FISP Extension Request Process NYC: FISP1 and FISP2

Say your QEWI filed an Unsafe FISP report 75 days ago. The contractor is still working, the sidewalk shed is still up, and the board is asking whether "the extension" is just a fee payment. It is not. The FISP extension request process in NYC is a documentation workflow that keeps the repair period covered while Unsafe conditions remain open.

This guide covers the practical difference between FISP1 and FISP2, what evidence the building manager should prepare for the QEWI, what DOB NOW reviews, and why gaps between accepted extensions create civil penalty exposure. For the full Day 1 to Day 90 timeline, start with the Unsafe FISP repair timeline. If the extension exists because the shed contractor is moving slowly, compare verified scaffolding contractors before the next renewal cycle compresses your options.

FISP1 vs FISP2: Which Extension Do You Need?

FISP1 is the initial extension request when Unsafe repairs cannot be completed inside the first 90 days. FISP2 is the additional extension request for later extension periods. The QEWI files the request in DOB NOW: Safety, but the manager usually controls the evidence file.

FISP1 and FISP2 requirements are drawn from DOB's Facade Compliance page and the FISP1 and FISP2 forms [1][2][3].

The key distinction is progress. FISP1 explains why the original window was not enough. FISP2 has to show what changed since the last accepted extension. If the same explanation appears in each later request with no photos, permit update, or revised completion date, the board file is weak even if the form is technically submitted.

Use Day 75 as the Decision Point

Do not wait until Day 90 to decide whether to file. DOB says Unsafe conditions must be repaired within 90 days, and if repairs are not complete, an initial time extension request must be filed by the QEWI in DOB NOW: Safety [1]. Day 75 gives the manager and QEWI time to assemble the package before the clock reaches the edge.

Use this working sequence:

1. Day 60: Ask the contractor and QEWI whether the amended report can realistically be filed before Day 90.
2. Day 70: Collect photos, permit status, revised schedule, and board approval notes.
3. Day 75: Decide whether the QEWI files FISP1.
4. Day 85: Confirm DOB NOW status and payment.
5. Day 90: Confirm the period is covered by an amended report or accepted extension.

DOB's filing instructions explain that FISP submissions move through Administrative Review, Plan Examiner Review, and then an Accepted or Rejected disposition in DOB NOW [4]. That review sequence is why waiting until the last week is risky. The DOB NOW facade filing guide covers the portal workflow in more detail.

What Goes Into the FISP1 Evidence File?

The FISP1 file should answer one question cleanly: why does the building need more time, and how is public safety being protected while repairs continue? The form itself asks for the Unsafe notification date, last inspection date, initial filing date, safety measures, work permit status, timetable, and a signed and sealed PE or RA statement [2].

Build the file before asking the QEWI to file:

• DOB violation number and Unsafe filing date
• Current sidewalk shed, fence, or other public-protection permit
• Signed and sealed statement estimating the time required to repair
• Repair scope and timetable
• Work application or permit copy, if a permit is required
• Explanation of any revised scope
• Notarized owner letter confirming the work will be completed within the stated estimate
• Board approval or management authorization for the repair path

This is where many buildings lose time. The manager assumes the QEWI "has the extension." The QEWI has the professional filing role, but the manager has the contracts, access correspondence, board minutes, permit receipts, and contractor updates that make the request credible.

What Changes in the FISP2 Renewal File?

FISP2 is not just FISP1 again. The additional extension form asks what work has been completed since the last extension, whether dated photographs are provided, what work remains, why the delay continues, and the estimated date of completion [3].

Say a Manhattan condo gets FISP1 accepted because a neighbor access agreement delayed the rear-elevation work. By the time FISP2 is due, the package should not simply repeat "neighbor access pending." It should show the signed access agreement if it exists, the work completed on accessible elevations, dated photos, the remaining access-dependent scope, and a revised target date.

The same logic applies to hidden conditions. If the contractor opened the wall and found a broader lintel or brick-tie repair, the FISP2 file should separate work completed from newly discovered work. A clean file makes it easier for the QEWI to explain delay as a documented scope change rather than a vague project drift.

