NYC Annual Parapet Inspection (Local Law 126): Observer, Report, and FISP

If you own a building in New York City with a parapet facing a sidewalk, street, or other public right-of-way, the NYC annual parapet inspection requires you to have that parapet observed once each calendar year, document the findings in a written report, and keep the report on file for at least six years. The requirement sits in Section 28-301.1.1 of the NYC Administrative Code and 1 RCNY §103-15, and it took effect on January 1, 2024.¹ You do not file the report with the Department of Buildings. You keep it on-site or at your office and produce it if DOB asks.²

Which Buildings Are Covered

The rule reaches every building with a parapet fronting a public right-of-way, regardless of height. A five-story walk-up and a two-story storefront are both in scope if their parapets face a sidewalk, street, or public space where people pass or gather.¹

Two exemptions exist. Detached one- and two-family homes are carved out by the Administrative Code.³ Buildings with a fence or other barrier that prevents access to the area beneath the exterior wall are also exempt.⁴ Everyone else is on an annual cycle, whether or not anything looks wrong.

Who Can Perform the Observation

The rule asks for someone “competent to inspect parapets,” and DOB reads that broadly. Its list of acceptable observers includes bricklayers, building superintendents, handymen, masons, architects, engineers, inspectors working for a New York State-authorized insurance company, state-authorized building inspectors, and anyone else capable of identifying hazards on a parapet.¹ A licensed architect or engineer is not required, though older or more complex buildings often warrant one.

Whoever does the work has to get on the roof and look at the parapet from both sides, exterior and interior. A sidewalk-level glance will not do. The owner remains legally responsible for the report’s accuracy no matter who performs the walkthrough.⁴

What the Observer Must Check

1 RCNY §103-15 sets out three categories the observer must evaluate:⁵

Plumb. The parapet must be vertically aligned within one-eighth of its cross-sectional thickness at any point. An 8-inch-thick parapet cannot lean more than 1 inch in any direction.
Deterioration. Check for displacement, horizontal or diagonal cracks, missing or loose bricks or coping stones, deteriorated mortar joints, spalling, and rot.
Appurtenances. Anything attached to the parapet — telecommunications equipment, railings, roof-access rails, gooseneck ladders, fire-escape handrail attachments, signs — must be stable and properly maintained.

Bring a level, a tape measure, and a camera. The plumb tolerance is a measurable standard, and the deterioration list tells you what to look for.

What the Written Report Must Contain

DOB has not published a single mandatory form. Any format works as long as it contains every field required by 1 RCNY §103-15(c)(1):⁵

Building address, including any other associated addresses.
Owner’s name, mailing address, and phone number. If the owner is an entity, include the name, address, phone number, and title of a principal.
Observer’s name. If the observer is not the owner, add their mailing address, phone number, affiliation with the building or owner, and business name if applicable.
Date or dates of the observation.
A location plan or description showing which parapets were observed.
Parapet construction details: material, height, and thickness.
General conditions, including whether any unsafe conditions were found and what was done about them.
Any repairs made to the parapet since the previous report.
Dated photographs documenting the conditions at the time of observation.

The photo requirement is easy to miss. A written description without images leaves you exposed if DOB later disputes your findings. Photograph each side of every parapet and take close-ups of any cracks, loose material, or equipment attachments.

If You Find an Unsafe Condition

An unsafe finding changes the process. You must immediately notify DOB by calling 311 and emailing parapets@buildings.nyc.gov.¹ Immediately means the same day or the next business day, not after you have collected repair bids.

Public protection has to go up right away. Depending on the hazard, that may be a sidewalk shed, fencing that closes off the area, or safety netting over the danger zone. The protection stays in place until every unsafe condition is corrected, and all repairs must be completed within 90 days of the notification to DOB.⁶ The report must describe the specific hazards found and document what protective measures you put in place.

How Long to Keep the Report

You keep the report; you do not submit it. The minimum retention period is six years, and DOB can audit records going back that far.²

If you store the reports electronically, NYC Buildings Bulletin 2024-007 governs the format. Records must be tamper-proof, carry time-stamped digital signatures, and comply with the Electronic Signatures and Records Act. Scans of paper documents and editable Word or Excel files do not qualify.⁷ A tablet-based inspection app works as long as it locks each report after signing and produces a PDF you can send to DOB on request.

How This Relates to FISP (Local Law 11)

If your building is taller than six stories, you already deal with the Facade Inspection and Safety Program, which requires a licensed professional to inspect the entire exterior every five years and file a technical report with DOB.⁸ The annual parapet observation is separate. It applies to buildings of any height, can be performed by a wider range of people, and produces a report you retain rather than file. A FISP report does not satisfy the annual parapet requirement in the years between FISP cycles, and the parapet observation does not substitute for FISP compliance.

1
New York City Department of Buildings. Parapets
2
NYC311. Building Parapet Observations
3
American Legal Publishing Code Library. NYC Administrative Code 28-301.1.1 Parapets
4
New York City Department of Buildings. 1 RCNY 103-15 – Periodic Observation of Building Parapets
5
American Legal Publishing Code Library. 1 RCNY 103-15 Periodic Observation of Building Parapets
6
New York City Department of Buildings. Annual Parapet Inspections
7
NYC Buildings. Buildings Bulletin 2024-007
8
New York City Department of Buildings. Facade and Local Law