FISP NYC: Facade Inspection Safety Program Guide for Building Owners (2026)

The Facade Inspection Safety Program (FISP) — commonly known by its predecessor name Local Law 11 — is New York City's mandatory program requiring periodic exterior wall inspections for buildings six stories and taller. If you own, manage, or are acquiring a qualifying NYC building, FISP is not optional: failure to comply results in financial penalties that compound monthly, and a missed or failed inspection can expose you to significant legal and financial liability.

This guide explains exactly how FISP works, what the inspection ratings mean legally and financially, what the deadlines are, and how property owners can stay ahead of their facade compliance obligations automatically.

What Is FISP and Who Does It Apply To?

FISP is administered by the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) under Administrative Code §28-302 and the NYC Construction Code. It applies to all buildings that are:

Six stories or taller (regardless of use — residential, commercial, mixed-use)
Located within New York City's five boroughs
Not otherwise exempt (certain government or landmark properties may have modified requirements)

The program has existed in various forms since 1980, when Local Law 10 first required facade inspections following a fatal accident caused by falling building facade material. Local Law 11 (1998) expanded and strengthened the requirements. The current iteration is formally called FISP, but many architects, engineers, and owners still use "Local Law 11" interchangeably.

As of 2026, FISP filings are submitted and tracked through DOB NOW: Safety — the Department of Buildings' digital compliance portal — and all records are publicly available through NYC Open Data (dataset ID: xubg-57si).

FISP Inspection Cycles Explained

FISP operates on a five-year inspection cycle, divided into sub-cycles identified by numbers and letters (e.g., Cycle 9, Sub-Cycle 9A and 9B). The Department of Buildings staggers building submissions across the cycle based on the last digit of the building's block number to avoid flooding the system with simultaneous filings.

Sub-Cycle A: Block numbers ending in 4, 5, 6, 9
Sub-Cycle B: Block numbers ending in 0, 1, 2, 3, 7, 8

Missing a sub-cycle filing window triggers automatic late filing penalties, even if the inspection itself was performed on time. Filing deadlines are strict and are enforced through the DOB NOW system. The DOB does not send individual reminders to building owners.

FISP Facade Ratings: What Each One Means

After completing a physical inspection, the Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI) — a licensed New York State architect or engineer — assigns one of four official ratings to the building's facade:

SAFE

The facade has been inspected and found to be in sound condition with no significant defects. No immediate remediation is required. The SAFE designation must be supported by the inspector's TR6 filing report and is valid for the current FISP cycle.

SWARMP — Safe With a Repair and Maintenance Program

The facade has defects that are not immediately dangerous but require corrective action within the current five-year FISP cycle. A SWARMP designation legally obligates the owner to execute a documented repair and maintenance program and re-file with the DOB upon completion. Buildings left in SWARMP status beyond the cycle deadline may be reclassified as UNSAFE and face corresponding penalties. SWARMP is the most common non-SAFE rating in NYC.

UNSAFE

The facade presents an immediate danger to public safety. An UNSAFE rating is the most serious FISP outcome. Upon receiving an UNSAFE designation, the owner is legally required to:

Immediately erect public protection (sidewalk shed, bridge, or netting) within 24 hours of notification
Notify the Department of Buildings
Begin emergency remediation
File a progress report within 30 days
Complete all repairs and re-file for a SAFE or SWARMP designation

Failure to erect public protection or to begin repairs following an UNSAFE rating can result in DOB emergency enforcement actions, including civil penalties of $5,000 or more per month and potential stop work orders or vacate orders.

No Report Filed

The building has not submitted a required FISP filing within the applicable sub-cycle window. This is not a physical condition rating but a compliance status. Financial penalties apply immediately upon the deadline passing. A building in "No Report Filed" status that also has an UNSAFE physical condition faces compounded penalties from both failure-to-file and failure-to-correct designations.

FISP Financial Penalties

Penalties for FISP non-compliance are structured, published directly on the DOB NOW record, and enforceable as property liens. All three penalty fields are tracked publicly in NYC Open Data dataset xubg-57si:

Penalty Type	Rate	Open Data Field
Late Filing	$1,000/month from deadline	`late_filing_amt`
Failure to File	Up to $5,000/cycle	`failure_to_file_amt`
Failure to Correct UNSAFE	$5,000+/month	`failure_to_correct_amt`

A building that misses its filing deadline, then sits at UNSAFE status for six months while repairs are organized, can accumulate penalties exceeding $35,000 — before a single dollar of actual repair work has been paid. These penalties are enforceable through DOB and can become liens against the property, affecting financing and future transactions.

The Role of the Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI)

FISP inspections must be performed by a Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI) — a licensed New York State architect or engineer with specific experience in facade inspections. The QEWI is responsible for:

Conducting a close-up physical inspection of the building's exterior walls and appurtenances (parapets, balconies, cornices, fire escapes, window frames)
Documenting all observed conditions with photographs and written descriptions
Assigning the official FISP rating
Filing the TR6 report through DOB NOW within the filing window
Signing and sealing the filing with their NYS license number

The DOB NOW record includes the QEWI's name, business, and license number (qewi_name, qewi_bus_name, qewi_nys_lic_no), making inspector accountability a matter of public record.

