FISP Amended Report Filing NYC: Board Checklist

For 2026 NYC facade projects, a FISP amended report is the filing that tells DOB previously reported Unsafe facade conditions have been corrected. The practical issue for boards is timing: repairs, QEWI inspection, DOB NOW submission, owner consent, and sidewalk shed closeout all need to line up before the project can truly move toward completion.

Updated for 2026 FISP and DOB NOW: Safety workflow context. This guide separates official DOB filing rules from practical board coordination steps so managers can track amended reports without treating this as legal or engineering advice.

Owners of buildings higher than six stories must have exterior walls and appurtenances inspected every five years and file a technical facade report with the Department of Buildings through DOB NOW: Safety [1]. When an Unsafe report triggers repairs, sidewalk sheds, and contractor work, the amended report becomes the bridge between construction completion and the compliance record.

This guide explains when an amended FISP report is needed, who files it, what boards should request before signing off on repairs, and how the filing connects to sidewalk shed removal planning.

What is a FISP amended report in NYC?

A FISP amended report is a QEWI-filed report that certifies previously reported Unsafe facade conditions have been corrected and that no unsafe conditions remain. DOB's 1 RCNY 103-04 defines an amended report as the filing used after unsafe conditions have been repaired [2].

FISP definition: The Facade Inspection Safety Program, or FISP, is New York City's required exterior wall inspection program for buildings higher than six stories. It is also commonly called Local Law 11.

QEWI definition: A Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector, or QEWI, is a New York State registered architect or professional engineer approved by DOB to perform FISP critical examinations and file facade reports.

DOB NOW: Safety definition: DOB NOW: Safety is the Department of Buildings portal used for facade compliance filings, unsafe condition reports, payments, document uploads, status tracking, and related facade requests [1].

Many boards focus on the day the contractor says the repair work is finished. DOB compliance does not end there. The QEWI must inspect the completed repair work, confirm the condition classification, prepare the amended filing, and submit it through the DOB system.

When does an owner need to file an amended FISP report?

An owner needs an amended FISP report after Unsafe facade conditions are corrected. DOB says property owners must repair unsafe conditions within 90 days of filing the technical report, and after all unsafe conditions are corrected, owners must file an amended report within two weeks [1].

The same timing appears in DOB NOW: Safety guidance for QEWIs: unsafe conditions must be repaired within 90 days of filing the technical report, and once repairs are completed, owners must file an amended report within 14 days [3].

For boards, the key is not just the deadline. The key is proof. If the contractor says repairs are complete but the QEWI has not inspected, documented, and filed the amendment, the building may still have an open compliance step.

Who files the amended report and who must approve it?

The QEWI files the amended FISP report in DOB NOW: Safety. DOB's filing instructions state that FISP reports must be submitted by a Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector through DOB NOW: Safety, and building owners must open a Department eFiling account to give consent to the QEWI's reports [4].

That means three roles need to coordinate:

1. The contractor completes the repair work and provides closeout documentation.
2. The QEWI verifies the completed repair work and prepares the amended report.
3. The owner or authorized owner representative gives required consent in the DOB system.

A managing agent can help gather documents and chase status, but the board should know who is responsible for each step. A missed owner consent step can delay acceptance even after the QEWI has done the technical work.

Documents boards should collect before the QEWI files

The board does not need to write the amended report. It does need enough project records to help the QEWI and owner representative close the loop cleanly.

Before the QEWI files, ask for:

1. The original FISP report number and classification.
2. The Unsafe items or conditions the repair scope was meant to correct.
3. Contractor completion notice or written closeout summary.
4. Photos of completed repair areas, organized by elevation or location.
5. DOB permit numbers for repair work where permits were required.
6. Special inspection, material, or professional signoff documents where applicable.
7. The QEWI's reinspection date and requested follow-up items.
8. Owner representative confirmation that DOB NOW consent access is active.

DOB's filing instructions warn that omissions can be grounds for rejecting a report, and list common issues such as missing photographs, missing sketches for SWARMP or Unsafe conditions, inconsistent findings, missing repair time frames, missing scaffold drop information, and inaccurate owner information [4].

The practical takeaway is simple: closeout is easier when documents are organized before the final QEWI visit, not rebuilt after DOB asks questions.

How amended filing affects sidewalk shed removal

An amended FISP report does not automatically remove a sidewalk shed. It is one compliance step in the closeout path. Boards still need to coordinate repair completion, QEWI signoff, DOB filing status, permit status, public protection requirements, contractor demobilization, and any separate sidewalk shed closeout steps.

