Moving to White Plains, NY?

Amplified music plainly audible at a neighbor's property or 50 feet from the source is prohibited, especially after 10 p.m. Outdoor commercial amplification in downtown requires a special permit.

White Plains Municipal Code Chapter 4-5 (Noise Control) prohibits unreasonable noise audible at property lines during nighttime hours, typically 10 p.m.–7 a.m. weekdays and 10 p.m.–9 a.m. weekends.

Industrial and mechanical noise (HVAC, compressors, loading docks) must meet dBA limits at property lines: 65 dBA daytime, 55 dBA nighttime in residential districts per zoning performance standards.

Persistent barking audible at a property line for 15+ continuous minutes or repeatedly over 30 minutes is a noise violation. Enforced by Public Safety and Westchester County animal control.

Gas-powered leaf blowers allowed weekdays 8 a.m.–6 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; prohibited Sundays. No full seasonal ban like some Westchester neighbors, but noise ordinance still applies.

Construction noise restricted to weekdays 7 a.m.–6 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; prohibited Sundays and legal holidays. Downtown core has stricter limits due to residential mixed-use.

White Plains generally prohibits short-term rentals under 30 days in most residential zones under zoning code. No specific STR permit program; rentals under 30 days treated as transient lodging requiring hotel zoning.

No Westchester County occupancy tax on STRs as of early 2026. NY state 4% sales tax applies; platforms collect since March 2025. Westchester hotel tax applies to hotels but not currently to STRs.

STR guest parking follows underlying zoning: single-family requires off-street spaces; condo/apartment guests must use assigned or visitor spaces. Downtown street parking has meters/permits.

No city-mandated STR liability insurance minimum (since most STRs prohibited). Where permitted long-term, landlord insurance or a commercial rider is standard; Airbnb Host Protection offers $1M guest coverage.

NY State Multiple Dwelling Law and NYS Property Maintenance Code apply: minimum 70 sq ft first occupant + 50 sq ft each additional. Bedrooms must meet 70 sq ft and egress rules.

Where STRs operate, standard city noise rules apply: 10 p.m. quiet hours weekdays, 11 p.m. weekends. Hosts liable for guest violations.

White Plains Municipal Code Title IV, Section 4-28 (Rental Housing Registry and License Program) requires every non-exempt rental unit, including short-term rentals, to obtain a Rental Housing License from the Department of Building before being offered for rent. Licenses run January 1 through December 31 and applications must be filed at least 30 days before renting.

White Plains Municipal Code Sec. 4-28 sets no annual night cap for short-term rentals, but New York Multiple Dwelling Law Section 4(8)(a) bars rentals shorter than 30 days in any Class A multiple dwelling (three or more units) unless the permanent resident is present throughout the stay. Single-family and owner-occupied two-family homes are not affected by MDL Section 4(8).

All consumer fireworks and sparklers are illegal in White Plains. Westchester County opted out of the 2017 NY sparkler law, so even sparkling devices legal elsewhere in NY are banned here.

White Plains has no defensible-space ordinance (not a wildland area). Property maintenance code requires removal of dead trees, dangerous limbs, and overgrowth that creates hazards or obstructs sight lines.

Small recreational fire pits with clean dry wood or charcoal are generally allowed if attended and kept small. Must comply with NY Fire Code §307 clearances and never burn yard waste or trash.

Open burning of brush and yard waste is banned in White Plains year-round as a densely populated area under NY DEC rules. Statewide DEC Part 215 brush-burn ban also applies March 16 – May 14.

White Plains is not in a designated wildfire zone. Westchester suburbs have minimal wildland-urban interface risk. NY DEC issues statewide high-risk warnings during spring burn-ban season.

White Plains enforces the New York State Property Maintenance Code (19 NYCRR Part 1225) and Fire Code through its Department of Building. Single- or multiple-station smoke alarms are required in every sleeping room, immediately outside each sleeping area, and on each story of a dwelling unit including basements. Compliance is verified during Sec. 4-28 rental license inspections.

Recreational vehicles, boats, and trailers cannot be stored on streets. Residential zoning restricts storage in driveways and front yards — typically rear or side yards, screened from view.

Overnight on-street parking is restricted in many White Plains neighborhoods (typically 3 a.m.–5 a.m. prohibition unless posted otherwise). Residents may purchase overnight parking permits for designated municipal lots.

White Plains has adopted NY state building code EV-ready requirements for new construction. Municipal garages offer public EV charging. No state-level preemption forces condos/HOAs to allow charger installations beyond NY Real Property Law provisions.

Commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs GVW cannot park overnight on residential streets. Delivery and service trucks allowed during active work only; daytime commercial street parking limited downtown.

Downtown White Plains has metered parking plus residential permit zones near Metro-North and the hospital district. Alternate-side parking applies in some neighborhoods for street cleaning.

Driveway curb cuts and aprons require a permit from Public Works. Parking across the sidewalk or blocking pedestrian path is prohibited. Surfaces must be paved (no gravel fronting the street).

Typical limits: 4 ft in front yards and 6 ft in side/rear yards in residential districts. Corner lots have sight-triangle restrictions. Taller fences may require zoning variance.

Barbed wire, razor wire, and electrified fencing are prohibited in residential districts of White Plains. Chain link is allowed but often discouraged in front yards by zoning aesthetics provisions.

Shared boundary fences are governed by NY Real Property Law §840. White Plains requires the finished side to face the neighboring property and fences must be set inside your own property line unless a shared-fence agreement exists.

NYS Residential Code Appendix G applies: pool barriers must be at least 48 inches high with self-closing, self-latching gates. Pool alarms required on pools built or substantially modified after Dec 14, 2006.

Retaining walls over 4 ft high (measured from bottom of footing to top of wall) require a Building Department permit and engineered drawings. Walls supporting a surcharge always need a permit regardless of height.

White Plains requires a Building Department permit for most fence installations, regardless of height. Application includes site plan showing fence location relative to property lines.

NY ECL §11-0512 bans wild animals as pets statewide. White Plains prohibits keeping of wild, dangerous, or exotic animals within city limits.

Beekeeping permitted in White Plains subject to zoning. NY Ag & Markets Article 15 requires annual state registration. Hives must be sited away from property lines and maintained responsibly.

White Plains prohibits chickens, roosters, and livestock in residential zones. City is urban/suburban and not zoned for agricultural use. No backyard chicken ordinance.

No breed-specific bans in White Plains. NY Agriculture & Markets Law §107(5) preempts municipalities from enacting breed-specific legislation. Dangerous dog determinations handled case-by-case.

White Plains City Code Chapter 4-6 requires dogs to be leashed when off owner's property. Annual dog licensing and rabies vaccination required per NY Ag & Markets Law.

Feeding deer, bears, and other wildlife discouraged and may violate NY DEC regulations. White Plains prohibits feeding that creates nuisance or attracts rodents/pests.

White Plains property maintenance code requires removal of noxious weeds and overgrown vegetation. Owners must control invasive species and keep yards maintained.

Artificial turf not specifically banned on residential lawns in White Plains, but stormwater, impervious surface, and front-yard landscape standards apply. Check site plan rules.

White Plains is served by Westchester Joint Water Works and New York City DEP water. Drought-stage restrictions apply when declared by NYC DEP or Westchester County.

Native and pollinator-friendly plants encouraged in White Plains. No ordinance banning meadow-style lawns, but overgrowth rules still apply to manage heights.

Rainwater harvesting allowed in White Plains. Rain barrels and cisterns for non-potable outdoor use are encouraged. Larger systems may need plumbing review.

White Plains Tree Ordinance (Chapter 5-3) requires a permit to remove regulated trees on private property above DBH thresholds. Significant trees protected.

Property owners must keep trees from obstructing sidewalks, streets, and traffic signs. White Plains public works manages street trees; private trees are owner responsibility.

White Plains property maintenance code limits grass and weeds to approximately 10 inches. Owners must keep premises free of overgrown vegetation.

Home-based daycare is licensed by NYS Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). Family Day Care (up to 6 children) and Group Family Day Care (up to 12 children) allowed in residential zones per state preemption.

New York's Home Processor Exemption (Ag & Markets §276) allows certain low-risk foods to be made at home and sold retail after free registration with NYS Dept. of Agriculture & Markets.

White Plains Zoning Ordinance permits home occupations as an accessory use in residential districts, subject to the use being clearly incidental and secondary to the residential use of the dwelling.

No external signs advertising a home occupation are permitted in residential zones. One small professional nameplate may be permitted for certain professional offices.

Home occupations must not generate customer traffic, deliveries, or parking demand beyond what is normal for a residence in the neighborhood.

Hot tubs and spas under a locking safety cover meeting ASTM F1346 are exempt from the 48-inch barrier requirement. Electrical permit required for 240V installation.

Pool alarms required for all pools built or substantially modified after December 14, 2006, per NY Executive Law §387(14). Alarm must comply with ASTM F2208.

