Local landlord and tenant rules in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York has local rules on source-of-income protection (Buffalo City Code ch. 154, art. IV, §§ 154-17, 154-18 (amended June 24, 2025)), rental registration (Buffalo City Code ch. 264, §§ 264-16 to 264-29) and inspections before a new tenant (Buffalo City Code ch. 264, §§ 264-20, 264-21, 264-23, 264-28), on top of New York law.
Local rules in Buffalo, New York
Source-of-income protection
It is unlawful in Buffalo to refuse to rent to somebody, or to set different terms, because of their lawful source of income — one of the classes the City’s fair housing ordinance protects, with race, creed, color, national origin, sex, disability, familial status, marital status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and military status. The ordinance does not reach a parcel housing no more than three households where the owner lives in one of the homes.
Source: Buffalo City Code ch. 154, art. IV, §§ 154-17, 154-18 (amended June 24, 2025). Checked on November 12, 2026.
Rental registration
The City of Buffalo requires every non-owner-occupied one- or two-family rental home to be registered with the Department of Permit and Inspection Services — occupied or not — and a certificate of rental compliance; owners of homes built before 1978 certify that they know the home may contain lead hazards.
Source: Buffalo City Code ch. 264, §§ 264-16 to 264-29. Checked on November 11, 2026.
Inspections before a new tenant
No dwelling unit covered by Buffalo’s rental chapter may be rented or occupied unless its owner holds a certificate of rental compliance. A certificate lasts three years; the owner must apply for the next one within the 60 days before it expires, and letting it lapse while the unit is occupied is a violation. An owner without one may not bring an eviction for unpaid rent in the Housing Part of Buffalo City Court for the period the certificate was denied or revoked. Owner-occupied properties of two or fewer units that fall under the City’s certificate of occupancy chapter are exempt.
Source: Buffalo City Code ch. 264, §§ 264-20, 264-21, 264-23, 264-28. Checked on November 12, 2026.
Also on file
- The State Department of Health names Buffalo 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 Buffalo
| 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 Buffalo
57.0% of the occupied homes in Buffalo are rented, about 68,134 households, a share higher than across New York (45.7%).
The median gross rent is $1,046 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.
52.2% of renters there pay 30% or more of their income on rent.
89.6% of the homes were built before 1980, and the federal lead-paint disclosure rule covers housing built before 1978.
| Buffalo | Erie County | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that rent | 57.0% (±1.2 points) | 34.2% | 45.7% |
| Median gross rent | $1,046 (±$18) | $1,090 | $1,621 |
| Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent | 52.2% (±2.4 points) | 50.3% | 52.1% |
| Median income of renter households | $37,106 (±$1,885) | $42,230 | $57,803 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 89.6% (±1.8 points) | 76.8% | 73.9% |
| Homes in buildings of five or more units | 16.9% (±0.9 points) | 13.4% | 34.7% |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.3% (±0.7 points) | 3.8% | 3.8% |
| Households that moved in since 2020 | 24.8% (±1.1 points) | 19.7% | 20.5% |
All housing figures for Buffalo: 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.
Rentals and records in Buffalo
Seayora reads open housing and building violation records for an address here from public data (Buffalo) and shows them on each building it manages.
Questions about Buffalo’s local rules
Can a landlord in Buffalo turn down a tenant because of a housing voucher or other lawful income?
It is unlawful in Buffalo to refuse to rent to somebody, or to set different terms, because of their lawful source of income — one of the classes the City’s fair housing ordinance protects, with race, creed, color, national origin, sex, disability, familial status, marital status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and military status. The ordinance does not reach a parcel housing no more than three households where the owner lives in one of the homes. (Buffalo City Code ch. 154, art. IV, §§ 154-17, 154-18 (amended June 24, 2025))
Do landlords have to register rentals in Buffalo?
The City of Buffalo requires every non-owner-occupied one- or two-family rental home to be registered with the Department of Permit and Inspection Services — occupied or not — and a certificate of rental compliance; owners of homes built before 1978 certify that they know the home may contain lead hazards. (Buffalo City Code ch. 264, §§ 264-16 to 264-29)
Does Buffalo require an inspection or certificate before a new tenant moves in?
No dwelling unit covered by Buffalo’s rental chapter may be rented or occupied unless its owner holds a certificate of rental compliance. A certificate lasts three years; the owner must apply for the next one within the 60 days before it expires, and letting it lapse while the unit is occupied is a violation. An owner without one may not bring an eviction for unpaid rent in the Housing Part of Buffalo City Court for the period the certificate was denied or revoked. Owner-occupied properties of two or fewer units that fall under the City’s certificate of occupancy chapter are exempt. (Buffalo City Code ch. 264, §§ 264-20, 264-21, 264-23, 264-28)
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.