Short-term rental unit registration process open in Tompkins County

Published on December 01, 2025

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In 2025, New York State established a new legal and regulatory framework for short-term rentals (STRs) and booking platforms. Following this development, Tompkins County updated its Hotel Room Occupancy Tax Law and established a registration system for short-term rental units. All owners and operators of STRs in the county are required to comply with this law.

The registration system is now open. All owners and operators of STR units in the county are asked to register their STR units no later than February 28, 2026. All lodging establishments, including those with a current Certificate of Authority, are required to register using the link above. STR owners and operators who fail to register may be subject to penalties and fines as prescribed in the County’s Hotel Room Occupancy Tax Law.

Each STR unit must be registered separately and will receive its own “Certificate of Authority.” The registration fee is $125 and may be paid by credit card or check. 

Certificates of Authority are valid for two years from the date of issue. Certificates may not be transferred or assigned to other parties.

The updated law requires that all STR units must meet the following health and safety requirements:

  • STR units must have a conspicuously posted evacuation diagram that illustrates all means of egress from the unit.
  • STR units must have a working fire extinguisher.
  • STR units must provide a conspicuously posted list of emergency phone numbers for police, fire, and poison control. In Tompkins County, these phone numbers are:
    • Police: 911
    • Fire: 911
    • Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222
  • Finally, the law requires that all STR units must be insured for a minimum of $300,000 in coverage for third-party claims of property damage or bodily injury that arise out of the rental of the unit. Your booking service may provide liability insurance coverage.

Following registration, overnight occupancy is subject to the county hotel room occupancy tax (aka room tax), which is currently 5% in Tompkins County (unless exempt as described in the law).

Some booking services (i.e. Airbnb, VRBO, Evolve) collect and remit room tax on behalf of hosts operating in Tompkins County. In these cases, STR units must still be registered with Tompkins County. This helps our County Finance Department ensure that room tax payments are accurate. If you are unsure, please check with your booking service(s) to determine if they collect and remit local occupancy taxes.

Some municipalities in Tompkins County have ordinances regarding short-term rentals. Registration of a STR unit with Tompkins County does not automatically register it with other municipalities. If you are unsure which municipality your STR unit is in, please use this website to determine where it is located.  

The following municipalities have existing STR ordinances:

 

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