Short-term-rental rules
Can you Airbnb in Yonkers, NY?
Researched and reviewed by Jake Lee, FounderCurrent as of July 2026How this atlas is maintained
Yonkers has no short-term-rental ordinance, and its zoning code works against STRs by omission: Table 43-1 (Schedule of Use Regulations) lists no short-term rental, tourist home, or bed-and-breakfast use, and section 43-27 deems any use not specifically listed as permitted to be prohibited. Transient lodging is defined as a hotel use and hotels are allowed only in commercial and mixed-use districts, so renting a home or room for under 30 nights in Yonkers' residential districts is not a permitted use.
What the rules say in Yonkers
- No STR-specific chapter or local law exists in the Yonkers City Code; a Legistar search of council legislation (titles containing short-term rental, Airbnb, or transient) returns nothing through mid-2026.
- Zoning § 43-27: 'any use not specifically listed as being permitted shall be deemed to be prohibited.' Short-term rental, tourist home, and bed-and-breakfast appear nowhere in Table 43-1, the Schedule of Use Regulations.
- Zoning § 43-8 defines 'hotel' as 'a facility offering transient lodging accommodations to the general public'; Table 43-1 permits hotels only in commercial/mixed-use districts (BR, BA, CB, DW, GC, IP, PMD, CA, L-MX; special use permit in OL, C, CM, I) and in no residence district (S-200, S-100, S-75, S-60, S-50, T, MG, M, A).
- Zoning § 43-8 defines a dwelling unit as 'occupied or intended to be occupied for residential purposes by one family,' so transient hotel-style occupancy of a dwelling falls outside the permitted residential uses.
- Hotel-type operations require a city license under Chapter 39 (Local Law 9-2021: application, commercial liability insurance, per-room fees); boarding/rooming houses require a permit under Housing and Building Maintenance Code § 58-8 with Housing and Fire Department compliance certificates.
- Yonkers levies a 5.875% Room Occupancy Tax (Ch. 15 Art. XVI, LL 19-2015, rate amended by LL 10-2024 effective 8-1-2024) on lodging occupancies; occupants of 30+ consecutive days are exempt as permanent residents.
- State overlay: since March 1, 2025 New York State requires short-term-rental operators and booking services to register as sales tax vendors and collect state and local sales tax on rentals of under 30 days.
Sources: Yonkers City Code Ch. 43 Zoning (eCode360); Yonkers Zoning Art. II Definitions, § 43-8 (eCode360); Yonkers Zoning Art. V incl. § 43-27 unlisted-uses-prohibited (Zoneomics mirror of city code); Table 43-1 Schedule of Use Regulations PDF (as amended through Ord. 4-2025); Yonkers City Code Ch. 39 Hotel Licensing (LL 9-2021); Yonkers City Code Ch. 58 Housing and Building Maintenance Code; Yonkers City Code Ch. 15 Art. XVI Room Occupancy Tax; City of Yonkers Room Occupancy Tax page (5.875%, LL 10-2024); Yonkers Legistar (council legislation search, no STR matters); NYS Tax Dept: sales tax on short-term rental unit occupancy (eff. 3-1-2025). 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.
Yonkers short-term-rental FAQ
Can I run a short-term rental (Airbnb) in Yonkers, NY?
Yonkers has no short-term-rental ordinance, and its zoning code works against STRs by omission: Table 43-1 (Schedule of Use Regulations) lists no short-term rental, tourist home, or bed-and-breakfast use, and section 43-27 deems any use not specifically listed as permitted to be prohibited. Transient lodging is defined as a hotel use and hotels are allowed only in commercial and mixed-use districts, so renting a home or room for under 30 nights in Yonkers' residential districts is not a permitted use.
Do I need a permit or registration to run an STR in Yonkers?
Zoning § 43-27: 'any use not specifically listed as being permitted shall be deemed to be prohibited.' Short-term rental, tourist home, and bed-and-breakfast appear nowhere in Table 43-1, the Schedule of Use Regulations.
What taxes apply to a short-term rental in Yonkers, New York?
Short-term stays in New York are generally subject to state and local sales tax, and many counties add a local occupancy (hotel) tax, often collected for you by the booking platform. A tax professional can confirm what applies to your property.
Can Palisade Stays manage a short-term rental in Yonkers?
Short-term rentals face real limits in Yonkers (see the status above), so it may not be the right play. Palisade Stays can still help you understand what's possible for your property, including a compliant mid-term or longer rental, and run it if it's a fit. Start with a quick assessment.
Navigating Yonkers's rules?
We'll help you find out what's actually possible for your Yonkers property, short-term, mid-term, or otherwise, and run it if it's a fit.
Nearby Westchester towns