Rental Rules by City / Free checklist / Wilmington, NY (Whiteface)

Is my Wilmington, NY (Whiteface) rental legal? Checklist

Essex County, New York · Based on our Wilmington, NY (Whiteface) page, last verified Oct 24, 2026 · Print

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📋 The Basics

Can I rent my place short-term here?: Yes, with a permit
Do I need a permit?: Yes, with a town STR permit (caps apply).
What taxes do I pay?: Total about 13%. Check your Airbnb payout report to see which ones Airbnb collects; you pay the rest yourself.

Your 3 steps to be legal

Apply to Codes.
Register on Essex County portal.
File county tax monthly.

⚠️ Biggest risk: Assuming a permit is available under the cap.

Words confusing? See the glossary. Details and official sources are below.

This is the general rule for Wilmington, NY (Whiteface). Does your address qualify?

The free info covers the city as a whole. Your property can still be different: zoning can change from one street to the next, and an HOA or condo ban can stop rentals even where the city allows them.

Your $49 Compliance Check looks at your exact property:

Whether your exact address and zone allow short-term rentals
A check of HOA / condo rental restrictions to look for
Which permits and tax accounts you personally need
What you're missing right now
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Permit / license / registration

Permit: Town STR permit per unit before advertising or renting for 30 days or less; fee $300 + $50 per sleeping area.
Caps: 2026 amendments add permit caps (unhosted/hosted): verify current numbers with the Codes Department.

Zoning, where allowed & definitions

Not listed on our page: Verify with the city/county before renting.

Night limits, minimum stays & occupancy

Not listed on our page: Verify with the city/county before renting.

Fees, penalties & pending changes

Not listed on our page: Verify with the city/county before renting.

Taxes & who collects them

Register / account for NY + Essex County sales tax (8%)
Register / account for Essex County room occupancy tax (5%)
What Airbnb collects: Verify in payouts which taxes your platform remits.
Vrbo and direct bookings: check which taxes Vrbo collects in your area; for direct bookings you collect and remit all of them yourself.

Total rate: 13%. 13%: NY + Essex sales tax 8% (Pub. 718) + Essex County 5% occupancy tax; register on the Essex County STR portal and remit monthly. Calculate.

HOA / condo check

Read your declaration, bylaws and rules for rental bans, minimum terms, caps and approval requirements.
Get any association sign-off or approval letter your city or association requires.
See our HOA & condo guide.

Insurance

Confirm your homeowner/condo policy covers short-term rental use, or add a short-term rental policy. Platform host protection is not a substitute for insurance.
Ask your association whether it requires specific liability coverage.

Deadlines

Renew city/county permits or registrations on their schedule (often annually): confirm the date with the office that issued it.
File state and local lodging tax returns on the schedule your tax office assigns.

Official sources

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Not legal or tax advice. Last verified Oct 24, 2026. Rules and rates change: confirm with the official sources linked before you rent or file.