists in how story count is measured: the program counts six stories above a basement but not above a cellar, per the DOB’s published guidance.
Under FISP, the building owner is generally responsible for determining whether the building falls under the program and for compliance overall. In co-op and condo buildings, the board of directors typically acts as the owner, which generally means board members share collective responsibility for retaining the QEWI and acting on findings.
QEWI qualification requirements
Every QEWI needs a New York State PE or RA license plus at least seven years of relevant façade experience, but that short summary sits on top of a formal DOB approval process set out in 1 RCNY 101-07.
Getting approved is its own process. The DOB Facades Unit generally reviews an applicant’s credentials and façade experience before conducting a qualification interview. Those who are approved are generally granted access to file in the DOB NOW: Safety system.
How to find and vet a QEWI
The starting point is the DOB’s published list of approved QEWIs, which confirms authorization to file FISP reports. Beyond that baseline, owners typically look for relevant experience with similar building types, especially for specialized materials like terra cotta or older brick buildings. Track record on prior FISP cycles, references from buildings of similar size, and familiarity with the applicable sub-cycle deadline may all factor into a sound selection. Price alone rarely tells the full story; the cost of an inadequate inspection can far exceed the savings on the inspection fee.
QEWI examination scope
Under FISP, a QEWI’s inspection generally covers all exterior walls plus any attached or protruding elements on the façade, such as balconies, railings, fire escapes, parapets, lintels, window frames, and signs. The work typically combines visual review, hands-on physical access, and supporting documentation, rather than any single method on its own.
The QEWI is generally required to examine every exterior wall. For walls facing a public right-of-way, FISP generally requires physical, up-close inspections at intervals no greater than 60 feet. On other walls, the QEWI typically selects the spots most likely to show problems. Drones and photography can support the inspection, but they do not replace the physical requirement.
Different façade systems age differently, depending on materials, weather exposure, how they were built, and how well they have been maintained. Brick masonry, concrete, stucco, terra cotta, glass curtain walls, and architectural cladding commonly show distinct deterioration patterns. That is why a QEWI often evaluates each façade system on its own, rather than lumping the whole building into a single condition score. For more detail on what each cycle requires, see this overview of FISP inspection cycles.
Façade condition classifications
Once the inspection is complete, the QEWI assigns the building one of three classifications under the program. Each classification generally carries different follow-up obligations for the owner.
A Safe classification means the façade is in good shape, needs no repair or maintenance to hold up structurally, and is not expected to become unsafe within the next five years.
Safe with a Repair and Maintenance Program (SWARMP) describes a façade that is currently safe but needs repairs within the next five years to address anticipated deterioration. Under the program, the owner is generally required to complete those repairs within the timeframe the QEWI sets. If a SWARMP condition remains uncorrected by the next cycle’s filing, it generally defaults to Unsafe under FISP.
An Unsafe finding indicates that the façade is hazardous to people or property and generally requires prompt protection and repair under the program. Under the program, the owner is generally required to install public protection (typically a sidewalk shed) promptly, and repairs generally must follow within 90 days under the program.
The classification may influence how the owner communicates with tenants, plans the budget, and schedules contractor work. A SWARMP finding typically gives the owner a planned window to organize repairs. An Unsafe finding commonly brings immediate costs and ongoing obligations until an acceptable amended TR6 is on file.
NYC-specific QEWI requirements
New York City runs one of the toughest municipal façade inspection programs in the country. Three features distinguish it: a city-specific examiner credential, the 60-foot rule for hands-on examinations, and active enforcement with ongoing repair tracking. Each one may influence how the QEWI’s inspection and filing play out.
A city-specific examiner credential
The QEWI designation is specific to New York City. In other major cities, façade assessments are usually performed by state-licensed engineers or architects, but the NYC program layers a city-specific DOB approval on top of the base PE or RA license. That extra credential is one reason the approved QEWI list may serve as a practical vetting tool for owners.