What Constitutes an UNSAFE Facade Condition?

An UNSAFE FISP rating is issued when the QEWI observes conditions that present an immediate risk of material falling from the building and striking pedestrians or adjacent property. Common conditions that trigger UNSAFE ratings include:

Visibly cracked, spalling, or loose masonry on upper floors
Detached or destabilized parapet or cornice sections
Severely rusted or structurally compromised window lintels
Loose or falling terracotta facade elements
Delaminated or detaching exterior cladding systems
Structural failure or significant movement in facade support systems

The QEWI's professional judgment governs the UNSAFE designation. QEWIs are professionally obligated to rate conservatively — erring toward UNSAFE when in doubt. The liability of a facade-related injury to a pedestrian far exceeds the cost of remediation and compliance.

Common FISP Compliance Mistakes to Avoid

Missing the Filing Sub-Cycle Window

Late penalties begin immediately after the deadline regardless of inspection status. Many owners schedule the inspection but let the TR6 filing slip past the deadline — generating $1,000/month in penalties despite having a completed inspection.

Ignoring SWARMP Designations

A SWARMP rating does not require emergency action, but it does require documented repairs within the cycle. Buildings that do not re-file after completing SWARMP repairs remain on record as uncorrected and face enforcement action at the start of the next cycle.

Hiring an Unqualified Inspector

A FISP filing made by a professional who is not a licensed QEWI will be rejected by DOB and treated as a non-filing, generating late filing penalties from the original deadline regardless of when the error is discovered.

Not Monitoring DOB NOW After Filing

A filed FISP report does not mean the obligation is complete. DOB may request additional documentation, and a SWARMP designation requires follow-up filings. Status changes appear in DOB NOW and must be tracked continuously.

FISP and Property Due Diligence

Before acquiring or refinancing any NYC building six stories or taller, buyers and lenders should pull the current FISP record from DOB NOW and verify:

Current FISP rating (SAFE, SWARMP, UNSAFE, or No Report Filed)
All three penalty fields for outstanding balances
Prior cycle status to assess inspection history
Whether any SWARMP remediation follow-up filings are outstanding
Filing date relative to the current sub-cycle deadline

Open UNSAFE designations and significant penalty balances are disclosable material facts in most commercial real estate transactions. Lenders increasingly require FISP compliance certification as part of underwriting for qualifying buildings.

How DOBGuard Monitors FISP Status Automatically

DOBGuard integrates directly with the NYC Open Data API for the DOB NOW Facades Compliance dataset (xubg-57si). Every hour, our system checks the current FISP status for each of your registered properties and compares it to the last known record.

When a status change is detected, DOBGuard sends you an immediate alert. Alert severity levels:

CRITICAL: Facade rated UNSAFE — requires emergency response within 24 hours
HIGH: Facade rated SWARMP — requires repair plan and re-filing within cycle
HIGH: No Report Filed with assessed financial penalties — filing deadline missed

For portfolio managers with multiple buildings at different sub-cycle deadlines, DOBGuard provides a single monitoring system that tracks every property simultaneously — eliminating the risk of a missed notification that allows a $1,000/month penalty to silently compound for a year.

Frequently Asked Questions About FISP NYC

What does FISP stand for?

FISP stands for Facade Inspection Safety Program. It is the current name for what was historically known as Local Law 10 (1980) and Local Law 11 (1998). The term "Local Law 11" remains widely used in the industry even though the program is now formally administered as FISP.

Is FISP the same as Local Law 11?

Yes, in common usage. Local Law 11 of 1998 established the five-year inspection cycle that FISP continues today. The program was updated and renamed FISP, but many building professionals still use "Local Law 11" to refer to facade inspection compliance requirements.

What is a SWARMP rating and how serious is it?

SWARMP stands for Safe With a Repair and Maintenance Program. It means the facade has defects that are not immediately dangerous but must be corrected within the five-year FISP cycle. It is less serious than UNSAFE but still legally requires a documented repair plan and a follow-up DOB filing confirming corrections.

What happens if I miss my FISP filing deadline?

Late filing penalties of $1,000 per month begin accruing immediately after the deadline. Additional failure-to-file penalties of up to $5,000 per cycle may apply. The DOB does not send individual deadline reminders — it is entirely the owner's responsibility to track sub-cycle windows.

Can a FISP penalty become a lien on my property?

Yes. Unpaid FISP penalties — late filing, failure to file, and failure to correct — can be recorded as liens against the property title. These liens appear in property searches and must be resolved before most real estate transactions can close.

Related Resources

External Resources

Last updated: February 2026. This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed architect, engineer, or attorney for specific compliance situations.