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What a New York lease must include: a landlord checklist
New York added several required lease disclosures in the last few years. Here's the full list, statewide and NYC-only, with what applies to a one- or two-family house.
Updated October 25, 2026. Every rule below links to its official source; see all of them on our Legal sources page.
Statewide: in or attached to every lease
| Item | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Good Cause notice | Whether the unit is covered by the Good Cause Eviction Law, and if not, why. Required with every new and renewal lease, even if you're exempt. | RPL § 231-c |
| Sprinkler disclosure | In bold type: whether there is a working, maintained sprinkler system, and if so, the last maintenance and inspection date. | RPL § 231-a |
| Flood disclosure | Whether the property is in a FEMA floodplain, the 100-year or 500-year flood area, any known past flood damage, and a required paragraph about renters' flood insurance. | RPL § 231-b |
| Lead paint disclosure + EPA pamphlet | For buildings built before 1978: the federal lead warning, what you know about lead, any reports, and the tenant's signed receipt. | 40 CFR 745 Subpart F; EPA pamphlet |
Money limits the lease must follow
- Security deposit: no more than one month's rent, held in trust; 14 days to return it after move-out with an itemized statement (GOL § 7-108, § 7-103). See our NY security deposit guide.
- Late fee: only if rent is more than 5 days late, and no more than $50 or 5% of the monthly rent, whichever is less (RPL § 238-a).
- Move-in fees: no application or processing fees, except a background or credit check fee of up to $20 (§ 238-a).
- Paying rent: you can't make electronic payment the only option (RPL § 235-g).
Clauses New York won't enforce
- A waiver of the warranty of habitability, such as an "as-is" clause (RPL § 235-b).
- A ban on roommates that goes beyond what the roommate law allows (RPL § 235-f).
- A clause letting the landlord off for its own negligence (GOL § 5-321).
Attorney's fees work both ways: if the lease lets the landlord recover them, the tenant gets the same right (RPL § 234). Our lease writes it as "the winning side".
New York City only
| Rider | Applies to | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Lead paint lease notice (child under 6) | Buildings built before 1960, including tenant-occupied 1–2 family homes | NYC HPD, Local Law 1 |
| Bedbug history disclosure | Vacancy leases | NYC HPD |
| Fee disclosure (FARE Act) | An itemized list of every fee the tenant must pay, signed before the lease | NYC DCWP |
| Window guard notice | Buildings with 3 or more apartments | NYC Health |
| Smoking policy | Buildings with 3 or more apartments | Local Law 147 of 2017 |
| Indoor allergen notice + fact sheet | Buildings with 3 or more apartments | NYC HPD, Local Law 55 |
A one- or two-family house: what you actually need
Statewide, every lease needs the Good Cause notice (you'll likely mark it "not covered: small landlord"), the sprinkler and flood disclosures, and the lead disclosure if the house was built before 1978. In NYC, add the Local Law 1 lead notice if it was built before 1960, the bedbug history disclosure, and the FARE fee disclosure. Window guard, smoking and allergen notices are for buildings with 3+ apartments.
Renewing a lease?
A renewal lease needs a new Good Cause notice. If the rent goes up 5% or more, give 30, 60 or 90 days' notice first (RPL § 226-c). See our NY rent increase guide.
How our lease handles it
The LandlordSquare New York lease asks one question at a time, keeps the deposit and late fee within the limits, and attaches the riders your building needs as separate pages, based on the year it was built, the number of units and whether it's in NYC.
Want a lease that already does all this?
Answer one question at a time. We keep the numbers within your state's limits and attach the required disclosure pages. New leases and renewals.
Frequently asked questions
What disclosures are required in a New York lease?
Statewide: the Good Cause Eviction Law notice (RPL § 231-c), a bold sprinkler disclosure (RPL § 231-a), a flood disclosure (RPL § 231-b), and the federal lead paint disclosure for buildings built before 1978. NYC adds riders such as the Local Law 1 lead notice, the bedbug history disclosure and the FARE Act fee disclosure.
What is the maximum late fee in a NY lease?
$50 or 5% of the monthly rent, whichever is less, and only after rent is more than 5 days late (RPL § 238-a).
Does a 2-family house in NYC need a window guard notice?
No. NYC Health says the window guard rules apply to buildings with three or more apartments.
Does a NY renewal lease need the Good Cause notice?
Yes. RPL § 231-c requires it with every initial and renewal lease, whether or not the unit is covered.