The 60-foot rule and stricter physical examination standards
The 60-foot interval introduced earlier is where NYC’s rules get stricter than most other jurisdictions. In 2020, the city confirmed that drone surveys and photo inspections cannot stand in for up-close, hands-on work. Small but important defects, like hairline cracks, loose mortar, or corroded anchors, can be difficult to see from the ground or from a drone. Getting close, often from a scaffold or swing stage, is generally considered the most reliable way to identify them.
Active enforcement and repair tracking
The DOB actively tracks both filings and repairs. When a report is filed showing unsafe conditions, the building is generally placed on record and the owner typically has 90 days to correct those conditions under the program. When that window is not enough, the QEWI may file for renewable 90-day extensions of time, which generally must stay current to avoid penalties. Once repairs are complete, an amended report is generally required to be filed within two weeks under the program, and the paperwork trail continues until that amended report is accepted by the DOB.
Two new laws effective January 12, 2026 add another layer of pressure. Local Law 48 of 2025 shortens sidewalk shed permits from one year to 90 days and requires documented progress at each renewal. Local Law 51 of 2025 sets construction milestones tied to the sidewalk shed permit: construction documents within five months, permit applications within eight months, and repair completion within two years. Missing any of those milestones can result in penalties of $5,000 to $20,000. These stacked deadlines are one reason proactive façade maintenance planning across inspection cycles has become a higher priority for many owners.
Why QEWI compliance matters for NYC building owners
Missing a FISP deadline can be expensive, and the financial impact generally grows the longer a building is out of compliance. The QEWI qualifications, inspection scope, and classification rules covered above are not just procedural details: they may affect what gets filed, when it gets filed, and what happens if the filing is incomplete, missing, or flags an unsafe condition.
According to the DOB’s penalty schedule for non-compliance, late filing of an initial report costs $1,000 per month, and failure to file costs $5,000 per year. Failure to correct unsafe conditions generally brings a separate monthly penalty that may grow with time and with the size of the sidewalk shed. Layer the new 2025 sidewalk shed laws on top, and a single calendar year of delays can become a meaningful expense for a building.
Navigating Cycle 10 does not have to be done alone. Experienced guidance may help clarify requirements, flag risks early, and reduce the chance of a missed filing. Rimkus supports building owners, co-op and condo boards, and property managers across New York City through Built Environment Solutions and façade condition assessments. Contact Rimkus to connect with a qualified Building Expert about a building’s specific situation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a QEWI and a regular licensed engineer or architect?
A QEWI is not simply any licensed engineer or architect. Under 1 RCNY \u00a7101-07, a QEWI must be a New York State PE or RA with at least seven years of relevant experience specifically with fa\u00e7ades over six stories, and must complete a separate DOB approval process before they are permitted to file FISP reports. That DOB approval is what distinguishes a QEWI from a general design professional. Building owners cannot satisfy FISP requirements by retaining a licensed engineer or architect who has not completed the QEWI qualification process and been granted filing access by the NYC DOB.
What happens if my building misses the FISP sub-cycle deadline?
Penalties begin immediately. Late filing of an initial FISP report carries a civil penalty of $1,000 per month until the report is submitted. Failure to file altogether results in a $5,000 per year charge. If the building is classified Unsafe and repairs are not corrected within 90 days, a separate monthly penalty accrues that increases with time and with the size of any required sidewalk shed. Under Local Laws 48 and 51 of 2025, effective January 2026, additional penalties of $5,000 to $20,000 apply if repair milestones tied to the sidewalk shed permit are missed. A single year of non-compliance may result in tens of thousands of dollars in penalties stacking across multiple violation types.
What happens if a QEWI misses a critical issue during an inspection?
The QEWI is generally responsible for the accuracy of the filed report, and the owner generally remains responsible for FISP compliance overall. A missed condition may lead to professional liability claims for the inspector and legal exposure for the owner.
This article is intended to provide general information and insights into prevailing industry practices. It is not intended to constitute, and should not be relied upon as, legal, technical, or professional advice. The content does not replace consultation with a qualified expert or professional regarding the specific facts and circumstances of any particular matter.