Albany, NY Short-Term Rentals: Permit Requirements (2026)

Albany regulates short-term rentals through the Rental Dwelling Registry codified at City Code Chapter 231, Part 4 (Residential Occupancy Permit and Rental Dwelling Registry). The code defines a "short-term rental dwelling unit" as a property rented to different tenants at a rate of more than three renters in any month, or more than twelve renters in a year — explicitly including units marketed through online platforms such as Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com. All rental and short-term rental dwelling units must be registered under Part 4 before any renting takes place.

Under Albany City Code §231-132(a), it is unlawful to rent, lease, or otherwise allow occupancy of any rental dwelling unit without that unit having been registered on the City of Albany Rental Dwelling Registry. No owner, agent, or person in charge may collect rents while a unit is unregistered. The Residential Occupancy Permit must be posted conspicuously adjacent to the primary egress point. Rental and short-term rental dwelling units must be re-registered every 24 months, or after building-code compliance is achieved following de-registration. The Department of Buildings & Regulatory Compliance administers the registry and processes Residential Occupancy Permits.

In addition to Albany’s local registration, New York State requires all short-term rental operators to register with the NY State STR Registry (or a municipal registry recognized by the state) under legislation that took effect in 2025. STRs are also classified as hotels for state and local sales tax purposes (4% state sales tax, 4% local sales tax, plus a county-level hotel occupancy tax). Citation: Albany City Code Ch. 231, Part 4.