Unsafe facade conditions often require public protection such as a sidewalk shed. DOB's QEWI manual says Unsafe classifications require the owner to immediately install public protection, such as a sidewalk shed, construction fence, or other protective measures [3].

That is why boards should not schedule shed removal solely from the contractor's repair completion date. Ask the QEWI whether the repaired areas are ready for amended filing, whether any conditions remain Unsafe or SWARMP, and whether public protection still needs to stay in place during DOB review or related closeout work.

Use the sidewalk shed removal checklist to plan physical removal, and use the sidewalk shed removal cost guide to compare removal, renewal, and delay costs.

Amended report timeline for a board or managing agent

Use this timeline as a board-management checklist. Your QEWI and counsel should adjust it for the actual project.

Timeline steps are a practical project-management framework. Official repair and amended filing deadlines come from DOB facade guidance and DOB NOW: Safety materials cited above.

Common amended report problems that delay closeout

Most delays are not mysterious. They come from mismatched expectations between the board, contractor, QEWI, and owner representative.

Watch for these issues:

1. Repair work is substantially complete, but the QEWI has not reinspected.
2. Photos do not clearly match the locations in the original Unsafe report.
3. The contractor did not close out a related work permit.
4. Owner information in the filing does not match Department of Finance records.
5. DOB NOW owner consent access was never set up.
6. The QEWI finds a new condition that still needs repair or monitoring.
7. The report is submitted, but DOB issues rejection comments.
8. The board schedules shed removal before confirming public protection can be removed.

DOB specifically notes that inaccurate owner information can cause the FISP unit to mark a submission incomplete, with a five-day resubmission window to preserve the original filing date [4]. That is an administrative detail, but it can become a real schedule issue if nobody owns it.

How to compare QEWI and contractor closeout responsibilities

A clean facade project closeout separates technical certification from construction completion. The contractor may say the work is done. The QEWI decides whether the facade condition can be reported differently. DOB decides whether the filing is accepted.

Boards should ask each party different questions:

This split matters because an amended FISP report is not a contractor warranty. It is a technical compliance filing. The board should preserve the contractor documentation separately from the DOB filing record.

Board action checklist before final payment or shed removal

Before approving final payment, public protection removal, or the next facade closeout step, ask for:

1. The amended FISP report status in DOB NOW: Safety.
2. QEWI confirmation that the relevant Unsafe conditions have been corrected or a written explanation of any remaining conditions.
3. Contractor closeout package with photos, permit references, and final change order list.
4. Confirmation that owner consent was completed in DOB NOW where required.
5. A plan for any DOB rejection comments or follow-up requests.
6. Sidewalk shed permit renewal status if removal will not occur before the current permit period ends.
7. A written responsibility chart for removal inspection, Site Safety Release, and contractor demobilization.

If the shed may stay up after repair work is no longer active, review Local Law 48 penalty exposure and 90-day sidewalk shed permit renewal rules. If you need a contractor for removal or repair follow-up, compare borough coverage and permit history in The Shed Registry contractor directory.

FAQs

How long does an owner have to file a FISP amended report after Unsafe repairs are complete?

DOB says owners must file an amended report within two weeks after all unsafe conditions are corrected. DOB NOW guidance also describes the timing as 14 days after repairs are completed.

Does a submitted amended FISP report mean the sidewalk shed can come down?

Not by itself. A submitted amended report is an important compliance step, but boards still need to confirm DOB status, public protection requirements, sidewalk shed permit status, and contractor removal responsibilities before removal.

Who files the amended FISP report in DOB NOW: Safety?

The QEWI files the amended report through DOB NOW: Safety. The owner or authorized owner representative must have the required DOB account access and consent workflow in place.

What should a board ask the QEWI before final payment?

Ask whether the previously Unsafe conditions have been corrected, whether the amended report is ready or submitted, whether any DOB comments remain open, and whether any conditions still require public protection or follow-up repair.

Is an amended FISP report required for SWARMP conditions?

The amended report discussed here is tied to correction of previously Unsafe conditions. SWARMP conditions have their own repair and maintenance timing. Ask the QEWI how any SWARMP items should be documented for the next cycle and whether they affect current closeout.

Treat the amended report as a closeout milestone

Boards should treat the amended FISP report as a project milestone, not a background filing. It affects final payment discipline, shed removal timing, Local Law 48 risk, and the building's compliance record.

The best workflow is boring and documented: know the original Unsafe items, keep repair evidence organized, schedule the QEWI reinspection early, confirm DOB NOW consent access, track filing status, and only then make final decisions about payment and shed removal. That is how boards turn facade repair completion into a defensible compliance closeout.