New York State · State home

New York tenancy rules, across the life of a tenancy

One set of State guides, tools and checklists that every New York city reuses. Pick a city to see which local layers sit on top. The State trap is visible everywhere: Good Cause Eviction applies automatically in New York City but only where other municipalities have opted in, and rent regulation exists only where a locality has adopted it.

Show local layer for:New York City Albany Rochester Buffalo Yonkers

New York City:RGB orders, HPD registration, Housing Maintenance Code, NYC Human Rights Law, Fair Chance. Good Cause applies automatically.

Open the New York City hub →

Starting a tenancy

screening, lease and riders, deposits, condition records

Confirm which rules apply

Special housing in New York City: when the ordinary route is not enoughreference Which tenancy protections cover a New York City rental?article

Start a new tenancy

Start or amend a tenancy in New York Cityguide Agreement preparation checklistchecklist

Collect or return a deposit

New York City deposit interest and disposition plannertool Collect and return a deposit in New York Cityguide Deposit return evidence checklistchecklist New York City security deposits, fees and interest: key questionsarticle

Inspect at move-in or move-out

Prepare move-in and move-out condition records in New York Cityguide New York City condition-record checklist and form routeschecklist

New York City adds:NYC-C22Build a fair screening process in New York City NYC-C23screening-process checklist

During the tenancy

rent, entry, repairs, records

Raise the rent

New York City rent-change amount and date plannertool Prepare a rent increase in New York Cityguide Rent increase preparation checklistchecklist New York City rent increases: coverage, amounts and timingarticle

Deal with unpaid rent

Respond to unpaid rent in New York City without skipping stepsguide Rent payment reconciliation worksheettemplate Late or unpaid rent in New York City: what should landlords do first?article

Enter the unit

New York City document delivery date explorertool What must I check before entering a New York City rental?tool Enter a rental unit lawfullyguide Entry and access record checklistchecklist

Handle repairs and emergencies

Repairs, damage and ordinary wear in New York Cityarticle

Keep the right records

New York City tenancy evidence-pack organizertool Tenancy records inventory templatetemplate Tenant information in New York City: collection, sharing and retentionarticle

New York City adds:NYC-C16Handle repairs and emergencies NYC-C17Repair request and evidence checklist NYC-C29property standards review checklist

Blue dot marks a State item the selected city adds a local layer to.

Baseline and overlays

The State baseline applies everywhere; regulation and Good Cause are local

Deposits (one month, 14 days), 226-c notices (30/60/90 days), fee caps and Housing Court apply to every New York rental. Rent stabilization applies only where adopted (New York City, and ETPA municipalities in Nassau, Westchester and Rockland, plus opt-ins upstate). Good Cause applies in New York City and in municipalities that have opted in, with exemptions.

City layer

New York City

Rent Guidelines Board orders; DHCR rent stabilization administration
HPD property registration and the Housing Maintenance Code
Heat season, hot water, lead paint, window guards, bed bugs
NYC Human Rights Law and Fair Chance for Housing

Additional requirements. They never lower a State one.

State

New York

Real Property Law incl. §226-c notices and Article 6-A Good Cause
General Obligations Law §7-108 deposits; RPL §238-a fee caps
RPAPL: rent demand, Housing Court, warrants; no self-help
Human Rights Law; SHIELD Act

Applies to ordinary long-term rentals everywhere in New York.

State sources

Not sure which regime you're in?

Stabilized, controlled, subsidized, co-op, owner-occupied small buildings: each follows a different path.

Check which rules apply Special housing reference