Local landlord and tenant rules in Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York has local rules on rental registration (Syracuse Property Conservation Code — Rental Registry and Certificate of Compliance programs (City of Syracuse Division of Code Enforcement)) and other landlord obligations (City of Syracuse Lead Abatement and Control Ordinance (Revised General Ordinances ch. 54); Lead Hazard Control Office, Lead Inspections), on top of New York law.
Local rules in Syracuse, New York
Rental registration
In the City of Syracuse a one- or two-unit rental property needs a Rental Registry Certificate (a building of three or more units needs a Certificate of Compliance), each issued after an interior and exterior inspection. The certificate lasts three years, must be renewed at least 45 days before it expires, and must be posted in a common area or inside each unit; an LLC owner never qualifies for an exemption.
Source: Syracuse Property Conservation Code — Rental Registry and Certificate of Compliance programs (City of Syracuse Division of Code Enforcement). Checked on November 11, 2026.
Other landlord obligations
Under Syracuse’s Lead Abatement and Control Ordinance, every rental inspection for a new or renewed Rental Registry Certificate or Certificate of Compliance — every three years — and every complaint inspection includes a visual check for deteriorated, chipping or peeling paint and for bare soil within the drip line. In the City’s high-risk area the owner of a rental property of five units or fewer built before 1978 must also submit dust wipe samples. Buildings constructed after 1978, owner-occupied single-family homes and vacant properties in foreclosure are outside the ordinance; complexes of six or more units, senior housing and studio apartments are exempt from dust sampling only.
Source: City of Syracuse Lead Abatement and Control Ordinance (Revised General Ordinances ch. 54); Lead Hazard Control Office, Lead Inspections. Checked on November 12, 2026.
Also on file
- The State Department of Health names Syracuse 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 Syracuse
| 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 Syracuse
58.4% of the occupied homes in Syracuse are rented, about 34,927 households, a share higher than across New York (45.7%).
The median gross rent is $1,039 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.
55.3% of renters there pay 30% or more of their income on rent.
85.5% of the homes were built before 1980, and the federal lead-paint disclosure rule covers housing built before 1978.
| Syracuse | Onondaga County | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that rent | 58.4% (±1.6 points) | 34.1% | 45.7% |
| Median gross rent | $1,039 (±$20) | $1,108 | $1,621 |
| Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent | 55.3% (±3.3 points) | 50.4% | 52.1% |
| Median income of renter households | $32,582 (±$2,014) | $41,636 | $57,803 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 85.5% (±2.3 points) | 69.9% | 73.9% |
| Homes in buildings of five or more units | 27.9% (±1.6 points) | 18.5% | 34.7% |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.0% (±0.9 points) | 3.4% | 3.8% |
| Households that moved in since 2020 | 28.3% (±1.4 points) | 21.2% | 20.5% |
All housing figures for Syracuse: 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 Syracuse
Seayora reads open housing and building violation records for an address here from public data (Syracuse) and shows them on each building it manages.
Questions about Syracuse’s local rules
Do landlords have to register rentals in Syracuse?
In the City of Syracuse a one- or two-unit rental property needs a Rental Registry Certificate (a building of three or more units needs a Certificate of Compliance), each issued after an interior and exterior inspection. The certificate lasts three years, must be renewed at least 45 days before it expires, and must be posted in a common area or inside each unit; an LLC owner never qualifies for an exemption. (Syracuse Property Conservation Code — Rental Registry and Certificate of Compliance programs (City of Syracuse Division of Code Enforcement))
What else does Syracuse require of landlords?
Under Syracuse’s Lead Abatement and Control Ordinance, every rental inspection for a new or renewed Rental Registry Certificate or Certificate of Compliance — every three years — and every complaint inspection includes a visual check for deteriorated, chipping or peeling paint and for bare soil within the drip line. In the City’s high-risk area the owner of a rental property of five units or fewer built before 1978 must also submit dust wipe samples. Buildings constructed after 1978, owner-occupied single-family homes and vacant properties in foreclosure are outside the ordinance; complexes of six or more units, senior housing and studio apartments are exempt from dust sampling only. (City of Syracuse Lead Abatement and Control Ordinance (Revised General Ordinances ch. 54); Lead Hazard Control Office, Lead Inspections)
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.