New York Rent Increase Laws (2026): Notice, Good Cause and Rent Stabilization

New York has no statewide rent cap for unregulated apartments, but a 5% or bigger increase needs 30 to 90 days' written notice. In New York City, Good Cause Eviction presumes increases above 8.38% unreasonable for covered units. NYC's published Order #58 sets a 0% guideline adjustment for one- and two-year stabilized renewal leases starting October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027; other adjustments authorized by law may still apply.

Reviewed 10/23/26 by Dan. This article is general information, not legal advice.

New York rent increase rules at a glance

Is there a limit on rent increases in New York?

It depends on which of three groups your apartment is in:

• Rent-stabilized or rent-controlled. Increases are set by law. In NYC, the Rent Guidelines Board sets renewal increases each year.
• Covered by Good Cause Eviction. There's no hard cap, but an increase above the local rent standard is presumed unreasonable.
• Everything else. No cap. Your landlord can ask for any amount when your lease ends, as long as they give proper notice.

How much notice does a New York landlord have to give?

Under Real Property Law § 226-c, your landlord must give written notice before raising your rent by 5% or more, or before not renewing your lease. The notice period depends on how long you've lived there or your lease term, whichever is longer:

• Less than 1 year: at least 30 days
• 1 to 2 years: at least 60 days
• 2 years or more, or a lease of 2+ years: at least 90 days

These notice periods also apply to covered month-to-month tenancies; don't assume every month-to-month increase needs only 30 days. Notice alone doesn't settle whether an increase is otherwise lawful.

If your landlord gives late notice, your current rent and terms continue until the full notice period has passed. Landlords must also attach a notice saying whether your unit is covered by Good Cause Eviction and, if it is, explaining any increase above the local rent standard (RPL § 231-c).

Can a landlord raise rent during a lease in New York?

No, unless your lease allows it. NYC's housing agency says the rent in your lease "can be raised only as permitted by the lease or at the expiration of the lease" (NYC HPD).

How does Good Cause Eviction limit rent increases?

The Good Cause Eviction law, passed in April 2024, covers many unregulated apartments. It applies in New York City automatically. Elsewhere, a municipality has to opt in. As of May 4, 2026, DHCR lists 19: the cities of Albany, Beacon, Binghamton, Hudson, Ithaca, Kingston, Middletown, New Rochelle, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Rochester and White Plains, the towns of Fishkill and Poughkeepsie, and the villages of Catskill, Croton-on-Hudson, New Paltz, Nyack and Tarrytown.

The rent test. An increase above the "local rent standard" is presumed unreasonable (RPL § 216). The standard is 5% plus the yearly change in the regional CPI, capped at 10% (RPL § 211). DHCR's 2026 notice, first posted July 16 and revised August 17, reports regional CPI changes of 3.38% and 3.15%. Applying the statutory formula gives:

• 8.38% in New York City and in opt-in municipalities in Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk counties
• 8.15% in opt-in municipalities elsewhere in the state (calculated as 5% + 3.15%, rather than a rate printed by DHCR)

These are the figures derived from the published 2026 notice. For a dispute involving an earlier renewal or the change between annual notices, get advice on which year's standard applies.

A landlord can try to justify a bigger increase with rising costs, such as property taxes, or with significant completed repairs. A judge decides. Your landlord can't evict you for not paying the part of an increase that's unreasonable.

Who's exempt. Good Cause doesn't cover every apartment (RPL § 214). Exemptions include:

• small landlords (in NYC, 10 or fewer units statewide; many opt-in towns use a lower number)
• owner-occupied buildings with no more than 10 units
• buildings with a certificate of occupancy issued on or after January 1, 2009, for 30 years
• rent-regulated and income-restricted units, co-ops and condos
• high-rent units above the locality's chosen percentage of fair market rent. NYC uses 245%; other opt-in municipalities may use a different percentage. DHCR's 2026 table lists NYC thresholds of $6,505 for a one-bedroom and $7,130 for a two-bedroom.

The law is set to expire June 15, 2034.

What about rent-stabilized apartments?

