New York, NY Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in New York, NY, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- Code Section
- NYC Admin Code Sec. 26-3101 to 26-3102
- Rules
- 43 RCNY Ch. 17 (Local Law 18)
- Registrant
- Permanent occupant; owner or tenant
- Host Presence
- Required for stays under 30 days
- Booking Platforms
- Must verify registration before booking
Summary
Under NYC Administrative Code Chapter 31 of Title 26 (Local Law 18 of 2022), it is unlawful to offer, manage, or administer the short-term rental of a dwelling unit unless that unit is registered with the Mayor's Office of Special Enforcement (OSE) and has a valid, unique short-term rental registration number. The host must be a permanent occupant of the unit and physically present during each stay.
It shall be unlawful for a person who owns, manages, occupies or otherwise controls a dwelling unit to offer, manage or administer the short-term rental of such dwelling unit unless such dwelling unit is registered in accordance with this chapter, such dwelling unit has been issued a unique short-term rental registration number, and such registration is currently valid. It shall be unlawful for a person who owns, manages, occupies or otherwise controls a dwelling unit to falsely represent or falsely advertise a dwelling unit as registered for short-term rental pursuant to this chapter when such dwelling unit is not so registered.
Full Breakdown
NYC defines a short-term rental as a rental for fewer than 30 consecutive days of a dwelling unit within a private dwelling or class A multiple dwelling (NYC Admin Code Sec. 26-3101). Section 26-3102 makes it unlawful for a person who owns, manages, occupies, or otherwise controls a dwelling unit to offer, manage, or administer the short-term rental of that unit unless it is registered, has been issued a unique short-term rental registration number, and the registration is currently valid. The OSE's final rules implementing the law (codified at Title 43, Chapter 17 of the Rules of the City of New York, effective March 6, 2023) require the registration applicant to be a natural person who is the permanent occupant and either the owner or a lawful tenant of the unit; the host must be present and share the dwelling as a common household with guests, no more than two paying guests may stay at a time, and guests must have free and unobstructed access to every room and to each exit. Booking services such as Airbnb and Vrbo may not process transactions for a sub-30-day stay unless the listing displays a valid OSE registration number.
Violations & Fines
Operating an unregistered short-term rental, or falsely representing a unit as registered, is unlawful under Sec. 26-3102 and is enforced by OSE through civil penalties. Hosts who rent out an entire class A apartment for under 30 days, or who are not present, are also violating the NYS Multiple Dwelling Law and NYC Admin Code Sec. 28-210.3.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to register my short-term rental in New York City?
Can I rent out my whole apartment on Airbnb while I'm away?
Will Airbnb or Vrbo let me list without a registration number?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New York
How New York compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·New York rules heatmap·Compare New York to another location·View the New York short-term rentals overview
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