Local landlord and tenant rules in Albany, New York
Albany, New York has local rules on good cause eviction (RPL §§ 211(7)-(8), 213, 214, 216; DHCR, Good Cause Eviction Law Required DHCR Notice (posted July 16, 2026; list as of May 4, 2026)), rental registration (Albany City Code ch. 231, part 4, §§ 231-128 to 231-144) and other landlord obligations (Albany City Code ch. 187 (Fair Housing), §§ 187-7, 187-8, 187-10 (as amended in its entirety June 15, 2026, L.L. No. 11-2026)), on top of New York law.
Local rules in Albany, New York
Good cause eviction
The City of Albany has adopted New York’s Good Cause Eviction Law (Local Law E of 2024, filed July 2024): a covered tenant may be evicted only for a good cause the law lists and is entitled to a renewal, and a rent increase above the local rent standard — 8.15% for 2026 (3.15% inflation plus 5%) — is presumed unreasonable. Not covered: a landlord with no more than one unit anywhere in New York, a unit renting for more than 345% of HUD’s fair market rent for the county, owner-occupied buildings of ten or fewer units, rent-regulated, income-restricted, condominium and co-op units, and buildings first given a certificate of occupancy in 2009 or later (for 30 years).
Source: RPL §§ 211(7)-(8), 213, 214, 216; DHCR, Good Cause Eviction Law Required DHCR Notice (posted July 16, 2026; list as of May 4, 2026) (read the source). Checked on November 11, 2026.
Rental registration
In the City of Albany every rental unit must be on the Rental Dwelling Registry and hold a Residential Occupancy Permit, issued after a City inspection; register a new rental before anyone moves in, and re-register (with a new inspection) every 24 months and after any change of owner. The fee is $50 a unit; an owner-occupied building with one rental unit whose owners are all 65 or older is exempt from the fee.
Source: Albany City Code ch. 231, part 4, §§ 231-128 to 231-144. Checked on November 11, 2026.
Other landlord obligations
Every Albany landlord, owner or manager must give each new and current tenant written notice — handed to the tenant directly, not posted in an office or said aloud — of the right to ask for a reasonable accommodation or modification for a disability, with the telephone number and email of the person who handles those requests and how to contact the City’s Fair Housing Office. A provider with more than 20 rental units in the City must also put an equal housing opportunity logo or statement on its applications and marketing and display an equal housing opportunity notice in any leasing office open to the public. An owner certifies knowing the Fair Housing Ordinance before a certificate of occupancy or residential occupancy permit is issued, and a discriminatory practice can bring a fine of $1,000 to $5,000 for each offense.
Source: Albany City Code ch. 187 (Fair Housing), §§ 187-7, 187-8, 187-10 (as amended in its entirety June 15, 2026, L.L. No. 11-2026). Checked on November 12, 2026.
Also on file
- The State Department of Health names Albany among the 25 communities where New York’s Lead Rental Registry Law has been in effect since November 3, 2025: a residential rental property built before 1980 with two or more units must be entered in the registry, inspected for lead hazards and hold a Lead Safety Certificate renewed at least every three years, even where one of the units is occupied by the owner or the owner’s family. Source: N.Y. Public Health Law § 1377; NYS Department of Health, Lead Rental Registry Requirements for Property Owners. Checked on November 12, 2026.
New York rules that apply in Albany
| Rule | New York |
|---|---|
| How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in New York? | 14 days |
| How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in New York? | 1 month of rent |
| Does a landlord have to pay interest on a security deposit in New York? | Buildings of six or more units must hold the deposit in an interest-bearing New York account; the owner may keep 1 % as an administrative fee. |
| How much notice does a landlord have to give before raising the rent in New York? | 30 / 60 / 90 days by tenancy length, on increases of 5% or more |
| How much notice must a landlord give to end a tenancy in New York? | 30 / 60 / 90 days by tenancy length |
| How many days does a tenant get to pay late rent in New York? | 14 days to pay |
| How much can a landlord charge for a late rent fee in New York? | $50 or 5%, whichever is less |
| Is there a grace period for paying rent in New York? | 5 days |
Every New York rule Seayora publishes.
The homes these rules cover in Albany
61.8% of the occupied homes in Albany are rented, about 27,413 households, a share higher than across New York (45.7%).
The median gross rent is $1,216 a month, lower than across New York ($1,621); that is what households report paying, utilities included, not the asking rent for a vacant apartment.
51.4% of renters there pay 30% or more of their income on rent.
78.7% of the homes were built before 1980, and the federal lead-paint disclosure rule covers housing built before 1978.
| Albany | Albany County | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that rent | 61.8% (±2.0 points) | 43.4% | 45.7% |
| Median gross rent | $1,216 (±$37) | $1,313 | $1,621 |
| Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent | 51.4% (±3.9 points) | 46.8% | 52.1% |
| Median income of renter households | $44,178 (±$3,843) | $54,733 | $57,803 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 78.7% (±3.4 points) | 68.4% | 73.9% |
| Homes in buildings of five or more units | 26.5% (±2.0 points) | 20.7% | 34.7% |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.6% (±0.9 points) | 3.3% | 3.8% |
| Households that moved in since 2020 | 34.2% (±2.1 points) | 26.2% | 20.5% |
All housing figures for Albany: rent by bedrooms, home values, property taxes, commute.
Source: US Census Bureau, Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — undefined. This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Questions about Albany’s local rules
Does a landlord in Albany need a reason to evict or not renew?
The City of Albany has adopted New York’s Good Cause Eviction Law (Local Law E of 2024, filed July 2024): a covered tenant may be evicted only for a good cause the law lists and is entitled to a renewal, and a rent increase above the local rent standard — 8.15% for 2026 (3.15% inflation plus 5%) — is presumed unreasonable. Not covered: a landlord with no more than one unit anywhere in New York, a unit renting for more than 345% of HUD’s fair market rent for the county, owner-occupied buildings of ten or fewer units, rent-regulated, income-restricted, condominium and co-op units, and buildings first given a certificate of occupancy in 2009 or later (for 30 years). (RPL §§ 211(7)-(8), 213, 214, 216; DHCR, Good Cause Eviction Law Required DHCR Notice (posted July 16, 2026; list as of May 4, 2026))
Do landlords have to register rentals in Albany?
In the City of Albany every rental unit must be on the Rental Dwelling Registry and hold a Residential Occupancy Permit, issued after a City inspection; register a new rental before anyone moves in, and re-register (with a new inspection) every 24 months and after any change of owner. The fee is $50 a unit; an owner-occupied building with one rental unit whose owners are all 65 or older is exempt from the fee. (Albany City Code ch. 231, part 4, §§ 231-128 to 231-144)
What else does Albany require of landlords?
Every Albany landlord, owner or manager must give each new and current tenant written notice — handed to the tenant directly, not posted in an office or said aloud — of the right to ask for a reasonable accommodation or modification for a disability, with the telephone number and email of the person who handles those requests and how to contact the City’s Fair Housing Office. A provider with more than 20 rental units in the City must also put an equal housing opportunity logo or statement on its applications and marketing and display an equal housing opportunity notice in any leasing office open to the public. An owner certifies knowing the Fair Housing Ordinance before a certificate of occupancy or residential occupancy permit is issued, and a discriminatory practice can bring a fine of $1,000 to $5,000 for each offense. (Albany City Code ch. 187 (Fair Housing), §§ 187-7, 187-8, 187-10 (as amended in its entirety June 15, 2026, L.L. No. 11-2026))
This is a summary of the local rules Seayora has read from each place’s own code, not legal advice. Ordinances change and a rule may have exceptions; check the citation and the office named before acting.