New York Building Safety Regulations

NYC FISP Cycle 10 Important Deadlines and Fines

Sub-Cycle A Deadline	Sub-Cycle B Deadline	Sub-Cycle C Deadline
February 21, 2027 (Block numbers ending in 4, 5, 6, 9)	February 21, 2028 (Block numbers ending in 0, 7, 8)	February 21, 2029 (Block numbers ending in 1, 2, 3)

Late Filing	Failure to File	Unsafe Facade
$1,000/month	$5,000/year	Up to $25,000 ECB penalty

New York Building Safety Regulations

New York City enforces some of the nation’s most rigorous building safety inspection requirements. The Facade Inspection & Safety Program (FISP), formerly Local Law 11, requires owners of buildings greater than six stories to have exterior walls inspected by a Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI) every five years and to file a technical report with the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB). FISP Cycle 10 runs from February 21, 2025 through February 21, 2030, with updated criteria and substantial penalties for non-compliance, so owners should act early.

Beyond FISP, NYC enforces a growing portfolio of building safety and energy laws, including Local Law 126 (parking structures), Local Law 152 (gas piping), annual parapet inspections, and Local Law 97 (carbon emissions). Rimkus provides comprehensive compliance support across all of these.

New York Building Safety Regulations at a Glance

Regulation	Applies To	Cycle	Next Deadline	Penalty
FISP / Local Law 11	Buildings > 6 stories	Every 5 years (3 sub-cycles)	Cycle 10A: February 21, 2027	$1,000/month late; $5,000/year failure; $25,000 max ECB
Local Law 126 (Parking)	All parking structures	Every 6 years	Varies by sub-cycle	$1,000/month late; up to $17,000/year non-compliance
Local Law 152 (Gas Piping)	Most buildings	Every 4 years by district	Varies by district	$10,000 civil penalty per violation
Annual Parapet Inspection	Buildings with parapets (public ROW)	Annual by December 31	December 31, 2026	$1,250 minimum; $10,000 maximum
Local Law 97 (Emissions)	Buildings 25,000 SF+	Annual reporting	May 1, 2026	Varies based on excess emissions

Meet Rimkus’ New York QEWI and Facade Experts

Rimkus’ New York team includes DOB-approved Qualified Exterior Wall Inspectors (QEWIs) and licensed engineering and architecture professionals who perform FISP inspections, file reports through DOB NOW: Safety, and design repairs when conditions require them.

Mike Lopez, R.A., QEWI
Technical Director, Architectural Engineering

William A. Davis, RA, AIA, NCARB, QEWI
Director, Architectural Engineering

Jimmy Monahan, P.E., QEWI
Senior Practice Leader, Structural Engineering

John A. Rudisill
Senior Practice Leader, Architectural Engineering

Steven Whalen
Practice Leader, Architectural Engineering

Andrew Cucciniello, R.A., QEWI
Principal Consultant

Jiyoung Lee, RA
Principal Building Envelope Consultant

Paola J. Rojas, R.A., QEWI
Principal Consultant, Architectural Engineering

We Mitigate Costs, Access, and Logistics Concerns

The inspection takes days; arranging access can take weeks. Sheds, scaffolds, permits, tenant complaints, the setup often creates more cost and disruption than the examination itself. Rope access cuts through all of it. Our Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians (SPRAT)-Certified Rope Access Consultants perform safe, up-close inspections with same-day mobilization and faster turnaround, delivering:

Lower overall access costs
Less disruption to tenants and street-level operations
Faster mobilization and turnaround
A quicker path from inspection findings to filing decisions

The same code-required close-up examination with less time, less cost, and less friction.

Rimkus SPRAT-certified Technicians

Mike Lopez, R.A., QEWI
Technical Director, Architectural Engineering

Andrew Cucciniello, R.A., QEWI
Principal Consultant

Alafia Akhtar
Senior Consultant

Elyse M. Marks
Senior Consultant

Ariel A. Azzis-Puebla
Building Envelope Consultant

Daniel Jaramillo
Consultant

Rimkus can help property managers reduce costs and avoid unnecessary penalties. Owners who missed their Cycle 9 filing (No Report Filed status) can stop penalties from accruing by filing their Cycle 10 report early through a Sub-Cycle Override Request in DOB NOW: Safety. Penalties already accrued must still be paid for the filing to be accepted, though the DOB may waive civil penalties in limited circumstances under 1 RCNY 103-04.

FISP Cycle 10: What Building Owners Need to Know

FISP requires the exterior walls of all NYC buildings greater than six stories to be inspected by a Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI) — a New York State licensed PE or RA on the DOB’s approved list — with a technical report filed electronically through DOB NOW: Safety.

Inspections follow three staggered two-year sub-cycles based on the last digit of the building’s block number (look yours up through ACRIS or the BIS portal). Critical examinations combine a comprehensive visual inspection with physical inspections at least every 60 feet on walls facing a public right of way; cavity wall construction requires investigative probes on alternating cycles.

