Most commercial elevators get an annual inspection plus periodic load testing, but the exact pattern depends on your jurisdiction. The key thing owners miss is that an elevator inspection is usually more than one event per year. Here is how the schedule actually works and what each check involves.
For most commercial and multifamily buildings, elevators receive at least one inspection per year, and many jurisdictions require both an annual inspection and an annual safety test, with a more rigorous load test every five years. Elevator safety in the United States is built on the ASME A17.1 safety code, which states and cities adopt and then enforce with their own filing rules.
Because the rules are local, the single most useful question is not how often in general, but how often in your jurisdiction. Below is the framework, plus two concrete examples.
Two different activities often get lumped together as the elevator inspection, but they are distinct:
A building can be current on one and behind on the other. Tracking them separately is the simplest way to stay compliant.
The category tests come from the ASME framework and are the part owners most often misunderstand:
New York City is a useful example because it requires elevators to be inspected and tested twice a year, through two separate annual obligations plus the five-year test:
If defects are found on a CAT1 test or periodic inspection, they must be corrected within 90 days of the initial inspection and the correction filed within 14 days, with a failure-to-correct violation if the work and filing are not done within 104 days. For the full local picture, see our NYC elevator inspection page and the in-depth NYC elevator witnessing and periodic inspection guide.
| Jurisdiction | How it works | Typical frequency |
|---|---|---|
| New York City | An annual periodic inspection and an annual Category 1 test by an approved agency, plus a Category 5 load test every five years, each filed through DOB NOW: Safety. | Twice yearly checks, plus CAT5 every 5 years |
| Maryland | A state-managed program run by the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (DLLR). All conveyances must be registered, and inspections follow ASME A17.1. | Annual safety inspection |
| Most other states | A state or local elevator program adopts ASME A17.1 and requires periodic inspection plus category testing on a set schedule. | Annual inspection, with periodic load testing |
For the markets where we maintain dedicated elevator teams, see our NYC elevator and Maryland elevator pages, or our nationwide elevator and conveyance inspection services.
Penalties for late or missed elevator filings can be steep, and they often scale with the building type and the test. In NYC, for example, late filing fees and failure-to-file penalties are higher for non-residential buildings and higher still for the Category 5 test. Beyond the fines, an elevator with open violations or an overdue test can be ordered out of service, which removes accessibility and can trigger lease and insurance issues.
A detail that trips up owners: in many jurisdictions, the agency performing the periodic inspection cannot be the same company that maintains the elevator. NYC, for example, requires that the inspection agency not be affiliated with the maintenance company. This independence rule is why working with a dedicated inspection provider, separate from your maintenance contractor, is often necessary rather than optional.
In most jurisdictions, at least annually. Many, including New York City, require an annual periodic inspection and an annual Category 1 safety test, plus a Category 5 load test every five years.
A Category 1 test is an annual no-load safety test performed at rated speed. A Category 5 test is performed every five years with the car at full rated load and speed, a more rigorous test of the safety system.
Often no. In many jurisdictions, including NYC, the periodic inspection agency cannot be affiliated with the company that maintains the elevator, so an independent inspection provider is required.
You can incur late filing fees and failure-to-file penalties, which scale with building type and test, and an elevator with overdue testing or open violations can be ordered out of service.
We handle periodic inspections, Category 1 and Category 5 testing, witnessing, and the filings that keep your elevators compliant, as an independent agency separate from your maintenance provider.