Compliance Services

NYC Local Law 11 / FISP — Façade Inspections, Filings, and Repairs

Cycle 10 is active. Buildings six stories or taller must be inspected by a Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector and reported to DOB on schedule. StreetComply manages QEWI inspections, DOB NOW filings, SWARMP repairs, unsafe condition remediation, and sidewalk shed coordination — under one roof.

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What Is NYC Local Law 11 / FISP?

The Façade Inspection & Safety Program (FISP), originally enacted as Local Law 11, requires every NYC building six stories or taller to have its exterior walls and appurtenances inspected by a Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI) — a licensed architect or professional engineer — once every five years.

We are currently in Cycle 10, which runs from February 2025 through February 2030. The cycle is divided into three staggered sub-cycles based on the last digit of the building's tax block number:

Sub-cycle 10A: Started February 21, 2025

Sub-cycle 10B: Started February 21, 2026

Sub-cycle 10C: Starts February 21, 2027

After inspection, the QEWI classifies the façade as one of three statuses:

Safe — façade is in good condition; no immediate action required

SWARMP — Safe With a Repair and Maintenance Program; repairs required within the cycle

Unsafe — hazardous conditions requiring immediate sidewalk shed installation and repair

Reports must be filed via DOB NOW, with all required fees paid online and the QEWI's stamped certification.

What We Handle

FISP applicability assessment and cycle/sub-cycle determination
Coordination of licensed QEWI architects and engineers
Full façade inspection (close-up and hands-on where required)
Photographic documentation and condition reports
DOB NOW report filing with QEWI certification
SWARMP condition repair scoping and execution
Unsafe condition emergency response
Sidewalk shed installation, permitting, and rental coordination
Probe and exploratory opening permits
Façade restoration and waterproofing
Amended report filings after repairs
Late filing penalty resolution and amnesty filings
Violation removal and ECB hearing representation

Why FISP Compliance Matters

FISP penalties stack monthly and compound fast. Worse, an unsafe designation can trigger emergency capex measured in hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Late filing penalty: $1,000 per month, charged retroactively from your sub-cycle deadline.

Failure to file: $5,000 per year for buildings that don't file at all.

Unsafe condition penalty: Base ECB penalty of $5,000, with maximums reaching $25,000 under NYC Rules § 102-01.

Failure to correct unsafe conditions: Additional $1,000 per month until acceptable amended reports confirm repairs are complete.

Unresolved SWARMP penalty: Failure to complete SWARMP conditions within the filing cycle = $2,000 per condition.

Sidewalk sheds: An unsafe designation requires immediate sidewalk shed installation — typically costing tens of thousands of dollars per year in rental and maintenance fees until repairs are complete.

Personal liability: Building owners can face personal legal liability for accidents or injuries caused by falling façade elements. A single pedestrian injury from a deteriorating façade can result in multi-million dollar litigation.

Transactional impact: Open FISP violations and unresolved unsafe conditions block refinancing, sale, and insurance renewals.

The owners who treat FISP as a paperwork exercise are the same ones who end up with $80,000/year sidewalk sheds and personal injury lawsuits. Cycle 10 enforcement is the most active in DOB history.

Our Process

01
Cycle & Scope Confirmation
We confirm your sub-cycle deadline, pull historical FISP filings, and identify any open SWARMP conditions or violations from prior cycles that still need to close out.
02
QEWI Inspection
Our licensed Qualified Exterior Wall Inspectors perform the full façade inspection — including close-up and hands-on examination where required — with complete photo documentation.
03
Filing via DOB NOW
We prepare the stamped FISP report, pay all required filing fees, and submit through DOB NOW well before your deadline.
04
Repairs & Amended Reports
If your building is classified SWARMP or Unsafe, we coordinate the licensed contractors, manage sidewalk shed installation (if needed), execute the repairs, and file the amended report to close out the cycle clean.

Why NYC Owners Choose StreetComply

Licensed QEWI on staff. Architects and engineers qualified to inspect and certify, not third-party referrals.
End-to-end execution. Inspection, filing, repairs, sidewalk shed, amended reports — one firm.
Cycle 10 specialists. We know the current sub-cycle deadlines, DOB NOW workflow, and amnesty program inside out.
Sidewalk shed cost control. We move fast on unsafe conditions to minimize shed rental time — every month saved is real money.
Amnesty filings. Buildings that missed previous cycles may be eligible to stop late filing and No Report Filed penalties through DOB's amnesty program — we file these regularly.
Coordinated with your other compliance work. FISP often surfaces issues that trigger DOB violations or LL97 implications. We handle the cross-agency cleanup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my building need a FISP inspection?

Generally, yes if your building is six stories or taller. We confirm applicability and determine your sub-cycle in the initial consultation.

How do I know which sub-cycle (10A, 10B, or 10C) my building is in?

It's based on the last digit of your building's tax block number. We look it up for you using DOB records — no guesswork.

What's the difference between SWARMP and Unsafe?

SWARMP (Safe With a Repair and Maintenance Program) means the façade has conditions that must be repaired within the current 5-year cycle but don't pose immediate danger. Unsafe means there are hazards posing immediate risk to pedestrians — requiring sidewalk sheds and emergency repair.

My building was classified Unsafe — what happens now?

A sidewalk shed must be installed immediately to protect the public. Repairs must be completed and an amended report filed to remove the unsafe designation. Penalties of $1,000/month continue until the amended report is accepted. We coordinate the entire emergency response.

I missed my FISP deadline from a previous cycle. What can I do?

DOB offers an amnesty program for buildings that missed prior cycles. By filing an “early” Cycle 10 FISP report, you can stop the clock on Late Filing and No Report Filed (NRF) penalties. We file these regularly and can get your building back in compliance.

How much does a FISP inspection and filing cost?

It varies by building size, height, complexity, and whether scaffolding or sidewalk sheds are needed for hands-on inspection. We provide a flat-fee quote after the initial scope review — no surprises.

My building has SWARMP conditions from Cycle 9. Do they need to be fixed?

Yes. Any unresolved Cycle 9 SWARMP conditions must be repaired by February 21, 2027 or they automatically reclassify as Unsafe — triggering sidewalk sheds and additional penalties. We prioritize these in our scope.