New York City's Facade Inspection & Safety Program, usually called FISP or Local Law 11, exists for one reason: to keep pieces of building facades from falling onto people below. If you own or manage a taller building in the city, it sets a schedule you cannot skip.
Which buildings are covered
FISP applies to buildings higher than six stories. The exterior walls and appurtenances (balconies, railings, parapets, fire escapes, and similar elements) must be inspected and a technical facade report filed with the Department of Buildings.
How often
Inspections run on five-year cycles. To spread the work out, DOB splits each cycle into sub-cycles A, B, and C. Your sub-cycle depends on the last digit of the building's block number, and DOB's FISP map shows each building's filing window.
Who can do the inspection
The inspection is called a critical examination, and only a Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI) may perform it. The report is filed electronically through DOB NOW: Safety.
What the ratings mean
- Safe: no repair or maintenance needed during the next five years.
- Safe with a Repair and Maintenance Program (SWARMP): safe today, but repairs or maintenance are needed within the next five years.
- Unsafe: hazardous to people or property, and requires prompt repair and public protection.
How to prepare
- Find your sub-cycle and filing window on DOB's FISP resources before the window opens.
- Pull the last cycle's report and any SWARMP items. Conditions flagged then are the first thing an inspector will check.
- Book the inspection early. Qualified inspectors and access equipment get busy near deadlines.
- Budget for repairs, not only the report. A SWARMP or Unsafe rating starts a repair clock.
Where an engineer helps beyond the report
A facade report tells you what is wrong. A structural condition assessment helps with why: water getting into masonry, corroded lintels, or movement in the structure behind the facade. Fixing the cause keeps the same items off your next report.
Sources
General information, not engineering advice for a specific site. Rules change; check the sources above for the current requirements.