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

Rochester:Good Cause opted in (verify); no other local layer in the pilot.

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

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

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

Rochester

Good Cause opted in (verify); no other local layer in the pilot.

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