By Noah Pransky
Can you rent an apartment for less than 30 days in NYC?
That’s a question we get a lot, since our Office of Special Enforcement is tasked with enforcing Local Law 18, the city’s short-term rental registration law.
But despite what might get mistakenly printed online — yes, many short-term rentals are legal in New York City! In fact, there are more than 3,300 legal short-term rental operators across the five boroughs who are registered with the NYC Office of Special Enforcement.
However, since the 1960s, New York has had laws restricting stays under 30 days in homes and apartments:
- You cannot rent out your entire home or apartment for less than 30 days;
- You must be staying in your home when renting rooms (up to two guests);
- You cannot host visitors in illegal spaces, such as attics, cellars, and most basements.
These longstanding rules protect New Yorkers who need long-term rentals, as well as our city’s short-term visitors. You can read more about the rules here on OSE’s website.
Local Law 18, which is sometimes mistakenly called a ban on short-term rentals, created a registration system for hosts willing to follow existing laws and a verification system to make sure online booking services are only allowing legal stays. By limiting illegal listings, Local Law 18 protects the city’s vital rental stock and keep visitors safe.
With a vacancy rate hovering around just 1%, New York City is one of the hardest places to find housing, which is why OSE makes sure apartments are available for New Yorkers to rent — not withheld by people looking to make a profit.