How to File a FISP Report in DOB NOW: Manager Guide

Say you manage a 12-story Brooklyn co-op, your QEWI just emailed you a draft Critical Examination Report, and now you have 60 days to file it through DOB NOW: Safety before late-filing penalties begin to stack at $1,000 per month [1]. The clock starts the day the QEWI signs the report, not the day the deadline finally appears on your calendar.

Filing a FISP report is not a single action. It is a workflow that crosses two separate NYC systems (DOB eFiling and DOB NOW: Safety), three roles (owner, owner-representative, QEWI), and a six-step submission sequence that ends with a Plan Examiner review. Most published guides cover the regulation. This one walks the building manager through the actual filing.

This guide explains who files what, how to set up the right accounts, the six steps inside DOB NOW: Safety, the current filing fees, and what to do if DOB rejects the report. If your inspection lands an Unsafe classification, you will also have a sidewalk shed to manage on a parallel Local Law 48 timeline. Browse verified scaffolding contractors by permit volume before that 90-day repair clock starts.

What "Filing a FISP Report" Actually Means

The Facade Inspection & Safety Program (FISP, formerly Local Law 11) requires every NYC building over six stories to file a Critical Examination Report every five years [2]. Roughly 16,000 buildings citywide are subject to it.

The actual filing is a sequence, not a single submission. A Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI) inspects the facade, drafts the report, and uploads it to DOB NOW: Safety. The owner reviews and electronically signs the Owner's Statement. The owner pays the filing fee. The QEWI transmits the completed package. DOB runs an Administrative Review and a Plan Examiner Review. Each role has a different login and a different button to push.

Most building managers act as the owner-representative inside DOB NOW, not as the owner of record. The owner-representative authorization is separate from the owner's eFiling account, and missing this step is one of the most common reasons a manager logs in and finds nothing they can do. For background on the program itself, see the FISP Cycle 10 complete guide and the Safe, SWARMP, and Unsafe classifications explainer.

Before You File: Find Your Sub-Cycle and Filing Window

Cycle 10 runs from February 21, 2025 through February 21, 2029 [3]. The four-year span is divided into three sub-cycles. The last digit of your building's tax block number decides which one applies to you.

Sub-cycle dates per NYC DOB Cycle 10 Service Notice [3].

How to look up your block number

Search your address on the DOB Building Information System (BIS) and the block number appears at the top of the property profile. ACRIS records and the property tax bill carry the same number. Take the last digit and match it to the table above. If you manage a portfolio, do this once per building, then sort the spreadsheet by sub-cycle so the deadlines line up.

Set Up Two Accounts: eFiling and DOB NOW: Safety

This is the step that trips up most first-time filers. DOB eFiling and DOB NOW: Safety are two separate systems. The owner needs an eFiling account to consent to QEWI reports. The owner-representative needs to be authorized through the owner's account. The QEWI needs eFiling plus DOB NOW: Safety access granted by the DOB Facades Unit. Skip any one of these and the filing stalls.

For the owner of record

The owner of record creates a DOB eFiling account by completing the Authentication Form online and confirming the email link. After confirmation, the owner can log into DOB NOW: Safety, enter the Owner and Owner Representative information, pay filing fees, request a sub-cycle change, or request a new Control Number for a building [4].

The owner of record on file must match the Department of Finance records exactly. If the owner is an LLC, the LLC name must match the deed. A mismatch is one of the most common rejection triggers.

For the building manager (owner-representative)

The building manager typically files as the owner-representative, not as the owner. The owner adds the manager's contact information through the DOB NOW: Safety dashboard, and the manager logs in with their own eFiling credentials.

Imagine a new property manager logging into DOB NOW: Safety for the first time and finding the building still listed under the prior LLC owner. The Department of Finance match check will fail before the report is even submitted. Check the owner-of-record record before scheduling the QEWI inspection, not after.

For the QEWI

A licensed Professional Engineer or Registered Architect must first create an eFiling account. Once registered, they email facades@buildings.nyc.gov to request QEWI access to DOB NOW: Safety [4]. The Authentication Form must be signed, dated, and sealed.

The QEWI Inspection: What Has to Be Ready

The QEWI conducts the Critical Examination at hands-on intervals along the facade. Per 1 RCNY 101-07, the QEWI must hold a NY State PE license or RA registration and have at least seven years of facade-specific experience [5]. The DOB publishes a QEWI list you can verify against before signing an engagement letter.

