Rochester Short-Term Rental Regulations

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Permit & Licensing

No short-term rental permit, license, or registration process exists in Rochester. The Property Code's general Certificate of Occupancy regime (Ch. 90, §90-16) governs dwelling-unit occupancy broadly — required for one-family dwellings, multi-unit buildings, and mixed-occupancy buildings, and specifically triggered when a one- or two-family dwelling ceases to be occupied by the owner or the owner's spouse/child/parent/sibling — but this is a general residential-occupancy control, not an STR-specific permit. Separately, Ch. 90 Article II's business-permit system (§90-31 to §90-39) only covers an enumerated list of business types (cannabis dispensaries, auto service facilities, bars, restaurants, salons, smoking-goods retailers, cannabis lounges) that does not include hotels, lodging, or short-term rentals.

Tax Obligations

Combined rate: 14% of gross rental income.

Collection: Hotel and short-term rental unit operators (and booking services facilitating their rentals) must collect New York State and local sales tax on the occupancy charge. Separately, every hotel operator in Monroe County must file a Certificate of Registration with the County Director of Finance and is issued a Certificate of Authority to collect the county's 6% hotel room occupancy tax from occupants, remitted quarterly to Monroe County.

Filing: Quarterly — Monroe County hotel occupancy tax return and payment due by the 20th of the month following each calendar quarter (e.g., Q1 Jan–Mar due Apr 20).

Rental Limits

Rochester does not impose an annual cap on the number of nights you can rent.

Zoning & Restrictions

• No STR-specific zoning restrictions, overlay district, or use permit exists.
• Chapter 120 Zoning (§120-208 Definitions) defines conventional lodging use categories — Hotel, Bed-and-Breakfast Establishment, Motel-type transient lodging, and Rooming House — but does not define or separately classify 'short-term rental' or 'vacation rental' as a distinct use.
• A whole-home short-term rental (e.g., a house or apartment rented via Airbnb/VRBO) is therefore not captured by any of these defined lodging-use categories and is not subject to an STR-specific zoning restriction; it remains governed by the standard residential dwelling-use regulations of its zoning district.

Insurance & Safety

Insurance

Rochester 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

Monroe County hotel occupancy tax: a 9% late penalty on the unpaid tax due, plus interest of 1.5% per month on the unpaid tax after 30 days. No STR-specific (non-tax) penalty schedule exists because Rochester has no dedicated STR permit ordinance.

Market Snapshot

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

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 Rochester:

1. Register for tax accounts. Set up lodging tax accounts with Monroe County Department of Finance, Hotel Tax Division; New York State Department of Taxation and Finance.
2. Collect and remit taxes. 14% on all bookings.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Rochester does not require a dedicated short-term rental permit, but you must register for and remit applicable lodging taxes. Confirm local zoning rules still allow short-term rentals at your property before listing.

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

No. Rochester does not impose a primary-residence requirement, so non-owner-occupied rentals are allowed.

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

Rochester does not cap the number of nights per year you can short-term rent, though permitting, zoning, and occupancy rules still apply.

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

Short-term rental stays in Rochester are subject to a combined 14% in lodging taxes. This combines 4% New York State Sales Tax + 4% Monroe County Sales Tax (local add-on) + 6% Monroe County Hotel Room Occupancy Tax. Hosts are legally responsible; many booking platforms collect and remit them automatically on the host's behalf.