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Under NYC’s Façade Inspection Safety Program, buildings over six stories must undergo close-up inspections every five years within a two-year filing window. A Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI) — either a Registered Architect or PE with at least seven years of relevant experience — must conduct the inspection and file a TR1 report with the DOB electronically. Since February 2020, hands-on inspections are required at 60-foot intervals along every street-facing façade. Reports are filed as Safe, SWARMP, or Unsafe. Penalties for non-compliance have increased significantly to push owners toward timely repairs.

Local Law 126 of 2021 requires all NYC parking structures to undergo a Periodic Inspection of Parking Structures (PIPS) every six years. A Qualified Parking Structure Inspector (QPSI) must assess all structural elements including concrete decks, columns, beams, ramps, waterproofing membranes, and expansion joints. A TR8 report is filed directly with the DOB. Structures found to have unsafe conditions must be remediated immediately and may face occupancy restrictions until repairs are completed and re-inspected.

Annual Parapet Inspections are required under NYC Local Law 126 for all buildings with parapets facing public spaces. A qualified inspector conducts close-up observations of all public-facing parapets to assess stability, alignment, and signs of deterioration such as cracking, displacement, and failed mortar joints. Findings are documented and reported to building owners with recommended remediation scopes to maintain compliance and protect occupants and pedestrians below.

Starting January 26, 2026, all NYC sidewalk shed permits expire every 90 days and no longer auto-renew in DOB NOW. New questions about the shed and the progress of underlying work will appear on PW1 and PW2 forms. Building owners with active sheds must proactively renew permits and demonstrate active progress on the underlying repair work or risk permit revocation and DOB violations.

Leak investigation and testing involves systematic water infiltration testing of building envelope components including windows, through-wall flashings, roof edges, and façade cladding. SAS uses controlled water testing methods to isolate the source of leaks and distinguish between roofing, façade, and mechanical causes. A full written report with photographic documentation and repair recommendations is provided to the building owner.

Every FISP report is filed under one of three conditions. Safe means the façade requires no repairs within the inspection cycle. SWARMP (Safe With a Repair and Maintenance Program) means conditions are not immediately hazardous but could deteriorate — the QEWI sets a repair timeline of no sooner than 12 months and no later than the next cycle deadline. Unsafe means the condition poses an immediate falling hazard — the owner must install a sidewalk shed within 24 hours and complete repairs within 90 days. Understanding your filing status is critical for budgeting and scheduling repair programs.