Building Facade Inspection

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Unstable Building to report a building that has a defective or cracked exterior façade

Building six stories or higher must have their exterior walls and appurtenances (such as balconies) inspected every five years. They must be inspected by a New York State licensed architect or engineer.

Façade report and maintenance/repair deadlines are divided into cycles. Cycle 9 began February 21, 2020. It runs through February 20, 2025.

You must submit façade compliance filings online in DOB NOW: Safety.

Learn about building façade inspections.

File a job through DOB NOW.

You can learn more by phone.

Call 311 or 212-NEW-YORK (212-639-9675) for help.

The following must report hazardous defects on a building's exterior walls:

Licensed architects
Engineers

These must be reported right away. They can do so by submitting a Notification of UNSAFE Facade, FISP-3, in DOB NOW: Safety.

The building owner should begin to repair or stabilize the exterior walls right away.

The notice is not a violation or a ticket.

An inspector will:

Verify the hazardous conditions
Determine if enough safeguards have been provided
Determine if repairs are in progress

If no safeguards are in place, the inspector can issue a DOB violation.

Building Facade Inspection

Notification of an Unsafe Condition