<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-09-27</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000798288</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NEW PLAN EXCEL REALTY TRUST INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NXL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001219394</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ROCHE JOHN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O NEW PLAN EXCEL REALTY TRUST, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>420 LEXINGTON AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10170</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Exec VP and CFO</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable></nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
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            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>12.79</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-09-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5518</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2001-05-15</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2010-05-14</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5518</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>48118</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>13.71</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-09-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
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            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5518</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2002-03-19</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2011-03-18</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5518</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
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                    <value>48118</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
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            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
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            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-09-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6917</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-04-02</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-04-01</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>6917</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>60317</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>16.97</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-09-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3881</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-03-10</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-03-09</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>3881</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>33841</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>23.11</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-09-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5531</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2005-03-02</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-03-02</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5531</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>48231</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>22.75</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-09-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6607</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2006-02-23</value>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-02-23</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>6607</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>57607</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On September 27, 2005, the Company paid a $3.00 special dividend to its stockholders, which resulted in an anti-dilution adjustment that increased the number of options held by the reporting person and decreased the option exercise price.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The initial option for 150,000 shares vests with respect to 108,000 shares in five equal annual installments beginning on May 15, 2001.  The option vests with respect to the remaining 42,000 shares on May 15, 2008, subject to accelerated vesting upon the satisfaction of certain performance criteria.  All of the shares are currently vested.  The anti-dilution adjustment has no impact on this vesting schedule.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The initial option for 75,000 shares vests with respect to 54,000 shares in five equal annual installments beginning on March 19, 2002.  The option vests with respect to the remaining 21,000 shares on March 19, 2009, subject to accelerated vesting based on the satisfaction of certain performance criteria, and 1/2 of these 21,000 shares are currently vested.  The anti-dilution adjustment has no impact on this vesting schedule.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The initial option for 75,000 shares vests with respect to 54,000 shares in five equal annual installments beginning on April 2, 2003.  The option vests with respect to the remaining 21,000 shares on April 2, 2010, subject to accelerated vesting upon the satisfaction of certain performance criteria.  The anti-dilution adjustment has no impact on this vesting schedule.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">The initial option for 35,000 shares vests with respect to 25,200 shares in five equal annual installments beginning on March 10, 2004.  The option vests with respect to the remaining 9,800 shares on March 10, 2011, subject to accelerated vesting upon the satisfaction of certain performance criteria.  The anti-dilution adjustment has no impact on this vesting schedule.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">The option for 42,700 shares vests with respect to 21,350 shares in five equal annual installments beginning on March 2, 2005.  The option vests with respect to the remaining 21,350 shares on March 2, 2012, subject to accelerated vesting upon the satisfaction of certain performance criteria, and 1/5 of these 21,350 shares are currently vested.  The anti-dilution adjustment has no impact on this vesting schedule.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">The option for 51,000 shares vests with respect to 25,500 shares in five equal annual installments beginning on February 23, 2006.  The option vests with respect to the remaining 25,500 shares in five equal annual installments beginning on February 23, 2006, subject to satisfaction of certain annual performance criteria.  The anti-dilution adjustment has no impact on this vesting schedule.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Steven F. Siegel, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-09-27</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
