Facade Inspection & Safety Program (FISP) for NYC Building Owners
The Facade Inspection & Safety Program (FISP) is a New York City law that requires owners of buildings higher than six stories to have their exterior walls and appurtenances inspected every five years and to file a technical facade report with the Department of Buildings for the applicable FISP Cycle.
What is FISP?
The Facade Inspection & Safety Program is a city law that requires regular inspections of a building’s exterior walls—including balconies, fire escapes, railings, parapets, and any features attached to the façade—to prevent unsafe conditions and falling hazards for people on the street below.
During a FISP inspection, the engineer looks for unsafe facade conditions such as loose bricks, cracked stone, and concrete spalling (pieces of concrete breaking or falling off the building surface).
Which buildings must comply with FISP?
FISP applies to most buildings in New York City that are greater than six stories above the curb level. One‑ and two‑family homes, and smaller walk‑up buildings that do not exceed six stories, are typically not subject to FISP requirements.
What Are the Owner’s Responsibilities?
If you own a building in New York City that’s taller than six stories, there are important safety rules you need to know about. You can read more details in our blog entry
Want to Look Up Public Records?
You can view or request FISP inspection records by submitting a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request through NYC OpenRecords and choosing “Department of Buildings” as the agency.
Related terms
Some glossary entries use an asterisk * at the end of the term (for example, violation* or permit*). This mark is only a technical tool on this website. It does not change the meaning of the word.
- eFiling*
- Electronic Filing Account Information
- Freedom of Information Law
- Brick pointing
Good to know
This page is for general education only and is based on public New York City sources when available. Some technical and legal terms are simplified into plain English to help homeowners and ESL readers. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace guidance from a licensed professional. NYC construction and safety rules change often, and your project may have extra DOB*, OSHA*, or local requirements. Before you start work, always check current rules with a licensed design professional or directly with the NYC Department of Buildings.
If you see any capital letter abbreviations on this page or in an official letter you received from the city and you do not understand them, you can try to look them up on our NYC Violation Codes HUB page with the search tool.
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