Short-term rental rules in Windham, NY
Windham's Town Board passed a new zoning law on June 11, 2026, and the state filed it a week later. Its text never mentions short-term rentals. Lodging there refers to places such as hotels, inns or lodging houses.[6]
Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified October 1, 2026.
Can you rent short term in Windham?
State and county rules only
- Seasonal homes
- 1,631
- Housing units
- 2,341
- Residents
- 1,432
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates
- City ruleNo city ordinance
- City feeNone published
- Tax on each stay8%
- Seasonal homes697 per 1,000
Windham NY short-term rental rules
Windham has no short-term rental permit, registration or license of its own. None of the 28 local laws the town has filed with the New York Department of State since 2018 regulates short-term rentals. Those filings deal with topics such as signs, solar energy and noise.[5]
What Windham asks of you
The state's local laws database lists 28 Windham filings since 2018, with no rental chapter among them.[5]
The zoning law filed on June 18, 2026 adds no short-term rental provisions.[6]
It defines lodging as a business offering temporary accommodation for a fee, usually regulated under Subpart 7-1 of the state sanitary code.[6]
Greene County keeps a registry of short-term rental units and charges nothing to join.[4]
Windham's noise law forbids unreasonable noise disturbances from 10:00 p.m. That ban stays in force until 7:00 a.m.[7]
Not living at the property is no defense. A nonresident owner must take reasonable steps to stop violations.[7]
Fines reach $250 for a first noise offense and $375 for a second. Each later offense can cost up to $500.[7]
Every 24 hours of a continuing offense count as a separate one.[7]
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]
What a guest pays on top of your nightly rate in Windham
Each layer is set by a different authority, and not all of them are collected by the platform.
| Layer | Rate | Remitted to |
|---|---|---|
| New York State sales tax[3] | 4% | The state revenue department |
| Greene County sales tax[3] | 4% | The state revenue department |
| Total on a taxable stay | 8% |
What the census counts
How much of Windham is already a second home
The Census Bureau counts 1,631 of Windham's 2,341 homes as vacant for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. That is 697 out of every 1,000. It ranks Windham 2nd of the 13 New York cities on this site for the share of its housing stock kept for part-year use.
- Rank in the state
- 2nd of 13
- Share of housing
- 697 per 1,000
- Median home value
- $315,600
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates, tables B25004, B25001, B01003 and B25077.
Nearby and comparable
Where Windham sits among its neighbors
New York City, NY
Primary residence only
With a city registration, in your own home while you stay there, two guests at most. Whole-home rentals under 30 days are not allowed.
New York City short-term rental rulesHunter, NY
Permit required
1,791 seasonal homes, 628 per 1,000 housing units.
Hunter short-term rental rulesWebb, NY
Permit required
2,958 seasonal homes, 781 per 1,000 housing units.
Webb short-term rental rulesShelter Island, NY
License required
1,946 seasonal homes, 566 per 1,000 housing units.
Shelter Island short-term rental rulesFAQ
Windham short-term rental questions
Do I need a town permit to rent short term in Windham?
Who keeps a registry of Windham rentals?
Does Windham's noise law reach rental guests?
Sources
- Real Property Law section 447-c, registration, New York State Senate, read on October 1, 2026
- Sales tax on short-term rental unit occupancy, New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, read on October 1, 2026
- Publication 718, Sales and Use Tax Rates by Jurisdiction, effective March 1, 2025, New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, read on October 1, 2026
- Register Short-Term Rental Units in Greene County, NY, Greene County, read on October 1, 2026
- Local Laws Database, Town of Windham filings since 2018, New York State Department of State, read on October 1, 2026
- Local Law No. 3 of 2026, Zoning Law, Town of Windham Town Board, read on October 1, 2026
- Local Law No. 1 of 2024, amending the Noise Local Law, Town of Windham Town Board, read on October 1, 2026
This page is not legal advice. It summarizes the official sources listed on this page as they read on October 1, 2026. Rules can change after that date, so check with the issuing office before you apply or publish a listing.
Before you list
Free tools for new hosts
Short-term rental agreement generator
Parties, dates, rent, deposit checked against your state's cap, and the house rules clauses you enforce. A signed-ready PDF for direct and Vrbo bookings.
Airbnb host fee calculator
What Airbnb takes on a booking under the 15.5% host-only fee or the old split fee, what the guest pays on top, and the payout that reaches you.
Airbnb house rules
Generate a complete PDF house rules document for your property: rules, schedule, amenities, emergency contacts.
Check-in instructions
The message a guest reads before getting in: access, keys, WiFi, parking, contact. English or bilingual output.