Kingston Short-Term Rental Regulations

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Permit & Licensing

Short-Term Rental, Full Permit (STR-F)

This permit type does not require primary residence. Zoning restriction: Only allowed in T4 or T5 zoning transects.

Short-Term Rental, Resident-Occupied Permit (STR-RO)

The property must be your primary residence. This means investment properties are not eligible for this permit type.

Zoning restriction: No cap, allowed citywide.

Short-Term Rental, Limited Permit (STR-L)

This permit type does not require primary residence. Zoning restriction: No cap, allowed citywide.

Application Process

Register online via the City's GovOS/MuniRevs short-term rental portal (cityofkingston.munirevs.com) using the account number and activation code from the City's notification letter; no paper applications or in-person payments are accepted. Hosts must first register with Ulster County for a Certificate of Authority and pay the Ulster County hotel/motel/STR occupancy tax. Once the initial registration is approved, the Building Safety Department contacts the owner to schedule a required property inspection (repeated at least every two years) before the permit and a registration number are issued; the registration number must be included in every online and offline advertisement.

Note: Document requirements vary by permit type. See individual permit sections above for eligibility details.

Tax Obligations

Combined rate: 12% of gross rental income.

Collection: Hosts must register with Ulster County for a Certificate of Authority and collect the 4% Ulster County hotel/motel/STR occupancy tax directly from guests as a charge separate from rent; proof of this county tax registration is required before the City of Kingston will issue an STR permit. Combined New York State and Ulster County sales tax (8%) is collected on the occupancy charge by the operator or, when a booking service such as Airbnb facilitates the rental, by that booking service, and remitted to the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance.

Filing: Quarterly — Ulster County occupancy tax returns due: Dec 1-Feb 28/29 period by March 20; Mar 1-May 31 by June 20; Jun 1-Aug 31 by September 20; Sep 1-Nov 30 by December 20.

Rental Limits

Kingston annual day limit: fewer than 30 days per year to unlimited (varies by permit type). Each individual stay must be shorter than 30 days.

Occupancy & Density Limits

No more than two guests per bedroom, up to a maximum of six people per dwelling; children age 10 and under are not counted as guests.

Zoning & Restrictions

• Owner-occupied: No cap, allowed citywide.
• Kingston's Form-Based Code (Ch. 405, §405-21, effective Aug. 2, 2023) regulates STRs through a permit-type/transect system rather than a district-by-district ban.
• The full-unit permit (STR-F) is restricted to the T4 and T5 zoning transects and is hard-capped citywide at 106 permits (1% of the City's housing units); as of March 4, 2024 that cap was reached and the City has been rejecting new STR-F applications.
• The resident-occupied permit (STR-RO) and the limited permit (STR-L, under 30 rental-days/year) carry no citywide cap and are allowed in any zoning transect.
• Only one short-term rental is allowed per lot, and short-term rentals are not permitted in accessory dwelling units citywide.

Insurance & Safety

Insurance

Kingston does not require short-term rental operators to carry specific insurance. Standard homeowner policies often exclude short-term rental activity, so many hosts obtain dedicated short-term rental or landlord liability coverage.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Operating or advertising a short-term rental without a valid permit, assessed per day rented or per day advertised: first instance $1,000; second instance $5,000; third or any subsequent instance $7,500. Each nightly booking for noncompliance is considered a separate offense.

Platform Requirements

The STR registration number must be posted/included in every online and offline advertisement and listing for the short-term rental.

Market Snapshot

Demand context for Kingston from official government and tourism statistics — the latest published annual figures, not a projection of rental income.

Reminder: permit availability is constrained in this market (see the caveat near the top of this page) — demand figures do not mean a new permit is obtainable.

Figures are the latest annual statistics published by the linked official sources (retrieved 2026-07-13). Visitor counts cover the geography stated by each source, which can be wider than the city itself. Regulations above — not market conditions — determine whether and how you may operate.

Compliance Checklist

Follow these steps to legally operate a short-term rental in Kingston:

1. Determine your permit type. Kingston has 3 permit types. Identify which applies to your property (Short-Term Rental, Full Permit (STR-F), Short-Term Rental, Resident-Occupied Permit (STR-RO), Short-Term Rental, Limited Permit (STR-L)).
2. Apply for your STR permit. Submit application. Fees vary by type: Short-Term Rental, Full Permit (STR-F) $650; Short-Term Rental, Resident-Occupied Permit (STR-RO) $125; Short-Term Rental, Limited Permit (STR-L) $125. See permit types above to determine which applies.
3. Register for tax accounts. Set up lodging tax accounts with Ulster County Department of Finance; NYS Department of Taxation and Finance.
4. Display your permit number. Include your permit/license number in all listings and advertisements.
5. Collect and remit taxes. 12% on all bookings.
6. Renew annually. Renewal fees vary by permit type ($650 / $125). See permit types above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need a permit to run an Airbnb in Kingston?

Yes. Kingston requires a short-term rental permit to operate an Airbnb or Vrbo, and there are 3 permit types — one requires the property to be your primary residence, and another allows non-owner-occupied (investment) use. See the permit types above to find which applies to your property.

How much does a short-term rental permit cost in Kingston?

Permit costs in Kingston vary by type: Short-Term Rental, Full Permit (STR-F) $650; Short-Term Rental, Resident-Occupied Permit (STR-RO) $125; Short-Term Rental, Limited Permit (STR-L) $125.

Does Kingston require a short-term rental to be your primary residence?

It depends on the permit type. At least one Kingston permit requires the property to be your primary residence, while another allows non-owner-occupied (investment) use — see the permit types above.

How many days a year can you short-term rent in Kingston?

Kingston's annual rental limit depends on the situation: fewer than 30 days per year to unlimited (varies by permit type). Its short-term-rental rules apply when a stay is shorter than 30 days.

What taxes do you pay on a short-term rental in Kingston?

Short-term rental stays in Kingston are subject to a combined 12% in lodging taxes. This combines 8% New York State & Ulster County Sales Tax + 4% Ulster County Hotel/Motel & Short-Term Rental Occupancy Tax. Hosts are legally responsible; many booking platforms collect and remit them automatically on the host's behalf.

What are the penalties for short-term rental violations in Kingston?

Penalties run up to $7,500 per day rented or advertised (third or any subsequent violation).