Lake George, NY short-term rental permit

What Lake George asks of you

• The town fee schedule dated January 10, 2022, lists $100 for a short-term residential rental permit or its renewal.^[6]

• Town Law section 261 limits a town's zoning rules to the area outside its incorporated villages.^[9]

• The rental rules sit in section 175-52 of Chapter 175, the town's zoning ordinance.^[4]

• The banned districts start with RS-1, RSH and RM-1. RM-2, RH and RR follow, with LC closing the list.^[4]

• A 30-day window ran from April 15 to May 15, 2025, for permits in the RSH district. None have been allowed there since.^[7]

• The Zoning Officer checks for adequate parking and garbage facilities. Septic capacity and a local emergency contact are reviewed too.^[4]

• When the septic system falls short, the Zoning Officer lowers occupancy based on bedrooms, at two people per bedroom.^[4]

• The permit requires a property maintenance inspection by the Warren County Building Codes and Fire Prevention Office.^[5]

• Each rental needs a working smoke detector and a carbon monoxide monitor. The signed permit is kept at the property.^[5]

• At least two parking spaces are required, plus one for every four guests allowed. No more than ten cars may park at the property.^[5]

• A grandfathered rental that draws more than three legitimate complaints loses its status and has to stop.^[4]

• Advertising occupancy online above the approved limit counts as a violation, like overcrowding.^[4]

• After a notice, the owner has 24 hours to correct the violation. Three violations within two years can lead to revocation.^[4]

• A conviction carries a fine of up to $1,000, along with possible revocation. Every day the violation goes on is a separate offense.^[4]

• An accessory dwelling unit may not serve as a short-term rental under the town's August 2026 law. Its minimum lease is six months.^[8]

• The Village of Lake George licenses short-term residential rentals separately, for a $150 fee.^[10]

• Its zoning allows them only in the Commercial Mixed-Use and Commercial Resort districts.^[11]

• Warren County also requires owners to register with its Treasurer, even if they hold a town permit. They file returns for the 4% occupancy tax.^[12]

• The Treasurer's page defines a short-term rental as one of 30 days or shorter.^[12]

• The county's occupancy tax law sets the line at fewer than 30 consecutive days.^[13]

What New York asks wherever you host

These rules apply at this address whatever the city decides.

• In New York State, the county keeps the short-term rental registry. Once yours opens, the unit is registered there and its number appears on each listing.^[1]

• Short-term stays have carried sales tax since March 1, 2025. When a platform takes the booking, the platform charges that tax and remits it.^[2]

• Local control stays with cities, towns and villages, which can set operating rules. A local law can also ban short-term rentals outright.^[1]