According to the NYC Department of Buildings, over 400 civil penalties had been issued last year to building owners who failed to submit inspection reports of their garage and parking structures. These penalties come as part of the NYC DOB's recently implemented Periodic Parking Structure Inspection Law (Local Law 126) which requires an inspection and report filing of all parking structures at least once every six years in an effort to keep structures safe and free of hazardous conditions. Inspections and reports must be completed (and filed) by a NYS licensed and registered Professional Engineer (P.E.) who is also certified as a Qualified Parking Structure Inspector (QPSI).
Have You Had Your Parking Structures Inspected?
Property owners are responsible to repair any unsafe conditions found within 90 days of the filing. Once the work is complete, owners must then file an amended report within two weeks of the repair. Owners who fail to submit reports within the allotted timeframe are subject to fines including monthly civil penalties of $1,000 and another $5,000 penalty at the end of the year.
Need to schedule an inspection of your garage or structure?
Ciro Cuono, PE is a licensed and registered Professional Engineer in the State of New York and is certified as a Qualified Parking Structure Inspector (QPSI).
Q: How do I know when my parking structure is due for inspection?
NYC has created a staggered filing cycle in which property owners within each district must file by to be in compliance. We are currently in Sub-Cycle B which includes Manhattan Community Districts 8-12 and Brooklyn Districts.
Sub-Cycle 1A (01/01/2022-12/31/2023): Manhattan Community Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Sub-Cycle 1B (01/01/2024-12/31/2025): Manhattan Community Districts 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and Brooklyn Community Districts
Sub-Cycle 1C (01/01/2026-12/31/2027): Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island Community Districts
Not sure which district your building/parking structure is located?
You can easily find your district and sub-cycle by using the map linked below.
Q: Does my garage or parking structure need to be inspected?
YES
It's a building or a portion of a building used for parking or storing motor vehicles, including space inside or under a building.
It is an open parking garage and/or enclosed parking garage as defined in the NYC Building Code.
NO
It is an autobody/automotive repair shop, an automotive showroom, or an automotive service station.
It is a garage with occupancy of fewer than three cars.
It is an unenclosed and/or unattached lot.
It is a garage serving one- and two-family homes.
Q: My parking structure is not in NYC. Does this law apply to me?
Local Law 126 is only applicable to New York City parking structures, however New York State has their own requirements for Parking Garage Inspections (Title 19 - Part 1203). As of 2018, New York State requires all parking garage owners to have their garages inspected every 3 years by a licensed NYS professional engineer (P.E.) with a minimum of 3-years of experience. This applies to all owners of private, municipal, and state-owned parking facilities in New York State.
While new parking garage assessments are due prior to the certificate of occupancy, existing parking garage structures are due based on a cyclical timeline. The following dates indicate the compliance due dates for existing structures.
Original Construction Date | Initial CA Due Date | Current CA Due Date |
Prior to 01/01/1984 | October 1, 2019 | October 1, 2022 |
01/01/1984-12/31/2002 | October 1, 2020 | October 1, 2023 |
01/01/2003-08/29/2018 | October 1, 2021 | October 1, 2024 |
Subsequent inspections and filings are required at least every three years after the date of an initial inspection.
Q: Is my garage or parking structure subject to NYS Title 19-1203 inspections?
YES
It's a building or a portion of a building used for parking or storing motor vehicles, including space inside or under a building.
NO
It's a building in which the only level used for parking or storage of motor vehicles is on grade.
It's a single-family or two-family home with an attached garage.
It's a townhouse unit with attached parking exclusive to that unit.
It's located in New York City (see Local Law 126).
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