Pool barriers must meet NYS Residential Code Appendix G: minimum 48-inch fence, self-closing/self-latching gate opening away from pool, bottom gap max 2 inches.

Above-ground pools over 24 inches deep require a building permit and full Appendix G barrier compliance. Pool walls 48+ inches tall may serve as the barrier if ladder is removable/lockable.

All pools 24+ inches deep require a White Plains Building Department permit before installation. Plans, setbacks, electrical, and Appendix G barrier review required.

Converting a garage to living space requires a building permit, full code compliance (egress, insulation, heating, smoke/CO alarms), and zoning approval if it changes the number of dwelling units.

Sheds over 144 sq ft require a building permit. Sheds must meet accessory structure setbacks (typically 5-10 feet from side/rear lot lines) and rear/side yard placement rules.

White Plains restricts accessory apartments. Two-family dwellings are permitted only in R-2 and higher-density districts; single-family R-1 zones generally do not permit ADUs without variance.

Tiny homes on foundations must meet NYS Residential Code (min 70 sq ft habitable room, 7-ft ceiling). Tiny homes on wheels are treated as RVs and not permitted as permanent dwellings.

Carports are accessory structures requiring a building permit and compliance with zoning setbacks. Typically may not encroach into required front yards.

Grading permit required when excavating, filling, or regrading alters drainage on your property. Lots must drain toward streets or approved swales — not onto neighbors. Retaining walls over 4 ft require a building permit and engineered plans.

White Plains participates in NFIP. FEMA AE zones exist along the Bronx River and Mamaroneck River corridors. Floodplain development permit required for construction, substantial improvement, or fill in SFHAs per City Code Chapter 3-5 (Flood Damage Prevention).

Erosion and sediment control plans required for any soil disturbance over 5,000 sq ft or within 100 ft of a watercourse, per WP stormwater chapter. Plans must follow NYS DEC Standards and Specifications for Erosion and Sediment Control (the Blue Book).

Not applicable. White Plains is an inland Westchester County city with no coastline, tidal waters, or NYS DEC Coastal Erosion Hazard Area. No coastal development regulations apply.

White Plains is a regulated MS4 under the NYS SPDES General Permit. Illicit discharges to storm drains (soap, paint, motor oil, grass clippings) are prohibited. Post-construction stormwater controls required for projects disturbing 1 acre or more.

Adults 21+ may grow up to 3 mature and 3 immature cannabis plants at home, capped at 6 mature and 6 immature per household, under NY Cannabis Law §222. Plants must be secured from minors and not visible from public right-of-way.

White Plains opted in to allow adult-use cannabis retail dispensaries and on-site consumption under NY MRTA (2021). Dispensaries limited to specific commercial zones with setbacks from schools, places of worship, and other dispensaries per local zoning amendments.

White Plains participates in the NYS Unified Solar Permit for residential rooftop systems ≤25 kW. Standardized application, reduced fees, and expedited review.

NY Real Property Law §335-b limits HOA restrictions on solar panels. HOAs cannot prohibit solar systems but may impose reasonable aesthetic standards that do not significantly reduce efficiency or increase costs.

Political campaign signs on private property are protected speech and broadly permitted. White Plains applies content-neutral size and placement limits (typically 4-6 sq ft in residential zones) consistent with Reed v. Town of Gilbert (2015).

Garage sale signs may be placed only on the sale property and, with adjacent owner permission, nearby private property — never on utility poles, street trees, or public right-of-way. Signs must be removed within 24 hours of sale end.

Residential holiday decorations (lights, inflatables, religious symbols) are broadly permitted without a permit. Temporary displays may exceed normal sign size limits but must not create traffic hazards, block sightlines, or violate light-trespass rules.

Chapter 5-7 Property Maintenance Code requires exteriors free of peeling paint, broken windows, graffiti, and debris. Downtown has heightened standards near commercial corridors.

Vacant lots must be kept free of trash, debris, and overgrown vegetation (grass/weeds above 10 inches). Owners must fence or secure lots against unauthorized entry.

Garage/yard sales allowed without a permit, limited to 3 sales per year per household, max 2 consecutive days each. No commercial merchandise resale disguised as garage sales.

Property owners must clear snow and ice from sidewalks within 12 hours of snowfall end (daytime) or by 10 a.m. the following day if it ends overnight. Fire hydrants must also be accessible.

Trash and recycling carts may be placed curbside no earlier than 5 p.m. the day before collection and must be removed by 10 p.m. on collection day. Containers must have tight-fitting lids.

White Plains Zoning Code regulates outdoor lighting in commercial and mixed-use districts — fixtures must be fully shielded, directed downward, and limited in lumens at property lines. No formal dark-sky designation.