The QEWI prepares the Critical Examination Report in the DOB NOW digital format, completes the TR6 Technical Report, and assembles the supporting exhibits: photographs of every condition, sketches for SWARMP or Unsafe items, balcony and railing inspection notes, and a repair timetable for any non-Safe classification. For deeper QEWI selection criteria, see the FISP Cycle 10 complete guide. For the field-level inspection details the QEWI is documenting, see what building inspectors look for in a facade examination.

The Six-Step DOB NOW: Safety Submission Flow

Once the QEWI is ready to upload, the filing follows a six-step sequence inside DOB NOW: Safety.

1. QEWI uploads the Critical Examination Report and TR6. The QEWI logs into DOB NOW: Safety, opens the building's Control Number, and uploads the report, TR6 form, photographs, and supporting documentation.
2. DOB NOW assigns a tracking number. A tracking number appears on the QEWI's dashboard. The owner and owner-representative can see the same record after they log in.
3. Owner reviews the QEWI's draft and signs the Owner's Statement. The owner (not the owner-representative) electronically signs to acknowledge the QEWI's findings and certify that any prior-cycle deficiencies were addressed.
4. Owner pays the filing fee through DOB NOW. Payment is online. The fee structure is below.
5. QEWI does final review and transmits the completed report. The QEWI confirms the owner signature, fee receipt, and exhibit completeness, then transmits the final package to DOB.
6. DOB runs Administrative and Plan Examiner reviews. Status appears on the dashboard ribbon. DOB emails the QEWI and owner with the verdict: accepted, rejected with comments, or marked incomplete with a five-day correction window.

Filing Fees: What You Pay and Why

DOB raised FISP filing fees on July 15, 2020, and the new amounts have applied to every Cycle 10 filing since then.

Filing fees per NYC DOB amended fee rule [1].

For a single building, the fee is small relative to the inspection itself. For a portfolio of 50 buildings, the initial-filing fees alone come to $21,250. A management company filing amendments after SWARMP repairs effectively pays the fee twice per cycle.

Filing Deadlines: Three Clocks Run at Once

Three different timelines apply to a single filing, and confusing them is the most common cause of late submissions.

• The sub-cycle window: Two years long. This is the outer deadline (10A closes February 21, 2027; 10B closes February 21, 2028; 10C closes February 21, 2029) [3].
• The 60-day post-final-inspection rule: Reports must be filed no later than 60 days after the QEWI's final inspection date [4].
• The one-year cap from close-up inspection: A report cannot be older than one year from the close-up inspection at the time of filing [4].

In practice, the 60-day rule is the binding clock for most buildings. The QEWI signs off, the report goes through internal review, and the building manager has eight weeks to get owner signature and fee payment in.

If DOB Rejects Your Report: Two Different Correction Windows

Rejected initial filings come with a 45-day re-file window. Incomplete filings (typically owner-information mismatches) come with a five-day correction window. They are not the same.

If DOB rejects an Initial Filing, the email lists the review comments. An acceptable corrected report must be filed within 45 days of the email date to keep the original filing date and fee. Common reasons cited include missing photographs or sketches for SWARMP or Unsafe conditions and incomplete repair timetables.

If DOB marks the submission Incomplete because Section 7 of the TR6 owner information does not match Department of Finance records, the FISP/Local Law Unit gives five days to resubmit with the correct information. Miss the five-day window and the original filing date is lost, which can push a report into late-filing penalty territory if the sub-cycle window is closing. For full classification context if the rejection involves a SWARMP or Unsafe finding, see the FISP Cycle 10 complete guide.

If You Missed Cycle 9: Sub-Cycle Override and Amnesty

Buildings that did not file in Cycle 8 or Cycle 9 can still file under the Cycle 10 catch-up path without facing the full prior-cycle penalty stack [3]. The mechanism is a sub-cycle override that reassigns a 10B or 10C building to Sub-Cycle 10A so the filing window is open right now.

The workflow has four steps:

1. Verify in DOB NOW: Safety that the building's Cycle 9 status reads "No Report Filed."
2. Submit a Sub-Cycle Override request through DOB NOW: Safety to reassign the building to Sub-Cycle 10A.
3. Wait for DOB approval, then file the FISP report through DOB NOW: Safety.
4. Pay the assessed civil penalties within 10 business days of receiving DOB's email confirmation. Late payment can void the report and restart the penalty meter.

The amnesty does not extend to Sub-Cycle 10B or 10C. If your building has unfiled prior-cycle reports, act inside the 10A window.

