Short-term-rental rules
Can you Airbnb in North Castle, NY?
Researched and reviewed by Jake Lee, FounderCurrent as of July 2026How this atlas is maintained
Short-term rentals (under 30 consecutive nights) are legal in the Town of North Castle only under a strict regime adopted in March 2026 (Local Law No. 2-2026, codified at Zoning Code sec. 355-26J): the home must be the host's primary residence, rentals are capped at 120 days per year, and you must register with the Building Department and hold an annually renewed operating permit with inspection. Non-owner-occupied (investor) whole-home STRs are effectively not permitted; the town has no incorporated villages, so this code applies townwide including Armonk, Banksville, and North White Plains.
The operator's read
Can I run a short-term rental in North Castle, NY?
No go for nightly stays
The rule that closes it: The dwelling must be the primary residence of the lessor, attested by affidavit; investor/second-home STRs are not eligible (sec. 355-26J(5)(a),(6)(d)).
- Is there a legal way to rent short-term in North Castle?
- Most ordinances of this kind restrict stays under 30 nights and leave longer furnished rentals alone, so a 30-plus-night rental is usually the compliant route in North Castle. Confirm the specifics against the sources on this page before you rely on it.
What would you do with a property in North Castle?
Not for nightly stays. The compliant play in North Castle is a furnished rental of 30 nights or more, which most ordinances of this kind leave open, and which we can set up and run. If you are buying specifically to run nightly stays, buy somewhere else.
What the rules say in North Castle
- STR defined as rental of any dwelling unit (house, apartment, condo, townhouse, guest house, cottage, accessory unit), in whole or part, for fewer than 30 consecutive nights (sec. 355-26J(1))
- Registration with the Building Department plus an operating permit under sec. 127-10 are required before an STR may be established, operated, or advertised; both renew annually and a physical inspection is required (sec. 355-26J(3),(4),(7))
- The dwelling must be the primary residence of the lessor, attested by affidavit; investor/second-home STRs are not eligible (sec. 355-26J(5)(a),(6)(d))
- Maximum 120 rental days per dwelling unit per year (sec. 355-26J(6)(c))
- Waiting periods: no STR until 2 years after the dwelling's initial certificate of occupancy and at least 1 year after the current owner took title, whichever is later (sec. 355-26J(5)(b))
- Only one STR permit per property (one dwelling unit only), and no STR on the same lot as an accessory apartment (sec. 355-26J(5)(f),(g))
- Occupancy capped at twice the number of bedrooms overnight; total people on site capped at twice the overnight occupants (sec. 355-26J(6)(a),(b))
- Overnight vehicles limited to one per bedroom, with at least two off-street parking spaces; no RVs or tent camping to add sleeping capacity (sec. 355-26J(6)(e)-(g))
- Quiet hours 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM; the lessor or a designated responsible adult must respond to complaints within 30 minutes; posted house-rules notice and guest records required; periodic Building Department inspections (sec. 355-26J(6)(h)-(m))
- Property must be registered with the Westchester County occupancy tax program before a permit issues; registration expires automatically on change of ownership; Town Board may revoke after a hearing (sec. 355-26J(5)(h),(7)(e),(9))
- Adopted 3-11-2026 by Local Law No. 2-2026 amending sec. 355-26; existing operators had 45 days from the effective date to register (sec. 355-26J(7)(f))
Sources: Town of North Castle Code, Ch. 355 Zoning, Art. VI District Regulations (contains sec. 355-26J Short-term rentals) - eCode360; Sec. 355-26J Short-term rentals, Town of North Castle Code - eCode360 (direct link); Town of North Castle - 2024 Adopted Local Laws (checked; no STR law that year); Town of North Castle - 2023 Adopted Local Laws (checked; no STR law that year). Last reviewed 2026-07.
How short-term rentals are regulated in New York
- New York has no single statewide short-term-rental ban. Towns, villages, and cities set their own rules through local ordinances and zoning, so rules can differ sharply between neighboring municipalities in the same county.
- Short stays in New York are generally subject to state and local sales tax, and many counties add a local occupancy (hotel/motel) tax, often collected by the booking platform on the host's behalf.
- Common local controls include permits or registration, primary-residence requirements, and zoning limits on which districts allow short-term use. In New York, a town and a village inside it can each have their own rule.
- Rules change. An ordinance can be added or amended at any time. Always confirm the current rule with the municipality before listing.
Navigating North Castle's rules?
We'll help you find out what's actually possible for your North Castle property, short-term, mid-term, or otherwise, and run it if it's a fit.
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