SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROPERTY REGISTRATION UPDATE
As Warren County approaches the summer tourism season and continues to work towards a robust local economic recovery from the challenges posed by COVID-19, the County Treasurer’s Office is taking the next step toward ensuring equitable treatment between short-term property rentals and traditional rental properties when it comes to paying occupancy tax.
Occupancy tax is a 4% fee imposed on those who rent certain properties, and revenues from this “bed tax” are reinvested back into the local economy for the promotion of tourism and events that attract visitors.
Last year, the County Treasurer’s Office notified property owners who use their properties for short-term rental that they were required as of September 1, 2020 to register with the County Treasurer, as hotel and motel properties do.
In the coming days, the County Treasurer’s Office will be mailing letters to owners of short-term rentals in Warren County who have not yet registered to advise them of their obligations to register and to collect occupancy tax under the Warren County Occupancy Tax Law.
This includes short term rental property owners who rent on their own or use companies such as Airbnb, VRBO or any other rental platform.
“We are happy to work with owners of short-term rentals to make this process as easy as possible and to walk them through compliance with the Warren County Occupancy Tax Law,” explained Warren County Treasurer Michael Swan. “We appreciate the part that you all play in Warren County’s success and we thank you in advance for your cooperation.”
As Warren County does not maintain contractual agreements with short-term rental platforms for occupancy tax payments, it is possible that some of these platforms may represent to property owners that they collect the 4% occupancy tax when they do not actually remit the money to Warren County.
That representation by the rental platform does not absolve a short-term rental property owner of the requirement to collect and forward the tax payments to the Warren County Treasurer’s Office.
Short-term rentals are defined as a rental of 30 days or shorter in duration.
Penalties of up to 5%, plus interest, can be imposed for failing to remit occupancy tax to the County Treasurer under the Warren County Occupancy Tax Law.
The Warren County registration process is independent of any rental property registration process that has occurred in some towns in Warren County. If you own a property and registered with the town where your property is located, you are still obligated to contact the Treasurer’s Office to register for occupancy tax collection.
Information and registration forms can be found at warrencountyny.gov/treasurer/bedtax.
Property owners can also contact Warren County Treasurer Michael Swan’s office at 518-761-6379 or email swanm@warrencountyny.gov to register.
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