Short-term-rental rules
Can you Airbnb in Village of Buchanan, NY?
Researched and reviewed by Jake Lee, FounderCurrent as of July 2026How this atlas is maintained
Buchanan has no short-term-rental law, but its zoning code is exclusive: any use not specifically listed as permitted is prohibited in all districts, and no hotel, tourist home, rooming house, B&B, or other transient-lodging use is listed anywhere. The definitions of "dwelling" and "dwelling unit" expressly exclude tourist homes, rooming houses, hotels, inns, and lodging, so renting rooms or a home to transient guests is not a permitted use; expect the Building Department to treat STRs as prohibited.
The operator's read
Can I run a short-term rental in Village of Buchanan, NY?
No go for nightly stays
The rule that closes it: § 211-22 accessory apartments require a Planning Board special permit, owner occupancy of the premises as primary residence, and max two occupants; they are intended as long-term rental housing, not transient use.
- Is there a legal way to rent short-term in Village of Buchanan?
- 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 Village of Buchanan. Confirm the specifics against the sources on this page before you rely on it.
What would you do with a property in Village of Buchanan?
Not for nightly stays. The compliant play in Village of Buchanan 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 Village of Buchanan
- Village Code § 211-11: all uses not specifically listed in § 211-10 as permitted are prohibited in all locations within the Village.
- Schedule of Use Regulations (§ 211-10, Attachment 1, amended through L.L. No. 4-2024) lists no hotel, motel, inn, tourist home, bed-and-breakfast, boarding/rooming house, lodging, or short-term-rental use in any district; residential districts (R-40 through R-7.5) permit by right only one-family dwellings, places of worship, and Village uses.
- § 211-5 definitions: 'dwelling' excludes automobile court or motel, rooming house, tourist home, hotel, dormitory; 'dwelling unit' excludes boarding- or rooming house, hotel, inn, lodging.
- § 211-5 'family' = persons living together as a single nonprofit housekeeping unit, max three unrelated adults, which bars room-rental (roomer/boarder) arrangements in dwellings.
- § 211-22 accessory apartments require a Planning Board special permit, owner occupancy of the premises as primary residence, and max two occupants; they are intended as long-term rental housing, not transient use.
- No rental registration, transient-occupancy, or STR chapter exists anywhere in the Village Code; Ch. 137 Property Maintenance covers exterior upkeep only.
- The code never uses the terms 'short-term rental' or 'transient', so a whole-home rental to a single housekeeping unit is an interpretive gray area; confirm treatment with the Village Building Inspector before operating.
Sources: Village of Buchanan Code, Chapter 211 Zoning (eCode360); Ch. 211 Attachment 1: Schedule of Use Regulations, § 211-10 (Supp 17, June 2024); § 211-5 Definitions; word usage (dwelling, dwelling unit, family); § 211-11 Prohibited uses (unlisted uses prohibited in all locations); § 211-22 Accessory apartments in single-family detached residences; Village of Buchanan Code, full table of contents (eCode360); Chapter 137 Property Maintenance (no rental registration provisions). 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 Village of Buchanan's rules?
We'll help you find out what's actually possible for your Village of Buchanan property, short-term, mid-term, or otherwise, and run it if it's a fit.
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