Short-term rental rules
Running an Airbnb in New York, New York
Under Local Law 18, New York City requires hosts to register with the Office of Special Enforcement and prohibits booking platforms from processing reservations for unregistered listings. In practice only hosted stays with the host present and no more than two guests are permitted.
The rules
Every field, with its source
Anything not confirmed on an official source shows as Verify with jurisdiction rather than a guess.
Only hosted stays where the host is present as a permanent occupant are permitted; un-hosted whole-unit stays under 30 days are effectively prohibited.
SourceNo explicit night cap; instead only hosted stays are permitted.
Class B multiple dwellings approved for short-term occupancy are exempt, but a general zoning restriction was not confirmed.
Check eligibility
Can you run each type of STR in New York?
A deterministic read of the cited rules for each common use type. When a governing rule is unknown, the verdict says so rather than guessing.
My primary residence (home-share)
Allowed with a permitShort-term rentals are allowed in New York once you obtain the required licence and follow the rules below.
- A short-term rental licence or registration is required before you list.
- Register or apply here: https://www.nyc.gov/site/specialenforcement/registration-law/registration.page
- This city ties short-term rentals to a primary residence. Non-owner-occupied whole-home rentals are limited or barred.
- Enforcement of Local Law 18 began 5 September 2023; platforms must verify an active city registration before processing a reservation. Host presence and a two-guest limit apply.
Confidence: high. You live there and rent it while away or rent a room.
A whole second home / investment property
RestrictedIn New York, an STR that is not your primary residence is restricted. A home-share of your own residence is the usual path.
- A short-term rental licence or registration is required before you list.
- Register or apply here: https://www.nyc.gov/site/specialenforcement/registration-law/registration.page
- This city ties short-term rentals to a primary residence. Non-owner-occupied whole-home rentals are limited or barred.
- Enforcement of Local Law 18 began 5 September 2023; platforms must verify an active city registration before processing a reservation. Host presence and a two-guest limit apply.
Confidence: high. A dedicated STR that is not your primary residence.
An ADU, basement or garage unit
Allowed with a permitShort-term rentals are allowed in New York once you obtain the required licence and follow the rules below.
- A short-term rental licence or registration is required before you list.
- Register or apply here: https://www.nyc.gov/site/specialenforcement/registration-law/registration.page
- This city ties short-term rentals to a primary residence. Non-owner-occupied whole-home rentals are limited or barred.
- Enforcement of Local Law 18 began 5 September 2023; platforms must verify an active city registration before processing a reservation. Host presence and a two-guest limit apply.
Confidence: high. An accessory dwelling on your property.
Unhosted, whole-unit, no owner on site
RestrictedIn New York, an STR that is not your primary residence is restricted. A home-share of your own residence is the usual path.
- A short-term rental licence or registration is required before you list.
- Register or apply here: https://www.nyc.gov/site/specialenforcement/registration-law/registration.page
- This city ties short-term rentals to a primary residence. Non-owner-occupied whole-home rentals are limited or barred.
- Enforcement of Local Law 18 began 5 September 2023; platforms must verify an active city registration before processing a reservation. Host presence and a two-guest limit apply.
Confidence: high. The strictest category in most cities.
LodgeDeck reports publicly available short-term rental rules and lodging tax rates and cites the source of each field. It is not legal or tax advice and it does not replace your own review. Ordinances and tax rates change often and automated collection can lag, so every field shows the source it came from and a confidence flag, and unconfirmed values are marked Unverified. Confirm with the jurisdiction before you rely on a rule or rate.
FAQ
Common questions about New York
Do I need a licence to run an Airbnb in New York?
Yes. New York requires a short-term rental licence or registration before you list. Hosts must register with the Office of Special Enforcement under Local Law 18.
Does a short-term rental have to be my primary residence in New York?
Yes. New York ties short-term rentals to a primary residence, so non-owner-occupied whole-home rentals are limited or barred. Only hosted stays where the host is present as a permanent occupant are permitted; un-hosted whole-unit stays under 30 days are effectively prohibited.
Is there a night cap on short-term rentals in New York?
No annual night cap is confirmed for New York in our data. Verify with the jurisdiction.
Do I have to show my permit number on the listing in New York?
Not confirmed on an official source for New York. Verify with the jurisdiction before you rely on it.
What lodging tax will my guest pay in New York?
The combined lodging tax for New York is not confirmed as a single figure in our data. See the lodging-tax page for the components we do have.
Track New York for rule changes
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