FISP Cycle 10 Checklist for NYC Co-op and Condo Property Managers

FISP Cycle 10 is the current NYC façade inspection cycle for buildings over six stories, running from February 21, 2025 through February 20, 2030. For co-op and condo property managers, the real work is not just booking the inspection. It is confirming the building's sub-cycle, getting the QEWI report filed in DOB NOW: Safety, tracking any SWARMP or Unsafe follow-up, and keeping the board updated before deadlines become emergencies.

One building is waiting on access. Another needs board sign-off before repair bids can go out. A third has a prior SWARMP item still sitting in a capital plan with no owner, no deadline, and no one quite sure whether it will default to Unsafe at the close of sub-cycle 10A. This is the actual texture of FISP season for most managing agents.

This guide is not another general Local Law 11 explainer. It is a Cycle 10-specific operating checklist for deadlines, records, engineer coordination, repair follow-up, and board communication so nothing gets lost between the inspection date and final DOB acceptance.

The article is based on NYC Department of Buildings sources. The building owner and the Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI) control the formal filing and technical judgment. The manager's role is coordination, tracking, and communication. Operational details and platform references were checked against public sources in July 2026.

What FISP Cycle 10 requires for NYC co-op and condo buildings

The Façade Inspection Safety Program (FISP), commonly called Local Law 11, requires owners of buildings over six stories to have exterior walls and appurtenances inspected by a private QEWI every five years and to file a report with the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB). The program covers approximately 16,000 NYC structures over six stories across all five boroughs.

Reports are not filed by DOB employees. A private QEWI conducts the inspection and files the technical report. The building owner gives formal consent in DOB NOW: Safety. The property manager coordinates access, records, communications, and follow-up, but the filing responsibility sits with the QEWI and the owner of record.

Cycle 10 report outcomes fall into three categories: Safe, SWARMP (Safe With a Repair and Maintenance Program), and Unsafe. Each status carries different follow-up obligations for the building.

Status	Meaning	Manager's immediate action
Safe	No unsafe conditions observed	Retain accepted report; schedule next cycle
SWARMP	Conditions require repair before next cycle	Track repair scope, timeline, and capital plan
Unsafe	Immediate hazard present	Public protection required; 90-day repair rule applies

For co-op and condo buildings, the board typically makes the capital decisions, while the managing agent tracks compliance status, stores the accepted report, and keeps repair follow-up moving.

FISP Cycle 10 deadlines by sub-cycle

Cycle 10 runs from February 21, 2025 to February 20, 2030 and is divided into three sub-cycles based on the last digit of the building's block number, as published in the NYC DOB Cycle 10 diagram.

Sub-cycle	Block numbers ending in	Filing window
10A	4, 5, 6, 9	February 21, 2025 to February 21, 2027
10B	0, 7, 8	February 21, 2026 to February 21, 2028
10C	1, 2, 3	February 21, 2027 to February 21, 2029

Sub-cycle 10A is already open and its window closes February 21, 2027. Sub-cycle 10B opened February 21, 2026. Sub-cycle 10C opens February 21, 2027. Each window is two years wide, but the QEWI scheduling backlog in later months makes early action genuinely important.

There is also a narrow early-filing option for buildings with a prior cycle status of No Report Filed (NRF). Per the NYC DOB December 2025 service notice, owners whose buildings show NRF as the most recent status and who are filing as Safe or SWARMP may file an initial Cycle 10 report before their designated sub-cycle window opens, which stops civil penalties from accumulating. Pending penalties must be paid before the report receives final approval. This option does not apply to buildings filing as Unsafe.

How to confirm your building's sub-cycle and filing status

Before contacting a QEWI or scheduling anything, verify the building's current status through official DOB sources:

Find the block number. Look it up on the NYC Department of Finance property records or the DOB Building Information System (BIS) using the borough, block, and lot (BBL) identifier.
Identify the sub-cycle. Check the last digit of the block number against the table above.
Check current filing status. Use DOB NOW: Safety or the NYC DOB Façade Filing Status page to see whether the building's latest status is Safe, SWARMP, Unsafe, or NRF.
Note any open items. If the prior status is SWARMP, confirm whether those conditions were repaired and whether an amended report was accepted. Per the NYC DOB façade law page, a prior SWARMP condition not corrected by the current inspection must be reported as Unsafe.
Check for open violations or penalties. Review the DOB BIS or DOB NOW: Safety for any outstanding façade violations before engaging a QEWI.

