What's happening
This bill requires short-term rental platforms to collect proof of local licensing or permits from hosts where such permits are required.
Why it matters
Strengthens municipal enforcement of short-term rental rules. by compelling platforms (like Airbnb) to verify that hosts comply with local licensing or permitting requirements, making it harder for unlicensed rentals to operate under the radar.
Shifts some regulatory responsibility from local governments to platforms. , meaning companies must actively check and collect documentation rather than relying solely on hosts’ honesty or municipal enforcement capacity.
Could reduce illegal or non-compliant short-term rentals. , potentially addressing concerns about housing availability, neighborhood disruptions, and safety, since only permitted or licensed rentals will be listed on major platforms in regulated areas.
Increases administrative duties for both platforms and hosts. , potentially slowing down onboarding for new hosts and adding compliance costs, which may affect the number and type of listings available in municipalities with permitting rules.
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Who cares
Short-term rental hosting platforms
They would have to collect a copy of a host’s locally required license or permit before providing services to that host.
Owners and tenants hosting short-term rentals
Those offering rentals for less than thirty consecutive days in municipalities requiring a license or permit would have to submit a copy to their hosting platform before receiving its services.
Municipalities requiring short-term rental licenses or permits
The bill would make their licensing requirements a prerequisite for hosts to receive hosting platform services.
Headline styles
Require Rental Host Permits
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to housing, construction and community development
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8295
IN SENATE
May 8, 2020
Introduced by Sen. KENNEDY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Housing, Construction and Community Development
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to requiring hosting platforms to require a short-term rental host to submit a license or permit where such host is offering a short-term rental in a municipality which requires such license or permit
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new article 40 to read as follows:
ARTICLE 40
SHORT-TERM RENTALS Section 900. Definitions.
901. Short-term rental license or permit requirements.
§ 900. Definitions. For the purposes of this article, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
1. "Dwelling" means any building or structure or portion thereof which is occupied in whole or in part as the home, residence or sleeping place of one or more human beings.
2. "Short-term rental unit" means an entire dwelling unit, or a room, group of rooms, other living or sleeping space, or any other space, made available for rent by guests for less than thirty consecutive days.
3. "Short-term rental host" means an owner or tenant of a short-term rental unit who rents such unit to guests.
4. "Hosting platform" means a person or entity who, pursuant to an agreement with a short-term rental host:
(a) provides a platform for compensation through which unaffiliated third party short-term rental hosts can offer to rent short-term rental units; and
(b) collects a fee in connection with either:
(i) providing the forum in which, or by means of which, the offer of occupancy of a short-term rental unit is accepted; or
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD16153-01-0
S. 8295 2
(ii) providing the forum in which a short-term rental host can list or advertise space in a short-term rental unit.
§ 901. Short-term rental license or permit requirements. A hosting platform shall require a short-term rental host who operates a shortterm rental unit which is located in a municipality which requires a license or permit to operate such short-term rental unit to submit a copy of such license or permit prior to providing services to such short-term rental host.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the general business law, in relation to requiring host- ing platforms to require a short-term rental host to submit a license or permit where such host is offering a short-term rental in a municipality which requires such license or permit
Purpose
This legislation would require those who operate short term rentals on a hosting platform to provide proof of municipal government permits upon listing their short term rental units.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one amends the general business law to include the definition of dwelling, short term rental unit, and short term rental unit hosting platform. Additionally, this section requires that hosting platforms must require a short term host to provide a license or permit to list a short term unit if licensure or permitting is required by the munici- pality in which they operate.
Section two establishes the effective date.
Justification
This bill aims to prevent unauthorized property owners from listing their dwellings on short term rental platforms without the proper permitting and licensure. It is intended to crack down on illegal short term rentals. In order to ensure the safety of those renting the dwell- ings and those who live in close proximity to these illegal listings, hosts must meet all the registration requirements specific to their municipality.
This will require short term rental platforms to comply with registra- tion requirements. Other cities and states have implemented similar legislation in order to protect consumers and residents of host communi- ties.
Legislative history
New legislation
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
The thirtieth day after it shall have become a law
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.