City of Kingston, New York

Short-Term Rental Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Short-Term Rental?

A residential living space rented to transient nonpermanent guests, for terms shorter than 30 days, without staff on the premises. A Short-Term Rental Permit is required prior to advertising and renting your property. The City of Kingston has three different short-term rental permits:

1. Short-term rental, full permit (STR-F), a short-term rental permit for one dwelling unit. There is a cap set to the number of these permits, limited to 1% of the City’s housing units. Registration for this permit type will close once this cap is reached. These permit types are only allowed in T5 or T4 zoning transects. You can look up your property on the City of Kingston’s zoning map here: https://zoning.gridics.com/us/ny/kingston
2. Short-term rental resident occupied permit (STR-RO), a short-term rental permit for a portion of a dwelling unit, with a full-time resident living within the same unit. For example, this permit type applies if you are renting out a room in your residence. No cap allowed citywide.
3. Short-term rental limited permit (STR-L), a short-term rental permit for one dwelling unit that is used as a short-term rental for fewer than 30 days per year. No cap allowed citywide.

Only one short-term rental is allowed per property.

No short-term rental is allowed in any accessory dwelling unit.

What if I don’t know which permit type is best for me or if I have any other questions on the registration requirements?

Contact the City of Kingston Building Safety Department (845) 331-1217 or the Office of Housing Initiatives (845) 334-3928.

Who needs to apply for a Short-Term Rental License?

Any owner renting a property for a period of less than 30 consecutive days is required to apply for a Short-Term Rental Permit. It is the owner(s)’ responsibility to know and comply with all ordinances, resolutions and regulations that apply to short term rentals within the City of Kingston.

What is the Short-Term Rental registration process?

Each property owner shall register for a short-term rental and pay the applicable annual permit fee. Thereafter, the Building Safety Department will contact the property owner to schedule a property inspection before approving the permit and sending the property owner a short-term rental license. An inspection is required every two years.

What if I do not obtain a Short-Term Rental License?

Renting or advertising your home for rent on a short-term basis without a license is in violation of the City of Kingston’s Zoning Code and subject to enforcement processes and significant fines as set out in the City of Kingston fee schedule.

The current violation fees are as follows:

Short-term rental violation fees, per day rented or per day advertised:

- First Instance $1,000

- Second Instance $5,000

- Third or any Subsequent Instance $7,500

What is the cost of an STR Registration?

The current annual registration fees are as follows for each permit type:

- Short-term rental, Full $650

- Short-term rental, Limited $125

- Short-term rental, Resident Occupied $125

Does my short-term rental license apply to multiple properties?

No. You are only allowed to short-term rent one dwelling unit per license in the City of Kingston. Each STR requires its own license. 

Does the City of Kingston have short-term rental occupancy limits?

Yes. A short-term rental shall host no more than two guests per bedroom and is limited to a maximum capacity of six people per dwelling. Children ten years of age and under are not counted as guests.

Do I have to display my license?

The STR Registration Number must be posted in every online or offline advertisement for the short-term rental.

Can I manage multiple properties with one login?

Yes - to do so, click Add accounts from your user login under Manage Your Account(s). You will need your 6 digit Account Number and the GovOS Activation Code to connect to an existing property record.

Can a property have more than one user?

Yes, each property can have an unlimited number of users. Each user is required to provide the 6 digit Account Number and the Activation Code to be authorized to connect to an existing property record.

I did not receive or I misplaced the letter with my activation code. What do I do?

Contact GovOS blt.str.support@govos.com or by phone at (888) 751-1911 for assistance. You will need to confirm account details to be verified for the account. To protect the security on property accounts, you will need written (e-mail) permission from a registered owner or officer of the property for us to provide you with a new activation code.

What payment types are accepted by the City of Kingston through GovOS?

The City accepts ACH Debit, or e-check as well as the following major credit cards: Visa, Mastercard and Discover.

Can I schedule a payment in GovOS?

For your security, GovOS does not store any payment information in the system. You will need to enter your desired payment information each time you check out.

I forgot my password. What do I do? 

From the Log In page, click the “Forgot your password” link and follow the instructions that will be e-mailed to the User’s registered e-mail address.

Do I have to login to GovOS to see my alerts and reminders?

No. All alerts are e-mailed to your authenticated e-mail address. When you login to the system, you will also see any open alerts that need to be addressed in your Action Center.  

For Assistance, Contact
 GovOS Support

blt.str.support@govos.com

(888) 751-1911

 When contacting support, be sure to include the jurisdiction (City of Kingston, New York) and your account number in all emails or voicemails. This will help us assist you as promptly as possible. Thanks!