Light trespass onto neighboring properties is addressed through the Zoning Code's property-line illumination limits and general nuisance provisions. Complaints handled by Building Department and code enforcement.

White Plains requires rental dwelling registration and a Certificate of Occupancy inspection for most residential rentals under Building Department rules. Two-family and multi-family rentals are the primary focus.

White Plains did NOT opt into Emergency Tenant Protection Act (ETPA). Rent stabilization/control does not generally apply in White Plains, unlike Yonkers, New Rochelle, and Mount Vernon.

NY's 2019 HSTPA and 2024 Good Cause Eviction Law apply. White Plains has NOT opted into local Good Cause coverage; statewide Good Cause applies only to NYC unless a locality opts in.

Mandatory source-separated recycling under NY General Municipal Law §120-aa and White Plains DPW rules. Paper/cardboard and commingled containers (metal, glass, plastic #1-2) must be separated from trash. Non-compliance results in collection refusal and fines.

Trash and recycling containers may be placed at the curb no earlier than 6 p.m. the evening before collection and must be removed from the curb by the end of the collection day. Bins stored between pickups must be screened from public street view.

White Plains DPW provides weekly residential trash and recycling collection on assigned routes. Trash must be in closed containers or tied plastic bags, max 35-50 lb per item. Recycling goes in separate labeled bins — paper/cardboard vs. commingled containers.

Bulk items (furniture, mattresses, appliances) are collected by White Plains DPW by appointment. Some items require tags or fees. Electronics and hazardous waste must go to Westchester County household hazardous waste events — not curbside.

Recreational drone pilots must pass the FAA TRUST test, register drones over 0.55 lb, and respect HPN (Westchester County Airport) airspace via B4UFLY/LAANC. Takeoff/landing from White Plains city parks is prohibited without a permit.

Commercial drone operations in White Plains require FAA Part 107 certification. Westchester County Airport (HPN) creates significant controlled airspace restrictions over much of the city — LAANC authorization required before flight.

Food trucks may not vend from public streets in the Central Business District (downtown). Operation on private commercial lots is allowed with property owner permission and proper permits. Special event permits allow temporary vending at festivals.

Mobile food vendors need a City Clerk peddler/vendor license plus a Westchester County Department of Health mobile food service establishment permit. City limits the total number of licenses and restricts downtown street vending.

White Plains honors 'No Soliciting' and 'No Knock' signs posted at residences. Solicitors must not ring or knock at homes displaying such signs. The city does not maintain a formal centralized no-knock registry.

Door-to-door solicitors and peddlers must obtain a license from the White Plains City Clerk before canvassing. Application requires ID, background check, photo, fingerprinting, and fee. License must be displayed while soliciting.

White Plains does not currently enforce a general juvenile curfew ordinance. Minors are subject to NY Family Court Act PINS (Person In Need of Supervision) provisions but no citywide nighttime curfew is on the books.

White Plains parks close from dusk to dawn (typically 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. or 30 minutes after sunset) per Department of Recreation and Parks rules. Trespassing in closed parks is punishable by fine.

Lot coverage limits vary by zone. R-1 single-family districts typically cap building coverage around 20-25%; higher-density RM and commercial CB zones allow much more.

R-1 setbacks typically require ~30-ft front, 10-15 ft side (sum of both ~25-30), 30-35 ft rear. Setbacks vary significantly by district per WP Zoning Bulk Regulations.

R-1/R-2 residential height limits typically 30-35 feet / 2.5 stories. Central Business (CB) district allows substantial high-rise development. Accessory structures typically 15 feet max.

White Plains requires a tree removal permit for regulated trees above DBH thresholds on private property. Applications filed with the building or planning department.

White Plains tree ordinance requires replacement plantings when regulated trees are removed. Replacement ratio typically based on caliper inches of tree removed.

White Plains tree ordinance protects landmark and heritage-size trees on private and public property. Larger specimens (often 24+ inch DBH) receive enhanced protection.

A garage sale permit from the City Clerk is required before holding a yard or garage sale in White Plains. Fee is nominal (typically $5-$25) and the permit must be posted during the sale.

White Plains residential zoning typically limits garage/yard sales to no more than 3 per calendar year per household, each lasting no more than 2-3 consecutive days. Running sales beyond these limits is treated as an illegal commercial retail use.

Garage sales in White Plains generally must run between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. (some codes allow 9 a.m.-5 p.m.). Early-bird setup before 8 a.m. that generates noise or traffic on residential streets is prohibited.