If Your Building Is Classified Unsafe: The Local Law 48 Connection

Most FISP filing guides treat the report as the end of the process. For Unsafe buildings, it is the start. An Unsafe classification triggers immediate sidewalk shed installation, a 90-day repair clock, and a parallel Local Law 48 permit cycle that runs on its own meter.

Local Law 48 of 2025 took effect January 26, 2026 and reduced sidewalk shed permits to 90-day cycles [6]. Penalties escalate as the shed ages from the original permit date.

• Under 3 years old: $10 per linear foot per month, capped at $6,000 per month
• 3 to 4 years old: $100 per linear foot per month, capped at $6,000 per month
• Over 4 years old: $200 per linear foot per month, capped at $6,000 per month

All LL48 tiers capped at $6,000 per month regardless of shed length, per Local Law 48 of 2025 [6].

A slow contractor on an Unsafe building does not just delay the repairs. They extend the LL48 penalty exposure for every additional month the shed stays up. The Local Law 48 penalty calculator models the exact cost based on shed length and age. Compare verified contractors by permit volume and borough coverage before the 90-day clock forces a rushed pick.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I file the FISP report or does my QEWI file it?

The QEWI files the report through DOB NOW: Safety. The owner electronically signs the Owner's Statement and pays the filing fee. The owner-representative (usually the building manager) coordinates the workflow but does not transmit the filing. All three roles need their own DOB NOW credentials.

How do I find my building's FISP sub-cycle?

Search your address on the DOB Building Information System (BIS) at a810-bisweb.nyc.gov and read the block number from the property profile. The last digit determines your sub-cycle: 4, 5, 6, 9 fall in Sub-Cycle 10A; 0, 7, 8 fall in 10B; 1, 2, 3 fall in 10C.

What happens if DOB rejects my FISP report?

Rejected initial filings get a 45-day window to refile with corrections and keep the original filing date and fee. Filings marked Incomplete (typically owner-information mismatches with Department of Finance records) get a five-day window to fix the data, or the original filing date is lost.

What is the FISP filing fee in DOB NOW?

The initial filing fee is $425 per report. Amended or subsequent reports are also $425. A 90-day extension request for Unsafe repairs is $305. These amounts have applied since the DOB amended fee rule took effect July 15, 2020 [1].

How long does DOB take to review a FISP filing?

DOB does not publish a guaranteed turnaround. The status ribbon on the QEWI's dashboard moves through Administrative Review, then Plan Examiner Review, before resulting in Accepted, Rejected with comments, or Incomplete. Plan ahead for several weeks of review time and start the workflow well before the 60-day post-inspection deadline.

What if my owner of record does not match the deed?

Update the owner record in DOB NOW: Safety so it matches the Department of Finance records before the QEWI files. If a filing is already in flight when the mismatch is caught, DOB will mark it Incomplete and issue a five-day correction window. After five days, the original filing date is lost.

Can I still file a Cycle 9 report under amnesty?

If your building's Cycle 9 status in DOB NOW: Safety reads "No Report Filed," you can submit a Sub-Cycle Override request to be reassigned to Sub-Cycle 10A. After approval, file the report and pay the civil penalties within 10 business days of DOB's email. The amnesty path closes when 10A closes on February 21, 2027.

Conclusion

FISP filing is a workflow problem, not a one-time form. The building manager's job is to get the right accounts in place, keep the owner-of-record record clean, and pace the QEWI engagement so the 60-day post-inspection clock does not collide with the sub-cycle window. The same discipline that makes a filing pass on the first review (matched ownership, complete exhibits, paid fee on time) is the discipline that keeps the building out of late-filing penalty territory.

If you are still mapping out your timeline, three concrete next steps:

1. This week: Look up your block number on DOB BIS and confirm your sub-cycle. If the building is in 10A, the February 21, 2027 deadline is closer than it sounds.
2. This month: Verify the owner-of-record record in DOB NOW: Safety against the Department of Finance records, and check the QEWI list for inspectors with prior cycles in your borough.
3. Before the QEWI files: If an Unsafe classification is possible, run the penalty math on the calculator and shortlist verified contractors by permit volume now, before the shed clock forces a fast pick.

Say your building is in Sub-Cycle 10A with a February 2027 deadline. The work-backward math has you closing on a QEWI by mid-2026 and starting any Unsafe repairs early enough that the 90-day window does not run into LL48's per-linear-foot meter. The earliest decision is the cheapest.