NYC's published 2026–27 guidelines. The Rent Guidelines Board's Order #58 sets a 0% guideline adjustment for one- and two-year leases starting October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, together with any further adjustments authorized by law. That is not a guarantee that every lawful rent adjustment or charge is frozen. Check the current order and any court rulings before relying on it for a renewal.

Outside NYC, rent stabilization depends on local adoption of the Emergency Tenant Protection Act and whether the building is covered. Use HCR's ETPA information to check your locality. In June 2025, the New York Court of Appeals upheld Kingston's challenged adoption and rent-guideline actions. Local boards set the guidelines outside NYC; NYC's Order #58 doesn't apply statewide.

Renewals. Your landlord must offer a renewal on an official form 90 to 150 days before your lease ends in NYC, or 90 to 120 days outside NYC. You then have 60 days to choose a one- or two-year lease (HCR Fact Sheet #4).

Not sure if you're stabilized? Request your apartment's rent history from HCR through its online portal.

Can your landlord raise rent to retaliate or discriminate?

No. RPL § 223-b bars retaliation for a good-faith complaint about conditions or repairs, for enforcing your lease or legal rights, or for joining a tenant group. Retaliation includes offering a new lease "with an unreasonable rent increase." If it happens within a year of your complaint, the law presumes it's retaliation. It doesn't apply to owner-occupied buildings with fewer than four units.

Executive Law § 296(5) bars discrimination in rental terms based on race, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, familial status, age, lawful source of income and other traits.

What about your security deposit?

Under General Obligations Law § 7-108, most landlords can't collect more than one month's rent as a deposit. They must return it, with an itemized statement of anything kept, within 14 days after you move out. A landlord who misses that deadline forfeits the right to keep any of it.

What changed in 2025 and 2026?

• NYC's published 0% guideline adjustment for one- and two-year stabilized leases starting October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027; other lawful adjustments may apply.
• New local rent standard. DHCR's published 2026 CPI figures produce an 8.38% standard for NYC.
• More Good Cause towns. 19 localities outside NYC had opted in as of May 2026.

Before you sign the renewal

Read the new lease for other changes, such as a renters insurance requirement. Your landlord's insurance covers the building, not your belongings or your liability if someone's hurt in your home. See what liability coverage a landlord might require, then compare renters insurance with Goodcover.

Frequently asked questions

How much can a landlord raise rent in New York in 2026?

For unregulated apartments without Good Cause coverage, there's no cap. Under Good Cause, increases above 8.38% in NYC (8.15% in some opt-in towns) are presumed unreasonable. NYC's published Order #58 sets a 0% guideline adjustment for one- and two-year stabilized leases starting October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, subject to other adjustments authorized by law.

How much notice does a landlord need to give to raise rent in New York?

For an increase of 5% or more: 30 days if you've lived there under a year, 60 days for one to two years, and 90 days for two years or more or a lease of two years or more.

Does Good Cause Eviction apply to my apartment?

In NYC and municipalities that have opted in, it covers many unregulated apartments unless an exemption applies. DHCR's list names 19 opt-in localities as of May 4, 2026; check for later local changes. Exemptions include qualifying small landlords and a 30-year exemption for buildings with a certificate of occupancy issued on or after January 1, 2009. Your landlord's Good Cause notice must say whether it applies.

Can my landlord refuse to renew if I won't pay the increase?

If Good Cause covers you, only if the increase isn't unreasonable. If you're rent-stabilized, you have a right to renew at the legal rent. Otherwise, your landlord can decline to renew with proper notice, but not to retaliate or discriminate.

Where can I get help with a rent increase?

In NYC, call 311 and ask for the Tenant Helpline. Elsewhere, LawHelpNY lists free legal services by county. Rent-stabilized tenants can file complaints with HCR.

Three questions to ask

When a New York rent increase arrives, ask: Is my apartment stabilized or covered by Good Cause? Did I get the notice § 226-c requires? Is the increase above the local rent standard or the RGB rate?

Get a Goodcover renters insurance quote

This article is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, and local rules may add protections. Check the current law or talk to a local legal-aid office or attorney about your situation.