Local Law 11 / FISP · Plain-English guide
FISP and Local Law 11 are the same requirement. Here's why it has two names.
Owners, managers, and contractors use "Local Law 11," "FISP," and "facade inspection" interchangeably. They all mean the same recurring DOB inspection. Here's the short version, plus a free status check for any NYC building.
Check your building's FISP status
CYCLE 10 · LIVE SNAPSHOTTwo names, one program
FISP vs. Local Law 11
Local Law 11 is the name of the law. FISP (the Facade Inspection Safety Program) is what the Department of Buildings calls the program that enforces it. If a contractor says "Local Law 11" and DOB's website says "FISP," they're talking about the same inspection and the same filing.
Where the names come from
- Local Law 10 of 1980 created New York's first facade inspection requirement, after Barnard College student Grace Gold was killed in 1979 by masonry that fell from a building on Upper Broadway.
- Local Law 11 of 1998 substantially expanded it. The name stuck, which is why the industry still says "Local Law 11" decades later.
- FISP is DOB's program name. Its detailed requirements are in the rule 1 RCNY §103-04, and reports are filed through DOB NOW: Safety.
Who has to comply
Every building in New York City taller than six stories, whatever its use: co-ops, condos, rentals, offices, institutions. More than 16,000 buildings filed reports in Cycle 9.
What the inspection involves
- A Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI), a licensed architect or engineer registered with DOB, examines the facades.
- Since Cycle 9, the examination must include close-up inspections at least every 60 feet along the facade, usually from scaffolding or rope access.
- The QEWI files a report classifying the building as Safe, SWARMP (safe with a repair and maintenance program), or Unsafe.
- The cycle repeats every five years. Cycle 10 runs from 2025 to 2029 in three staggered sub-cycles, assigned by the last digit of the tax block number.
Deadlines for Cycle 10
| Sub-cycle | Tax block ends in | Filing window |
|---|---|---|
| 10A | 4, 5, 6, 9 | Feb 21, 2025 – Feb 21, 2027 |
| 10B | 0, 7, 8 | Feb 21, 2026 – Feb 21, 2028 |
| 10C | 1, 2, 3 | Feb 21, 2027 – Feb 21, 2029 |
Missing a deadline has a cost that grows every month. See the penalty schedule.
How the deadlines work
Cycle 10 runs 2025–2029, in three staggered waves
Every building's filing window is fixed by the last digit of its tax block number — not by borough, not by owner, not by building size. Two buildings across the street from each other can be in different sub-cycles.
SUB-CYCLE
SUB-CYCLE
SUB-CYCLE
Don't know your block number? It's on your property tax bill, or look up your address in DOB NOW: Safety. If you'd rather not dig for it, use the check above — we'll pull it as part of a free review.
Reading your result
What the four filing statuses actually mean
The facade has a condition that could pose a risk to public safety — a protective sidewalk shed is usually required. Repairs and a corrective filing must follow, and penalties accrue monthly until DOB accepts an amended report closing it out.
Safe With A Repair and Maintenance Program. The facade passed with conditions — the QEWI identified items that need ongoing monitoring or scheduled repair. Compliant for now, but the maintenance plan has to actually be followed and eventually closed out.
Filed, inspected, and accepted with no outstanding conditions. Nothing further required until the next cycle.
A report has been submitted for this cycle but DOB hasn't finished processing it. Not the same as no filing at all — check back, or ask your QEWI of record for the status.
What it costs to wait
The fines outlast the inspection
DOB penalties for FISP don't stop on their own — they keep accruing every month until the correct report is filed or the condition is fixed.
Late or missing filing
For every month a report is filed after the deadline. If no report is filed at all, add $5,000 per year after the filing window closes.
Failure to correct an Unsafe condition
Starting in year two, add $10 per linear foot of sidewalk shed per month, rising to $40 per foot by year five — until the condition is corrected.
Who's behind this
An actual inspector, not just a database
ON
RECORD
FISP Hub is maintained by AMA Architects, P.C., a New York-licensed, DOB-registered Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector firm. Every status explanation on this site reflects the same standards the firm applies on its own Cycle 10 filings.
Next step
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Common questions