White Plains Short-Term Rentals: Registration Rules Rules (2026)

The Common Council adopted Section 4-28 on June 18, 2018 (effective July 3, 2018) adding a new article to Title IV of the White Plains Municipal Code. Sec. 4-28-4 makes it unlawful to operate any rental housing unit without a Rental Housing License from the Department of Building. Sec. 4-28-5 sets the license year as January 1 to December 31, and Sec. 4-28-6 requires existing-rental applications between October 1 and December 1 each year, with new-rental applications filed at least 30 days before offering the unit. Sec. 4-28-15 sets the initial and renewal application fee at $125.00 plus $10.00 per non-owner-occupied unit. The renewal late fee is half the initial application fee for filings up to seven business days late, with a $25.00 per-diem fee beyond the seven-day grace period; applications more than 60 days late may face court action. Exemptions in Sec. 4-28-3 cover owner-occupied single-family homes, owner-occupied two-family dwellings, condos and co-ops, buildings with more than 12 units, and licensed hotels/motels. Short-term rentals offered in covered buildings must register and pass a Department of Building inspection (Sec. 4-28-9, Sec. 4-28-10). Layered on top, the New York Statewide Short-Term Rental Registry signed by Governor Hochul in late 2024 (effective April 21, 2025) requires booking platforms acting as marketplace facilitators to collect and remit New York's 4% state sales tax, local sales tax, and a unit fee on every short-term stay.