Confirming status before scheduling saves time and prevents situations where the board is briefed on the wrong sub-cycle or an old SWARMP item comes up mid-inspection as a new Unsafe finding.

The manager's FISP Cycle 10 checklist from planning to closeout

This is the operational sequence most managing agents need, from the point where FISP appears on the calendar to the point where the final accepted report is stored and the board has been updated.

Pair this checklist with the NYC compliance calendar to keep filing dates visible across your portfolio.

Pre-inspection setup

Confirm the building is subject to FISP (over six stories).
Identify the block number and confirm the sub-cycle assignment (10A, 10B, or 10C).
Pull the prior FISP report and note the accepted status (Safe, SWARMP, or Unsafe).
List any prior SWARMP items and confirm repair status with documentation.
Verify owner-of-record information matches Department of Finance records; a mismatch can cause filing errors.
Check for any active DOB permits affecting the façade or related work.
Determine whether the building is subject to Landmarks Preservation Commission review, which may affect repair permitting.
Collect any prior engineering reports, repair logs, permit closeout documents, and scaffold history.
Draft a resident notice for inspection access, including expected dates, access requirements, and scope of work.
Confirm QEWI selection and provide the engineer with all prior records before the site visit.

Inspection and filing workflow

Record the inspection completion date. Per the NYC DOB FISP Filing Instructions, the QEWI has 60 days from the inspection completion date to file the report in DOB NOW: Safety.
Confirm owner consent is registered in DOB NOW: Safety before filing; the report cannot be submitted without it.
Track the DOB NOW submission status after filing. An incomplete submission can lose the original filing date if not corrected within five days.
Obtain a copy of the filed report from the QEWI and verify it has been accepted, not just submitted.
Note the accepted filing date in the building's compliance record.
If an incomplete notice is issued, respond within the five-day correction window or contact the QEWI immediately.

Repair follow-up for Safe, SWARMP, and Unsafe outcomes

Outcome	What it means	Manager's follow-up	Board action
Safe	No hazardous conditions observed	Store accepted report; note next cycle sub-cycle date	Standard update at next meeting
SWARMP	Conditions require repair before next inspection cycle	Track repair scope, contractor bids, permit needs, and LPC status if applicable; enter into capital plan	Budget approval and repair timeline decision
Unsafe	Immediate hazard; public protection required	Coordinate sidewalk shed or other public protection immediately; track 90-day repair deadline	Emergency meeting if needed; approve contractor and budget

For Unsafe conditions: repairs must be completed within 90 days per NYC DOB façade filing requirements. An amended report must be filed within two weeks of completing the repairs. Per the NYC DOB FISP FAQ, public protection must remain in place until the amended report is accepted and the building status changes from Unsafe to Safe or SWARMP.

For SWARMP conditions: do not treat them as low priority. If a prior SWARMP condition is not corrected by the time of the current cycle's inspection, it must be reported as Unsafe. This is one of the most consequential and frequently missed details in Cycle 10 operations.

What property managers need from the QEWI before the report is filed

The inspection and the filing are the QEWI's responsibility, but the handoff between those two events is where managing agents often lose control of the timeline. Before the QEWI files the report, collect the following from them directly:

Inspection completion date: You need this to track the 60-day filing window internally.
Condition list with location and severity: A plain-language summary of each flagged item, where it is on the façade, and what category it falls into.
Photos and sketches: These are required in the DOB filing. Confirm they have been collected and are complete before the submission window closes.
Permit questions answered: Ask whether any recommended repair work will require a DOB building permit or Landmarks Preservation Commission approval before work can begin.
Prior SWARMP item resolution: Confirm in writing whether old SWARMP items from the prior cycle were found corrected or are being reported as Unsafe.
Board-ready summary: Request a short plain-English memo the managing agent can include in the next board packet, covering the status outcome, any required work, estimated scope, and next steps.

