Your Trusted Parapet Inspection Expert

Compliance Inspections

WAB Parapets specializes in comprehensive parapet inspection and reporting to ensure compliance with NYC Administrative Code §28-301.1.1 and Title 1 of the Rules of the City of New York §103-15 as added by NYC Local Law 126 of 2021.

The requirement for an annual parapet inspection applies to all buildings with parapets fronting the public right-of-way, regardless of height, with only two exceptions.

1. Fully detached 1- or 2- family homes

2. Buildings with a continuous fence or other continuous barrier preventing access to the exterior wall.
   For a parapet to be exempt from annual inspection, the perpendicular distance from the parapet wall to the fence or other barrier must be at least ½ the height of the wall, as measured from grade to the top of the parapet.

WHAT IS A PARAPET?
A parapet is the part of any wall entirely above the roof line. Note, the definition does not include a minimum or maximum height.

WHICH BUILDING PARAPETS ARE SUBJECT TO INSPECTION?
As of on January 1, 2024, building owners must have an annual observation of their building parapets performed. This requirement applies to all buildings with parapets fronting the public right-of-way, regardless of height.

EXCEPTIONS:

1. Fully detached 1- or 2- family homes

2. Buildings with a continuous fence or other continuous barrier preventing access to the exterior wall. For a parapet to be exempt from annual inspection, the perpendicular distance from the parapet wall to the fence or other barrier must be at least ½ the height of the wall, as measured from grade to the top of the parapet.

WHAT IS CONSIDERED A PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY?
The elevation of an exterior wall is part of the public right-of-way if a member of the public who is not associated with the property in question can freely walk up to the façade of the building, even if that exterior wall is on private property. Buildings with a continuous barrier within a perpendicular distance from the exterior wall that is equal to or less than half the height of the exterior wall must be inspected.

WHAT IS AN APPURTENANCE?
An appurtenance is any structure or element attached to the parapet. All parapet appurtenances, such as light fixtures, antennas, cornices, guardrails, ladders, etc. are subject to inspection.

ARE BALCONIES SUBJECT TO INSPECTION?
Balcony walls are not considered parapets and are not subject to inspection.

WHAT IS A CORNICE?
A cornice is a projecting horizontal member that crowns a wall. Cornices that are attached to parapets are subject to inspection.

HOW DO YOU FILE A PARAPET REPORT?
Owners must have their annual parapet reports available by December 31 each year and be ready to present it to the DOB if requested.
Parapet inspection reports are not filed with the DOB. Owners are required to maintain the observation reports for at least six (6) years and must make such reports available to the Department upon request.

ARE THERE VIOLATIONS OR CIVIL PENALTIES?
Failure to present the report to DOB upon request will result in a violation in accordance with the NYC Administrative Code and Construction Advisory: Annual Parapet Inspections Issue: 2024-005 dated December 06, 2024. The amount of the violation is not identified. No civil penalties are applicable at this time.

In the year a FISP report is submitted for a building, can that count toward the parapet report for that year or does a separate report need to be created?
If the FISP report includes all information required to satisfy rule 1 RCNY 103-15, no separate report is required. The owner must have a copy of the FISP report available upon request.