Local Law 11 NYC

To keep buildings safe, owners of properties higher than six stories must have exterior walls and appurtenances, such as balconies, inspected every five (5) years – and they must file a technical façade report with the Department. See NYC Construction Codes §28-302.1 and RCNY §103-04. 

Property owners must repair dangerous conditions within 90 days of filing a technical report.  Once the work is finished, owners must file an amended report within two weeks.
All façade compliance filings must be submitted in DOB NOW: Safety.

In DOB NOW: Safety you can:

• Submit façade compliance filings and report unsafe façade activity

• Make payments

• View and search information related to your façade filings

• Upload documents

• View the status of a façade filing

• Receive emails at milestones throughout the filing process

Inspection & Report Deadlines
Façade report and maintenance/repair deadlines are divided into cycles. The Department has added sub-cycles to make it easier for owners to hire qualified professionals and contractors. The last digit of a building’s block number determines if the property falls into sub-cycle A, B, or C.

The required façade inspections are called critical examinations and may only be performed by a Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI). QEWIs are New York State licensed Professional Engineers (PE) or New York State Registered Architects (RA). After performing an inspection, the QEWI must file an electronic technical report through DOB NOW: Safety.