Troy, NY Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Troy City Code § 177-5, Registration of owner
- Filing fee
- $150 per rental property (§ 177-8A)
- Late fee
- $75 for each additional 60 days unregistered
- Managing agent
- Required if owner lives beyond 20 miles or is not a natural person
- Updates
- Amend the statement within 90 days of any change
- Penalty
- $100 to $500 fine, up to 15 days, or both
Summary
In the City of Troy, New York, the owner of any nonowner-occupied building with residential units must register it with the Registry Authority on a landlord registration statement, and it is unlawful to offer, rent or allow occupancy of a unit before registering. The filing fee is $150 per rental property, and a violation carries a fine of $100 to $500.
A. The owner of a property constituting a rental property shall register the same with the Registry Authority within 90 days of the effective date of this chapter. The registration form shall be known as a "landlord registration statement," and shall be signed and affirmed by the property owner of record and, if applicable, the managing agent. B. It shall be unlawful for any owner to offer any unit for rent, or to rent any unit, or to allow any rental unit to be occupied without having first registered pursuant to this chapter as required herein within the time prescribed for such registration. Failure to receive notice of the registration deadline shall not be a defense for failure to register rental property. It is the owner's responsibility to fulfill the requirements of this article.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 177 of the Troy City Code, adopted by the Troy City Council on 10-2-2008, creates the Landlord Registry. Its stated purpose in § 177-1 is a procedure for identifying and registering rental properties so the City has an effective means of communicating with owners, and to alleviate conditions of substandard housing, including slums and blight. The Bureau of Code Enforcement enforces the registry under § 177-2, while § 177-4 assigns administration to the Bureau of Information Services with the assistance of the Bureau of Code Enforcement.
A rental property is any building containing residential units that are rented, leased, let or hired out for residential or mixed commercial-residential use and are nonowner occupied. To count as owner-occupied, every individual owner, partner or corporate shareholder must have a principal residence at the property and live there full time, and the City can demand a sworn affidavit supporting the claim.
Section 177-5 sets the core duty: register the property, and do not offer, rent or allow occupancy of any unit until registered. Not receiving notice of the deadline is no defense. An owner who does not live within 20 miles of the City limits, or who is not a natural person, must designate a managing agent under § 177-6. That agent must be a natural person 18 years of age or older who lives or has a regular place of business within 20 miles of the City limits.
Section 177-7 lists what the sworn statement must contain: a property description with address, number of units, floors and total bedrooms and the name on the deed; owner information with a physical address, because a P.O. box is not acceptable; managing agent details where required; and the insurance provider's name, address and business telephone number with a copy of the policy. Incomplete filings are marked rejected and returned, and a rejected application is not compliant. Owners must amend the statement within 90 days of any change, and a new owner must file within 90 days of a transfer.
Under § 177-8 the filing fee is $150 per rental property, waivable when the statement arrives within 90 days of the effective date or within 90 days of the landlord's receipt of a certificate of occupancy for newly constructed residential units. A late fee of $75 applies for each additional 60 days a property stays unregistered, and unpaid fees go onto the annual City tax levy for the property.
Violations & Fines
Section 177-9 makes any failure to comply a violation punishable on conviction by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500, or imprisonment not to exceed 15 days, or both. Fee consequences stack on top: § 177-8B adds a $75 late fee for each additional 60 days of non-registration, and § 177-8C adds unpaid fees to the property's annual City tax levy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Troy landlords have to register?
How much does Troy charge to register a rental property?
Does an out-of-town owner need a local managing agent in Troy?
What happens to the registration when a rental property is sold?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Troy
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