New York’s Good Cause Eviction Law: Coverage, Exemptions and 2026 Limits
Who New York’s Good Cause Eviction Law covers, the exemptions, the 2026 local rent standard of 8.38% in New York City, and the notice every lease needs.
By Seayora Editorial Team · Published · Facts checked · 3 min read
Short answer: New York’s Good Cause Eviction Law (Real Property Law Article 6-A), in effect since April 20, 2024, applies throughout New York City and in municipalities that opt in. A covered tenant can be evicted or refused a renewal only for a reason the law lists, and a rent increase above the local rent standard, 5% plus inflation and never more than 10%, is presumed unreasonable. In New York City the 2026 standard is 8.38%.
Key takeaways
- Every New York City market-rate apartment is presumed covered unless an exemption applies.
- Small landlords with no more than 10 units, owner-occupied buildings of 10 or fewer units and buildings first occupied in 2009 or later are among the exemptions.
- Units renting above 245% of HUD fair market rent are not covered; in New York City that is $7,130 for a two-bedroom.
- Every lease, renewal, non-renewal notice and nonpayment petition must carry the Good Cause notice.
Where does the law apply?
It applies in New York City under Real Property Law § 212, and in other cities, towns and villages only if they adopt it by local law. As of May 4, 2026 the state housing agency had been notified of 19 that had: the cities of Albany, Beacon, Binghamton, Hudson, Ithaca, Kingston, Middletown, New Rochelle, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Rochester and White Plains, the towns of Fishkill and Poughkeepsie, and the villages of Catskill, Croton-on-Hudson, New Paltz, Nyack and Tarrytown (DHCR notice). Most of them define a small landlord as one owning a single unit, and several raise the high-rent threshold.
Which apartments are exempt?
The required notice lists every exemption (HPD notice form; New York Attorney General guide). The main ones are:
- A small landlord: a natural person who owns no more than 10 units in New York State in total, counting units held through any company (the New York City limit; opt-in places set their own).
- An owner-occupied building with no more than 10 units.
- A unit already regulated, such as rent-stabilized, rent-controlled or public housing.
- A building whose certificate of occupancy was issued on or after January 1, 2009, for 30 years.
- A unit renting for more than 245% of HUD fair market rent.
- Condominium and cooperative units, sublets, seasonal units, employer-provided housing and certain health-care and senior facilities.
| Unit size | 245% of FMR |
|---|---|
| Studio | $6,196 |
| One bedroom | $6,505 |
| Two bedrooms | $7,130 |
| Three bedrooms | $8,928 |
| Four bedrooms | $9,700 |
What rent increase is reasonable?
An increase above the local rent standard, 5% plus the annual change in the Consumer Price Index and never more than 10%, is presumptively unreasonable. DHCR publishes the inflation figures each year. For 2026 the New York City area index rose 3.38%, making the standard 8.38% in New York City and in opt-in places in the New York area counties, and the Northeast index rose 3.15%, making it 8.15% in the other counties (DHCR notice). The landlord can try to show a court that a larger increase is justified, for example by increased costs, and the notice must give the reason.
When can a covered tenant be evicted?
Only by court order on a ground listed in Real Property Law § 216, including nonpayment of rent (unless it results from an unreasonable increase), violating a substantial obligation of the lease, a nuisance, illegal use, refusing access for repairs, and the landlord or a close family member moving in as a primary residence.
What notice must landlords give?
Every initial lease, renewal, notice of non-renewal and nonpayment petition for a unit in a place where the law applies must carry the notice under Real Property Law § 231-c stating whether the law applies and, if not, which exemption. New York City’s housing agency explains it on its Good Cause page.
Frequently asked questions
Does Good Cause apply to my rent-stabilized apartment?
No. A rent-stabilized unit is exempt because it is already regulated; its increases follow the Rent Guidelines Board.
I own one building with eight apartments through an LLC. Am I a small landlord?
In New York City, if every natural person who owns the LLC directly or indirectly owns no more than 10 units in the state in total, yes. If any owner has more than 10, the units are covered.
Can I raise the rent more than 8.38% in New York City?
An increase above the local rent standard is presumptively unreasonable, not banned. The landlord must state the reason in the notice and may have to justify it in court.
State-by-state rules
- Does a landlord need a reason to evict a tenant? — compared across 4 states and the District of Columbia
- How much notice does a landlord have to give before raising the rent? — compared across 28 states and the District of Columbia
Sources
- Good Cause Eviction, New York State Homes and Community Renewal
- Good Cause Eviction Law Required DHCR Notice (posted July 16, 2026), New York State Homes and Community Renewal
- New York Real Property Law § 216, Grounds for removal of tenants, New York State Senate
- New York Real Property Law § 231-c, New York State Senate
- New York State Good Cause Eviction Law (tenant guide, March 2026), New York State Attorney General
- Good Cause Eviction Law Notice [RPL 231-c], NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development
- Good Cause Eviction, NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development
How Seayora helps
Good Cause in Seayora: Records each unit’s coverage and exemptions, shows the highest presumptively reasonable rent and issues the § 231-c notice.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Landlord-tenant law varies by state and city and changes often, so check the current rule for your property and talk to an attorney before acting on a dispute.
How we write and check these guides: editorial standards.
Related on Seayora
- Good Cause Eviction in New York City — coverage, the local rent standard and the notice — Documentation. Which of your NYC units the Good Cause Eviction law covers, the exemptions and how each is decided, the highest presumptively reasonable rent increase, and the § 231-c notice every lease and renewal must carry.
- The Legal Rent-Increase Advisor — Documentation. What the market is asking for a unit like yours, capped by the law that applies to that unit — the NYC Rent Guidelines Board orders and the Good Cause standard — with the law cited, and no number where the law is not verified.
- Landlord Retaliation Laws: Protected Tenant Acts and Time Limits — Guide. When an eviction, rent increase or cut in services is presumed retaliatory: 180 days in California, six months in Texas, a year in New York.
- Statewide Rent Caps in California, Oregon and Washington (2026) — Guide. How the three statewide rent caps work in 2026: the formulas, this year’s maximum increases, notice periods, first-year limits and who is exempt.
- New Jersey Landlord-Tenant Law: Good Cause, Deposits and Notices — Guide. New Jersey rules for landlords: good cause under the Anti-Eviction Act, the 1.5-month deposit cap and 30-day return, Truth in Renting and flood notices.
- Compliance Alerts & Required Filings — Feature. Seayora watches your properties for new violations and works out which recurring filings each building owes, turns both into a dated checklist, and emails you when something new appears. Live violation data for New York City; rule-based filing obligations across the NYC metro.