This handoff is not automatic. Most QEWIs will provide what is required for DOB submission. The board-ready summary and repair coordination material need to be requested explicitly.

How do you keep a Local Law 11 Cycle 10 job from turning into a board surprise?

Board surprises in FISP situations almost always follow the same pattern: the inspection happens, the report comes back as SWARMP or Unsafe, and the manager is suddenly trying to explain a sidewalk shed installation and a repair estimate to a board that has never heard any of this before.

The fix is a three-point communication plan tied to the inspection timeline:

Before the inspection: Send a brief memo to the board confirming the sub-cycle, expected inspection date, and any known prior SWARMP items. Set expectations that repairs may follow.
After the report is filed: Distribute the QEWI's plain-language summary. State the outcome (Safe, SWARMP, or Unsafe) clearly and explain what is required next, including any public protection measures and budget implications.
After repair scoping: Provide the board with a decision memo that separates compliance obligations (what is legally required and by when) from capital decisions (which contractor, which phasing, how to fund it). Boards make better decisions when these two tracks are presented separately.

For Unsafe conditions, the board needs to know that public protection is not optional. A sidewalk shed may go up immediately. The 90-day repair clock starts from the inspection date, not from the date the board approves a contractor. That timing distinction needs to be in the first memo, not the third.

For SWARMP conditions, the smartest move is to map the required repair into the next capital plan cycle before the item ages. A SWARMP item from Cycle 9 that has not been addressed will be reported as Unsafe in Cycle 10 and carry immediate obligations.

Common FISP Cycle 10 mistakes that cause delays, penalties, or board confusion

Most FISP problems at the building level are process failures, not technical ones. These are the mistakes that appear repeatedly:

Guessing the sub-cycle. Managers assume the building is in the same sub-cycle as a similar building down the street. Block numbers determine sub-cycle assignment, and a wrong assumption leads to missed filing windows and penalty exposure.
Owner-of-record mismatch. If the owner information in DOB records does not match Department of Finance records, the filing can be rejected or marked incomplete. Verify this before the QEWI submits.
Missing the 60-day filing window after inspection. The inspection completion date starts the clock. If the manager does not track that date, the filing can slip past the window without anyone noticing.
Treating SWARMP as a low-priority item. A SWARMP finding with no tracked follow-up is a future Unsafe finding. Per the NYC DOB façade law page, prior SWARMP conditions that are not corrected must be reported as Unsafe in the next inspection.
Incomplete submission correction window missed. DOB can mark a submission incomplete. If the deficiency is not corrected within five days, the original filing date can be lost per the NYC DOB FISP Filing Instructions. This is not widely understood and catches managers off guard.
Confusing engineer responsibility with manager responsibility. The QEWI files the report. The manager tracks the timeline, coordinates access, handles the board communication, and stores the accepted report. When these roles blur, things fall through.
Late filing with no penalty awareness. Late filing penalties can accrue at $1,000 per month plus $5,000 per year after the sub-cycle filing window if an acceptable report is not filed, per the NYC DOB violation resolution page. Board treasurers and capital project committees need to understand this exposure early.

A simple way to track FISP deadlines, records, and follow-up across multiple NYC buildings

If you manage a single building, a well-organized shared folder and calendar reminders can carry you through FISP. If you manage five, ten, or twenty buildings, the challenge shifts. It is no longer about knowing the rules. It is about knowing which buildings are in which sub-cycle, which ones have open SWARMP items, where the accepted reports are stored, and which board decisions are still pending.

Boardly for NYC co-ops and condos is built for exactly this kind of portfolio-wide compliance visibility. It is not a generic property management suite. It is a niche platform designed for managing agents who run co-op and condo buildings in NYC, with compliance tracking, document organization, and sourced answers built into the workflow.

Boardly is our platform, so this section reflects our view of where software can help with FISP tracking. For a broader look at tools available to NYC managing agents, see NYC property management software for co-op and condo portfolios.

