Town of Lake George short-term rental (STR) rules

What counts as an STR

The Town Short Term Rental Guide (labeled 2025 Version on the PDF) defines a Residential Short-Term Rental as residential property used as dwelling space for visitors staying 30 days or less. Rentals for periods longer than 30 consecutive days do not need this Town residential rental permit.

Town Code §175-52(B) states that residential property owners may use dwellings for short-term rentals (30 days or less) after applying for and obtaining a residential rental permit from the Planning and Zoning Office for a fee in the Fee Schedule (Chapter 75). Rentals longer than one month at a time may be done without a residential rental permit.

Where STRs are prohibited

§175-52(B) and the Town STR Guide both list short-term residential rentals as prohibited in these districts:

• RS-1
• RSH
• RM-1
• RM-2
• RH
• RR
• LC

Confirm a parcel’s district with the Town Zoning Map / Warren County GIS Lake George Zoning layer, or by calling the office — do not guess from a street address alone.

RSH closed window (historical)

Local Law 1-2025 opened a temporary 30-day window from April 15, 2025 through May 15, 2025 during which the Town Planning and Zoning Office would accept STR applications in RSH. Applications had to be received by May 15, 2025. After that window, current RSH zoning again applies and no additional STRs would be processed as newly permissible; permits issued in the window are to be treated as grandfathered under §175-52(B) grandfathering rules.

Permit, fee, and renewal

• Annual residential rental permit required for ≤30-day rentals where allowed
• Town Fee Schedule: Short Term Rental Permit / Renewal $100.00
• Renewals due June 1 each year; late renewals after June 1 charged double the renewal fee (§175-52(B))
• Guide: submit insurance declaration/certificate with the application; store the signed permit on-site with emergency / septic / trash / occupancy info

2026 Residential Rental Application and Renewal Application links are published on the Town Planning & Zoning page.

Occupancy, septic, parking, safety

• Warren County Building Codes and Fire Prevention property-maintenance inspection required; occupancy based on bedrooms and/or livable square footage as calculated in that inspection (§175-52(B)(3)(c))
• Inadequate septic (Zoning Officer determination): occupancy reduced based on septic capacity, bedroom count, and a maximum of two persons per bedroom (§175-52(B)(3)(b)/(c))
• Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide monitors must comply with the NYS Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code
• Parking (§175-52(B)(3)(e)): minimum two spaces; for every four allowable renters, one additional space (code example: 12 renters → three spaces); no more than 10 cars on the property
• Guide: pay occupancy taxes on the STR to the County annually; code §175-52(B)(5) ties approved residential rental licenses to occupancy-tax requirements

Violations and grandfathering (high level)

§175-52(B)(7)–(9) lists violation categories (overcrowding / advertising over limit, septic failures, noise, police-response incidents, fire-code issues, garbage, operating without a permit), a 24-hour cure notice for operational violations, possible revocation after failure to cure or three violations in two years, and penalties including a fine not exceeding $1,000 and/or permit revocation (each day a separate violation).

§175-52(B)(6) allows continuation of preexisting nonconforming STRs known/recorded to Planning & Zoning on or before adoption of the section only if the owner completes the permitting process; continuation is tied to the same ownership (or specified trust/estate of direct descendants); more than three legitimate complaints can withdraw grandfathered status.

Related buyer note (not STR permitting): multifamily dwellings approved under certain double-density provisions cannot be used as short-term residential rentals (§175-47(B)(6)).

Who to contact

Town Planning & Zoning: 20 Old Post Road, Lake George, NY 12845; phone 518-668-5722 Ext. 5. The Guide names Zoning Code Enforcement Officer Doug Frost for STR plan discussions.

Related: Joyce cabin colony AV #7-2026 · What counts as Lake George waterfront?

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