Short-term-rental rules
Can you Airbnb in Putnam Valley, NY?
Researched and reviewed by Jake Lee, FounderCurrent as of July 2026How this atlas is maintained
Putnam Valley allows whole-home short-term rentals (stays under 30 days), including non-owner-occupied homes, but only with a special use permit from the Planning Board plus an STR permit from the Building Department, annual fire and safety inspections, and a local manager within 30 miles of Town Hall who can respond in person within one hour. Rentals are limited to single-family homes in the R-1, R-2, R-3, LP and CD zoning districts, corporate-owned properties do not qualify, and each owner is capped at three permits (one owner-occupied plus two non-owner-occupied).
The operator's read
Can I run a short-term rental in Putnam Valley, NY?
Go, with conditions
The rule that decides it: Properties must be owned by individuals, sole proprietorships, partnerships, or an LLC; corporate-owned properties do not qualify. One owner may hold at most three permits at a time: one owner-occupied and two non-owner-occupied, with only one permit per property (Sec. 165-36.1H).
- What does Putnam Valley actually require?
- No STR may operate without both a special use permit issued by the Planning Board and an STR permit issued by the Building Department; permits are valid for three years, subject to annual fire and safety inspection (Sec. 165-36.1G(2)). A named local manager is required who resides within 30 miles of Putnam Valley Town Hall and must be able to respond in person within one hour; emergency contact info must be posted inside the unit (Sec. 165-36.1F and the general permit regulations). Existing STRs lawfully operating as of December 31, 2023 had a three-month grace period to apply after adoption; the law was adopted by the Town Board on November 15, 2023. Per local news coverage of the adoption, fees were set at $500 per unit plus $500 in escrow and $100 annually for inspections (fees are set by Town Board resolution under the code). The governing text is Town of Putnam Valley Code, Chapter 165 (Zoning), Article X (Special Permit Uses), § 165-36.1 Short-Term Transient Rentals (STRs).
- What stands in the way in Putnam Valley?
- Owner-occupied means the home is the owner's primary residence at least 180 days per year, or the owner is present in the dwelling or on the parcel during the rental; anything else is non-owner-occupied (Sec. 165-36.1F). The Town Board may set a cap on the total number of STR permits by resolution, and renewals are processed first come, first served (Sec. 165-36.1 and renewal provisions).
- What does it cost to get permitted in Putnam Valley?
- Putnam Valley's ordinance does not publish a fee schedule in the sources we hold. We confirm current fees with the municipality before you budget for them.
- How long does approval take in Putnam Valley?
- Applications require one off-street parking space per sleeping room (no on-street parking), a maximum occupancy set by the Code Enforcement Officer, septic system documentation, an aerial plat, hosting platform URLs, house rules, and garbage removal arrangements; neighbors within 200 feet are notified (Sec. 165-36.1O).
What would you do with a property in Putnam Valley?
Model it on the nights you are actually allowed, not on 365. In Putnam Valley the ceiling moves the return more than the nightly rate does, and an underwriting built on full-year occupancy will be wrong.
What the rules say in Putnam Valley
- STR is defined as the rental of all or part of a residential single-family dwelling unit for a period of less than 30 days; both rented-in-whole and non-owner-occupied STRs are defined, permitted categories (Sec. 165-36.1F).
- No STR may operate without both a special use permit issued by the Planning Board and an STR permit issued by the Building Department; permits are valid for three years, subject to annual fire and safety inspection (Sec. 165-36.1G(2)).
- STR use is allowed only as an accessory use to a single-family home in the R-1, R-2, R-3, LP and CD zoning districts; permits are prohibited for multifamily parcels, commercial or industrial parcels, and vacant land (Sec. 165-36.1C and E).
- Properties must be owned by individuals, sole proprietorships, partnerships, or an LLC; corporate-owned properties do not qualify. One owner may hold at most three permits at a time: one owner-occupied and two non-owner-occupied, with only one permit per property (Sec. 165-36.1H).
- A named local manager is required who resides within 30 miles of Putnam Valley Town Hall and must be able to respond in person within one hour; emergency contact info must be posted inside the unit (Sec. 165-36.1F and the general permit regulations).
- Owner-occupied means the home is the owner's primary residence at least 180 days per year, or the owner is present in the dwelling or on the parcel during the rental; anything else is non-owner-occupied (Sec. 165-36.1F).
- Applications require one off-street parking space per sleeping room (no on-street parking), a maximum occupancy set by the Code Enforcement Officer, septic system documentation, an aerial plat, hosting platform URLs, house rules, and garbage removal arrangements; neighbors within 200 feet are notified (Sec. 165-36.1O).
- The Town Board may set a cap on the total number of STR permits by resolution, and renewals are processed first come, first served (Sec. 165-36.1 and renewal provisions).
- Existing STRs lawfully operating as of December 31, 2023 had a three-month grace period to apply after adoption; the law was adopted by the Town Board on November 15, 2023. Per local news coverage of the adoption, fees were set at $500 per unit plus $500 in escrow and $100 annually for inspections (fees are set by Town Board resolution under the code).
Sources: Town of Putnam Valley Code, Ch. 165 Art. X, Sec. 165-36.1 STRs (eCode360); Town of Putnam Valley, proposed STR town code text, June 2023 (official town site PDF); Highlands Current, Putnam Valley Adopts Short-Term Rental Law (Dec. 1, 2023). 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.
Thinking about a short-term rental in Putnam Valley?
Palisade Stays launches and runs short-term rentals for owners end to end. Tell us about your property and we'll see if it's a fit.
Nearby Putnam towns