Fort Lee Parking Structure Inspections (Ordinance 2025-17): Compliance Requirements for Owners and Managers

Overview

Fort Lee now requires periodic parking structure inspections under Ordinance 2025-17. The program is designed to confirm structural safety and identify deterioration before it becomes a risk.

For existing parking structures, the initial assessment must be completed by December 31, 2026. Plan early to avoid scheduling constraints as the deadline approaches.

This requirement also reflects a broader shift in New Jersey toward proactive building safety programs, including Jersey City’s facade and structural inspection ordinances.

Owners of “Parking Structures” (as defined by Ordinance 2025-17) in Fort Lee must comply. Covered structures generally include parking that is:

• Serving commercial or multi-family residential properties
  
• Open or enclosed
  
• Attached or unattached to the related property
  
• Below grade or above/below street level

Excluded: Wood-frame garages.

What the Inspection Requires

• A condition assessment performed by a New Jersey licensed Professional Engineer (PE).
  
• An Inspection and Evaluation Report documenting observed conditions, classification, and recommendations
  
• Filing the report with the Fort Lee Building Code Official within the required timeframe
  
• Repair of unsafe conditions when identified, plus close-out reporting

Deadlines and Inspection Cycle

• Inspection frequency: Every five (5) years
  
• Initial assessment deadlines:
  • Existing parking structures: Must be completed by December 31, 2026, followed by five-year reinspection schedules
  • Newly constructed parking structures: Required five (5) years from the first occupancy certificate
    
• Filing deadline: The Inspection and Evaluation Report must be filed within fifteen (15) days of the inspection
  
• Filing windows: The Borough may organize compliance into sub-cycles or filing windows. Confirm your assigned window with the Fort Lee Building Code Official when scheduling your inspection.

Classifications: Safe, SREM, Unsafe

Safe: No unsafe conditions were identified at the time of inspection. A repair or maintenance program may still be recommended.

Safe with Engineering Monitoring (SREM): Conditions require ongoing engineering monitoring while repairs are being performed. This typically means the structure can remain in service with appropriate monitoring and interim measures, provided repairs proceed as required by the engineer.

Unsafe: Conditions are unsafe. Owners should act immediately on any restrictions or protective measures recommended by the engineer and proceed promptly with repairs.

• Unsafe-condition repairs: If unsafe conditions are identified, the owner must complete repairs within ninety (90) days of filing the condition assessment report.
  
• Amended report: After unsafe-condition repairs are completed, an amended report must be filed within two (2) weeks.

What Engineers Evaluate

Parking structure inspections typically focus on deterioration common to garages, including:

• Concrete cracking, spalling, and delamination
  
• Reinforcing steel corrosion
  
• Water infiltration and drainage issues
  
• Slab edges, beams, columns, and connections
  
• Protective coatings and waterproofing
  
• Structural framing condition

Garages are exposed to moisture, de-icing salts, and harsh weather, including repeated freeze-thaw cycles and temperature swings. Over time, these conditions can accelerate corrosion and concrete deterioration compared to more protected building areas.

Planning early helps:

• Avoid limited engineer availability
  
• Integrate findings into reserve studies and capital plans
  
• Coordinate garage work with façade or waterproofing projects
  
• Reduce disruption to residents
  
• Address deterioration before repairs escalate

We support garage owners and managers with inspection planning, reporting, and repair implementation support as needed. Our team includes multiple NYC Qualified Parking Structure Inspectors (QPSIs) and New Jersey licensed professional engineers, bringing proven inspection-to-repair workflows to Fort Lee compliance.

Typical services include:

• Fort Lee parking structure inspections
  
• Condition assessments and probe programs
  
• Repair design and construction documents
  
• Construction administration
  
• Capital planning integration
  
• Close-out documentation for amended filings when required
  
• Portfolio-level inspection planning
  

Q: When is the first deadline for existing Fort Lee parking structures?
A: The ordinance states existing structures must complete an initial assessment by December 31, 2026.

Q: How often are inspections required in Fort Lee?
A: Every five (5) years.

Q: How quickly do we have to file the report in Fort Lee?
A: Within fifteen (15) days of the inspection, filed with the Fort Lee Building Code Official.

Q: What are the possible classifications?
A: Safe, Safe with Engineering Monitoring (SREM) while repairs are being performed, or Unsafe.

Q: If a condition is Unsafe, what is the repair timeline?
A: Repairs for unsafe conditions must be completed within ninety (90) days of filing the condition assessment report, and an amended report must be filed within two (2) weeks after the repairs are completed. 

Need a Fort Lee Ordinance 2025-17 inspection? Share your garage address and any prior reports. We’ll confirm applicability, plan inspection access to minimize disruption, and outline next steps if repairs are required.