Short-term-rental rules
Can you Airbnb in Port Chester, NY?
Researched and reviewed by Jake Lee, FounderCurrent as of July 2026How this atlas is maintained
Port Chester has no short-term-rental permit scheme, and its zoning code effectively bars STRs: "Dwelling" is defined to exclude transient-occupancy uses ("Hotel," "Motel," "Rooming House," "Tourist Home"), and "Tourist Home" (overnight accommodations for transient guests for compensation within a residential dwelling, i.e. an Airbnb-style rental) is not a permitted use in any zoning district, so sub-30-night home rentals are not a permitted use. The only lawful transient lodging is a Bed-and-Breakfast, Inn, Hostel, or Hotel, and only in the downtown mixed-use districts (CD-4 on specified corridors, CD-5, CD-5W, CD-6), never in the CD-3 residential districts.
What the rules say in Port Chester
- No STR-specific local law exists; the only mention of short-term rentals in the Village Code is Ch. 248 (Rental Registry, Local Law 7-2025) sec. 248-4B(3), which exempts "Short-term rentals, such as those listed on platforms like Airbnb or VRBO" from the two-family rental registry. That exemption does not authorize STRs.
- Zoning Ch. 345 Art. 10 defines "Dwelling/Dwelling Unit" as used exclusively as residential quarters for Families and states the term "shall not be deemed to include 'Hotel,' 'Motel,' 'Rooming House,' or 'Tourist Home.'"
- "Tourist Home" is defined as a "Lodging Use type in which overnight accommodations are offered to Transient guests for compensation within a Residential Dwelling" and "Transient" as a person staying only a short time; this is the use an Airbnb-style STR falls under.
- Table 345.405.K-1 (Building and Lot Principal Uses) lists only one Lodging row, "Bed-and-Breakfast, Inn, Hostel, or Hotel": Not Permitted in all CD-3 residential districts (CD-3, CD-3.R20, CD-3.R7, CD-3.R5), SD-PRD and CV; Permitted only in CD-4 (and there only on lots facing specified corridors such as Willett Ave., Westchester Ave., N. Main St., Boston Post Rd.), CD-5, CD-5W and CD-6.
- Tourist Home, Motel, and Rooming House appear in no use table, and sec. 345.405.K.3 provides that uses not shown in the tables as Permitted (P) or Special Exception (SE) are prohibited; the accessory-use table (345.405.K-2) also contains no room-rental or STR use.
- Bed-and-Breakfast (4+ bedrooms) and Inn (6-12 bedrooms) are owner-occupied lodging types by definition, so the only hosted-lodging path is operating a commercial B&B/inn in a downtown mixed-use district, not a typical STR.
- The "Family" definition requires that a group of 4+ unrelated occupants be "not transient or temporary in nature" to qualify as the functional equivalent of a family occupying a dwelling unit.
- Ch. 248 rental registry applies only to non-owner-occupied two-family dwellings (biennial registration by Oct. 1, first deadline Oct. 1, 2026); STRs are expressly exempt from it.
- As an incorporated village, Port Chester's own code controls zoning; neither the Town of Rye nor Westchester County zoning applies inside the village.
Sources: Village of Port Chester Code, Ch. 345 Zoning, Article 10 Definitions (Dwelling, Tourist Home, Transient, Lodging, Bed-and-Breakfast, Inn, Hotel, Rooming House, Family) - eCode360; Village of Port Chester Code, Ch. 345 Zoning, Article 4 Building and Lot Plans and Standards, sec. 345.405.K and use Tables 345.405.K-1 to K-3 - eCode360; Local law adopting Chapter 345 Zoning Code (2020), full text PDF with readable P/SE/NP use-table values - eCode360; Village of Port Chester Code, Ch. 248 Rental Registry (Local Law 7-2025), sec. 248-4B(3) short-term rental exemption - eCode360; Village of Port Chester, NY Code (eCode360 home); Local Law 16 of 2024 (ADU moratorium amending Ch. 345; contains no STR provisions) - eCode360. 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.
Port Chester short-term-rental FAQ
Can I run a short-term rental (Airbnb) in Port Chester, NY?
Port Chester has no short-term-rental permit scheme, and its zoning code effectively bars STRs: "Dwelling" is defined to exclude transient-occupancy uses ("Hotel," "Motel," "Rooming House," "Tourist Home"), and "Tourist Home" (overnight accommodations for transient guests for compensation within a residential dwelling, i.e. an Airbnb-style rental) is not a permitted use in any zoning district, so sub-30-night home rentals are not a permitted use. The only lawful transient lodging is a Bed-and-Breakfast, Inn, Hostel, or Hotel, and only in the downtown mixed-use districts (CD-4 on specified corridors, CD-5, CD-5W, CD-6), never in the CD-3 residential districts.
Do I need a permit or registration to run an STR in Port Chester?
No STR-specific local law exists; the only mention of short-term rentals in the Village Code is Ch. 248 (Rental Registry, Local Law 7-2025) sec. 248-4B(3), which exempts "Short-term rentals, such as those listed on platforms like Airbnb or VRBO" from the two-family rental registry. That exemption does not authorize STRs.
What taxes apply to a short-term rental in Port Chester, 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 Port Chester?
Short-term rentals face real limits in Port Chester (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 Port Chester's rules?
We'll help you find out what's actually possible for your Port Chester property, short-term, mid-term, or otherwise, and run it if it's a fit.
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