When Boardly is a good fit for FISP tracking

You manage multiple NYC co-op or condo buildings and need one organized home for compliance deadlines, accepted reports, board decisions, and follow-up items across your portfolio.
You want compliance items tied to a specific building's record history so prior FISP reports, repair logs, and board decisions are findable when the next inspection comes around.
You need to produce board-ready summaries quickly and keep building records in one place rather than across email threads and shared drives.
You want a tool built specifically for NYC co-op and condo operations, not adapted from a national HOA platform.

Explore compliance and document tracking features to see how Boardly handles portfolio-wide record organization.

When Boardly is not the right fit

Boardly does not replace the QEWI. The inspection, technical judgment, and DOB filing workflow require a licensed professional. No software substitutes for that.
If your building needs full property management accounting, lease management, or maintenance ticketing as a core requirement, Boardly's focus on co-op and condo compliance and board operations may not cover your full stack.
Boardly pricing was not reviewed during the preparation of this article, so cost comparisons with other tools are outside the scope of this guide.

For additional building resources and operational guides, see Boardly NYC building resources.

FISP Cycle 10 FAQ for NYC property managers and board members

1. What is FISP Cycle 10 in NYC? FISP Cycle 10 is the current five-year façade inspection period under the NYC Façade Inspection Safety Program, commonly called Local Law 11. It runs from February 21, 2025 to February 20, 2030 and applies to buildings over six stories.

2. When does FISP Cycle 10 end? The full Cycle 10 period ends February 20, 2030, though individual sub-cycle filing windows close earlier: 10A closes February 21, 2027; 10B closes February 21, 2028; 10C closes February 21, 2029.

3. How do I find my building's FISP sub-cycle? Check the last digit of your building's block number. Digits 4, 5, 6, or 9 are sub-cycle 10A. Digits 0, 7, or 8 are 10B. Digits 1, 2, or 3 are 10C. Verify through DOB NOW: Safety or the DOB Building Information System.

4. Who files the FISP report, the property manager or the QEWI? The QEWI files the technical report in DOB NOW: Safety. The building owner must provide consent. The property manager coordinates the process but does not file the report.

5. What happens if a building is marked SWARMP? SWARMP means the façade has conditions requiring repair before the next inspection cycle. Managers should track the repair scope, timeline, and capital plan. If those conditions are not corrected before the next inspection, they must be reported as Unsafe.

6. What happens if a building is marked Unsafe? Public protection such as a sidewalk shed must be installed immediately. Repairs must be completed within 90 days. An amended report must be filed within two weeks of repair completion and accepted before public protection can be removed.

7. Can a building file early in Cycle 10? Yes, but only in a narrow scenario. Buildings whose most recent status is NRF (No Report Filed) and who are filing as Safe or SWARMP may file early to stop civil penalty accumulation. All pending penalties must be paid before the report receives final approval.

8. What is the deadline after the inspection is completed? The QEWI has 60 days from the inspection completion date to file the report in DOB NOW: Safety. If an incomplete notice is issued, the deficiency must be corrected within five days or the original filing date may be lost.

9. Do co-op and condo buildings both need FISP inspections? Yes. The FISP requirement applies to any building over six stories regardless of ownership structure. Both NYC co-ops and NYC condos that meet the height threshold are subject to the program.

10. What are the penalties for not filing an acceptable report? Late filing penalties can accrue at $1,000 per month plus $5,000 per year after the sub-cycle filing window closes without an accepted report, per the NYC DOB violation resolution page.

Next steps for your next board meeting and filing calendar

The risk in FISP is rarely not knowing the rule. It is losing track of the next required action.

Before your next board meeting, work through these four items:

Confirm your sub-cycle. Pull the block number, check the last digit, and verify the filing window against the DOB Cycle 10 diagram.
Confirm current filing status. Check DOB NOW: Safety or the DOB Façade Filing Status page for the last accepted status and any open items.
List open façade items by owner and due date. For any SWARMP conditions, assign a repair owner, a target completion date, and a document location for the contractor's closeout records.
Decide where reports and board decisions will live. The accepted FISP report, board approval minutes, repair contracts, and engineer deliverables need to be in one findable place before the next cycle starts.

If you manage multiple NYC co-op or condo buildings, centralizing those records and deadlines is where the real operational gain sits. See the live Boardly demo to see how portfolio-wide compliance tracking works in practice.