Rochester, NY Accessory Structures: ADU Rental Restrictions (2026)

An ADU built in compliance with Chapter 120 of the Rochester City Code may be rented to a long-term tenant in the same manner as any permitted dwelling unit, subject to the city's Property Conservation Code (Chapter 90) and certificate of occupancy. Rentals of fewer than 30 consecutive days fall under the city's short-term rental rules, which require the operator to obtain a Short-Term Rental Registration (typically $150/year), pass a property inspection, and collect and remit New York State sales tax and the Monroe County hotel/motel tax. NY Multiple Residence Law and the New York State Property Maintenance Code (19 NYCRR Part 1226, incorporating the IPMC with state amendments) also apply to habitability, smoke and CO alarms, and minimum life-safety standards. For ADUs built with City of Rochester ADU pilot program reimbursement, the program contract requires the owner to keep rent at fair-market-rent levels for at least 3 years and prohibits using the ADU as a short-term rental during that period in most cases; violating these terms can require repayment of the up-to-$20,000 reimbursement.