Middletown, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 296 § 296-18
Term of permit; renewal
Operative Text
A. Subject to the provisions of § 296-23 of this article, all permits issued pursuant to this article shall be valid for a period of one year from date of issuance and may be renewed for additional one-year periods as provided in Subsection B of this section. B. Renewal. (1) A renewal application must be submitted no later than 30 days prior to the expiration of the existing permit. A renewal application must contain the same information required for the initial application by § 296-15 of this article, must be accompanied by the fee required in § 296-16 of this article, and must be submitted to the Commissioner of Public Works. (2) Renewal applications shall be reviewed by the Commissioner of Public Works in accordance with the criteria contained in this article, If a decision is made not to renew, the applicant shall be notified of the reason(s) therefor by written notice from the Commissioner mailed to the applicant by regular and by certified mail, return receipt requested. An applicant has 10 working days from the date of such written notice to request a hearing before a special committee of the Common Council as hereinafter provided. All requests for hearings must be in writing, directed to the Clerk of the Common Council, and accompanied by a fee of $100. If the applicant requests such a hearing, the applicant shall be issued a temporary permit by the Commissioner of Public Works which shall expire 60 days after the final decision of the special committee of the Common Council. (3) Upon a request for a hearing, the President of the Common Council shall designate a special committee to consist of the President of the Common Council and one Alderperson from each ward. The President shall act as presiding officer at the hearing. The hearing shall be conducted within 30 days after receipt of the request therefor. The hearing shall be public, and the applicant may be represented by counsel and shall be able to call witnesses in his or her behalf. The special committee in its discretion may rescind the decision not to renew the permit for good cause shown. The special committee shall issue a written decision within 20 days after the hearing, and the Clerk of the Common Council shall provide the applicant with a copy of this decision within five business days after its issuance. (4) Any owner of rental property who fails to secure a renewal rental permit prior to the expiration of the current rental permit shall be subject to a late fee of $100, to be imposed in the sole discretion of the Commissioner of Public Works. Additionally, any time period in which a rental property is occupied subsequent to the expiration of an existing permit without procurement of a renewal permit constitutes a per day violation subjecting the owner to the penalties provided for in § 296-25 of this article. Any renewed rental permit that is issued subsequent to the expiration of the existing permit shall be backdated to the date of expiration of the existing permit. C. Short-term rentals. No permit may be issued for short-term rentals of less than 30 days, except as provided in § 475-35.1 and § 475-21.1F(24) of the Zoning Code. The issuance, renewal and revocation of short-term rental permits are subject to all of the provisions of Article III , Rooming, Lodging and Multiple Dwelling Units, of Chapter 296 , Housing, except for § 296-20H , Background checks.
Section 296-18 of Middletown's Code of Ordinances establishes that rental property permits last one year and can be renewed annually, provided the renewal application—along with the required fee and information—is submitted to the Commissioner of Public Works at least 30 days before the current permit expires. If renewal is denied, the applicant receives written notice and has 10 working days to request a formal hearing before a special committee of the Common Council, paying a $100 hearing fee, during which a temporary permit is issued. Owners who let a permit lapse without timely renewal face a $100 late fee and per-day penalties for any period the property remains occupied without a valid permit; additionally, no permit may be issued for short-term rentals of fewer than 30 days except as allowed under specific sections of the Zoning Code.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 296-18, compliant rental property operators track their permit's expiration date and submit a complete renewal application—including all information required by § 296-15, the fee set by § 296-16, and delivery to the Commissioner of Public Works—no later than 30 days before expiration. Operators who receive a denial notice act promptly, as the window to request a hearing before the Common Council's special committee is only 10 working days from the date of that written notice, and the $100 hearing request fee must accompany the written request to the Clerk of the Common Council. Allowing a permit to lapse while the property remains occupied triggers per-day penalties under § 296-25 in addition to a $100 late fee, so maintaining an accurate renewal calendar is a standard practice among compliant operators.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 296-18 is relevant to tenants because it requires landlords to hold a valid, continuously renewed rental permit; if a landlord's permit expires while the property is occupied, the landlord is subject to per-day penalties under § 296-25 for each day the property operates without a valid permit. Tenants who believe their landlord may be operating without a current permit can inquire with the Commissioner of Public Works, who administers the permit program under § 296-18, or contact a local tenant-rights organization for guidance on how permit violations may be raised. Understanding this provision can help tenants recognize whether a landlord is in compliance with Middletown's rental housing requirements and what avenues exist for reporting potential violations.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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