What New Jersey’s Proposed Parking Garage Inspection Law (S-3636) Means for Owners and Facility Managers

New Jersey legislators have introduced Bill S-3636, a proposed regulation that would establish the state’s first formal inspection requirements for parking garages. 

Read more: Bill S-3636If enacted, the bill would bring New Jersey in line with other jurisdictions that have adopted structured inspection programs in response to aging infrastructure, corrosion-related deterioration and public safety concerns. 

For parking garage owners and facility managers across the state – including South Jersey, Trenton, Newark and greater Philadelphia metro regions – the proposed law will drive more consistent oversight of aging parking structures and clarify responsibilities for inspection scope, timing, reporting and long-term maintenance. 

Key Provisions of the Proposed Bill 

While the bill is still under consideration, S-3636 outlines several core concepts that would shape future parking garage oversight in New Jersey, including:

• Establishment of a formal inspection cycle for qualifying parking garages 
• Required documentation and reporting of observed structural conditions 
• Defined responsibilities for owners related to maintenance and follow-up actions 
• Standardized inspection practices across public and private facilities 

The bill, if adopted, would apply to owners and operators of public and private parking garages throughout New Jersey. 

These measures create a more uniform system for identifying risks early and addressing them before conditions worsen – particularly important for older garages where deterioration may not be visible from routine observation. 

What This Could Mean for New Jersey Garage Owners and Facility Managers 

Across the U.S., parking garages are aging under heavy vehicle loads, exposure to deicing salts and deferred maintenance. In recent years, several high-profile structural failures and emergency closures have prompted regulators to reassess how these facilities are monitored. 

Proposed legislation like S-3636 reflects a broader shift toward proactive condition assessment, moving from reactive repairs to structured inspection programs designed to identify deterioration before it becomes a safety risk. 

If it becomes law, S-3636 would likely require owners to adopt a more systematic approach to evaluating and maintaining parking structures. Based on similar regulations elsewhere – like Local Law 126 in New York City – this could include: 

• Earlier identification of corrosion-related deterioration 
• Clearer documentation of structural conditions over time 
• More predictable capital planning for repairs and rehabilitation 
• Increased coordination between engineering assessments and operations teams 

For many owners, the biggest shift is not inspection itself, but the formalization and documentation of decisions that were previously informal or reactive. 

Looking Ahead 

Thornton Tomasetti provides a full suite of services to help owners, operators and institutions comply with New Jersey’s new parking garage inspection requirements and maintain safe, durable structures statewide. Our teams in Newark, Philadelphia and New York City are experienced in assessing garages of all ages and construction types across exposure conditions ranging from urban facilities to coastal and salt-exposed environments. 

Our services include: 

• Structural condition assessments and deterioration evaluations
• Baseline and periodic inspection programs required by New Jersey’s Bill S-3636
• Repair prioritization and capital planning
• Corrosion mitigation, waterproofing and durability strategies
• Preparation of repair documents and contractor bid support
• Construction-phase monitoring and quality assurance
• Life cycle maintenance planning for long-term resilience

Contact us if you need a building or structure evaluated