Facade Classifications

Safe

No hazardous conditions observed
No further action required until next cycle

Safe With a Repair and Maintenance Program (SWARMP)

Conditions observed that require repair before the next inspection cycle
A recommended repair date must be included in the report

Unsafe

Conditions posing immediate danger to public safety
Requires urgent repairs and protective measures (such as sidewalk sheds)
SWARMP conditions from the previous cycle that remain unrepaired typically default to Unsafe status

Penalties for FISP Non-Compliance

Late filing of initial report: $1,000 per month (calculated retroactively from deadline)
Failure to file: $5,000 per year
Unsafe facade conditions: ECB base penalty of $5,000; maximum penalty up to $25,000 under NYC Rules Section 102-01
Failure to install sidewalk shed when required: Additional penalties and potential DOB enforcement action
Annual parapet inspection failure: $1,250 minimum; $10,000 maximum

New York Skyline on New York Building Safety Regulations page

Avoid $25,000 in ECB Penalties

Thousands of NYC buildings compete for a limited pool of qualified inspectors during each FISP cycle. Early engagement within your assigned sub-cycle window reduces scheduling conflicts and helps secure qualified professionals before demand peaks near deadlines.

Rimkus’ licensed QEWIs file directly through DOB NOW: Safety and handle inspection, reporting, and remediation design in one engagement. Sub-Cycle A buildings have until February 21, 2027, but qualified inspectors book out fast as the deadline nears.

Request a FISP Consultation Today

CALL:
+1 646 755 9259

EMAIL:
[email protected]

Frequently Asked Questions

FISP (Facade Inspection & Safety Program) is the current name for the periodic facade inspection program originally established under Local Law 10 in 1980 and expanded under Local Law 11 in 1998. FISP requires buildings over six stories in New York City to have their exterior walls inspected by a Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI) every five years and a technical report filed with the DOB.

If your building is greater than six stories (including basement) and located in New York City, it is required to comply with FISP. You can confirm your building’s status using the DOB’s FISP Universe Map or the BIS portal. The building’s block number determines which sub-cycle applies.

A Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI) is a New York State licensed Professional Engineer (PE) or Registered Architect (RA) who has been approved by the NYC DOB to perform FISP inspections. You can verify an inspector’s credentials on the NYC DOB Approved QEWI list. Rimkus employs licensed QEWIs with extensive FISP experience.

Late filing incurs a $1,000 per month penalty calculated retroactively from the deadline. Failure to file results in $5,000 annual charges. Unsafe facade conditions carry ECB penalties up to $25,000. Additionally, an Unsafe designation may require immediate sidewalk shed installation, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars annually. If you missed a prior cycle, filing your current cycle report early stops new penalties from accruing, and the DOB may waive certain civil penalties under 1 RCNY 103-04.

SWARMP (Safe With a Repair and Maintenance Program) means conditions were observed that require repair before the next inspection cycle but do not pose an immediate danger. Unsafe means conditions pose immediate danger to public safety and require urgent repairs — often including sidewalk shed installation. SWARMP conditions from the previous cycle that remain unrepaired typically default to Unsafe in the next cycle.

Cycle 10 commenced on February 21, 2025, and runs through February 21, 2030. Sub-Cycle A (block numbers ending in 4, 5, 6, 9): file by Feb 21, 2027. Sub-Cycle B (0, 7, 8): file by Feb 21, 2028. Sub-Cycle C (1, 2, 3): file by Feb 21, 2029.

Beyond FISP, NYC requires Local Law 126 inspections for parking structures (every 6 years), Local Law 152 gas piping inspections (every 4 years by community district), annual parapet inspections for buildings with parapets facing a public right-of-way, and Local Law 97 carbon emissions reporting for buildings 25,000 SF and larger.

Yes. Rimkus’ licensed Professional Engineers, Registered Architects, and QEWIs perform FISP inspections, parking structure inspections, parapet inspections, and comprehensive facade assessments across New York City. We also provide remediation design and project oversight when repairs are required. Contact us to discuss your building’s needs.

Need Help? Contact Rimkus

FISP Cycle 10 is underway, and Sub-Cycle A buildings must file by February 21, 2027. Don’t wait until demand peaks near the deadline — schedule your inspection now to avoid scheduling conflicts and late-filing penalties.

Schedule a Consultation

Office Address

229 West 28th Street, 9th Floor
New York, New York 10001, United States
Meet Our New York Team

Additional Insights on New York Regulations

External Resources

Façade Inspection & Safety Program (FISP) Filing Instructions

New York Building Safety Regulations

NYC FISP Cycle 10 Important Deadlines and Fines

New York Building Safety Regulations

New York Building Safety Regulations at a Glance

Meet Rimkus’ New York QEWI and Facade Experts