DOB also warns that gaps or delays between extension requests can create civil penalties for periods not covered by an acceptable request [1]. Calendar the next FISP2 package as soon as the prior extension is accepted.

Fees, Gaps, and Denials

The DOB fee page lists the Extension of Time to Complete Repairs fee at $305. Initial, amended, and subsequent filings are $425 each, and a Request for Waiver of Penalties is $140 [5]. Keep those in the FISP tracker instead of copying older third-party fee tables.

The bigger cost is the uncovered gap. DOB states that building owners are liable for civil penalties 90 days from the initial Unsafe report unless that period is covered by acceptable extension requests, and that gaps or delays between extension requests create penalties for uncovered periods [1].

That is why extension tracking belongs next to sidewalk shed tracking. A FISP extension does not renew the shed permit, eliminate LL48 exposure, or prove the contractor is progressing. If the shed is still up, keep the FISP compliance checklist, 90-day shed renewal guide, and Local Law 48 calculator in the same board packet.

DOB also says extension requests will not be granted beyond the unsafe completion date, and that extending the unsafe completion date requires a subsequent report [1]. If the project has changed enough that the original completion date is no longer realistic, ask the QEWI whether the next filing is still only FISP2 or whether a subsequent report is needed.

What To Do After Repairs Are Complete

The extension loop ends when the unsafe conditions are corrected and the QEWI files the amended report. DOB's fee page says Unsafe conditions must be corrected within 90 days of filing an Unsafe report, and an amended report must be filed within two weeks after completing the repairs [5].

Before the sidewalk shed comes down, confirm the amended report status in DOB NOW. The amended report review should clearly state that unsafe conditions have been corrected, how they were corrected, whether work permits were required, and whether open facade-related OATH violations or complaints have been addressed [4].

The practical closeout file should include the accepted amended report, shed or fence permit closeout notes, contractor completion documents, final photos, board approval record, and shareholder update. The Safe, SWARMP, and Unsafe classification guide helps explain the status change to the board, and the sidewalk shed removal checklist covers the removal path after DOB acceptance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who files a FISP extension request?

The QEWI files the FISP extension request in DOB NOW: Safety. The manager should still prepare the evidence file: safety measures, permits, work progress, photos, board approvals, contractor schedule, and explanation for delay. The owner or owner representative also needs DOB NOW access and consent workflow in place.

How much does a FISP extension cost?

DOB lists the Extension of Time to Complete Repairs fee at $305 [5]. That is only the DOB filing fee. The QEWI may charge separately to prepare the form, inspect progress, write the supporting statement, and coordinate DOB NOW submission.

Can a FISP extension be denied?

Yes. The FISP1 and FISP2 forms both include an internal-use disposition line for granted or denied requests [2][3]. Denial risk rises when safety measures are unclear, progress is undocumented, work permit status is missing, or the request leaves a gap after the prior period.

Does FISP1 cover the sidewalk shed permit?

No. FISP1 covers the FISP repair-completion extension. It does not replace sidewalk shed permit renewal, contractor permit duties, or Local Law 48 tracking. Treat FISP and shed permits as parallel calendars with overlapping evidence, not as one combined approval.

What happens if FISP2 expires before the next request is accepted?

DOB warns that gaps or delays between extension requests create civil penalties for periods not covered by an acceptable request [1]. Calendar the next FISP2 package when the current extension is accepted, not when it is about to expire.

Is FISP2 the same as an amended report?

No. FISP2 asks for more time while unsafe conditions remain open. An amended report is the filing that certifies the unsafe conditions were corrected and updates the building status. The extension keeps the repair period covered; the amended report closes the Unsafe loop.

Build the Extension File Before It Becomes an Emergency

A clean FISP extension request does not make a slow project good. It makes the delay legible to DOB, the board, and the next person who has to audit the file. Start the FISP1 decision by Day 75, build every FISP2 around documented progress, and keep shed renewals on a separate calendar.

If the extension keeps repeating because the shed contractor is not closing work, the compliance answer becomes a procurement answer. Compare scaffolding contractors by permit history and borough coverage before another extension period disappears.