Watertown, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 177 § 177-3
Exceptions
Operative Text
A. Rental registration and inspection exceptions. The rental registration and inspection requirements of this article shall not apply to owner-occupied one-family dwellings, hotels and motels, nursing homes, hospitals, adult homes, assisted living facilities, hospice residences, and other licensed residential health care facilities. Otherwise, all other dwelling units rented that are equipped with bathing room(s), and areas or rooms for cooking, dining, living and sleeping, occupied or to be occupied by one or more persons as a home or residence, must be registered with the City. B. Voluntary inspection exceptions. The voluntary inspection aspects of this article shall not apply to owner-occupied dwellings; multifamily dwellings owned by a duly established public housing authority or leased directly to the U.S. government; any federal, state, or locality-owned or -managed buildings, Section Eight, and other subsidized housing subject to other inspection requirements; and any newly built and renovated housing receiving a certificate of occupancy within the preceding five years that has been approved for occupancy by the Code Enforcement Official.
Section 177-3 of Watertown, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 177 carves out specific categories of housing from the city's rental registration and inspection requirements. Owner-occupied single-family homes, hotels, motels, and licensed residential health care facilities such as nursing homes and hospice residences are fully exempt from registration. A separate set of exemptions applies to the voluntary inspection program, covering owner-occupied dwellings, public housing authority properties, government-owned or -managed buildings, federally subsidized housing already subject to other inspections, and newly built or renovated units that received a certificate of occupancy within the past five years.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 177-3, landlords operating rental dwelling units in Watertown that include bathing, cooking, dining, living, and sleeping areas are generally required to register with the City unless a specific exemption applies. Compliant operators typically review whether their properties fall into one of the listed exempt categories — such as licensed health care facilities or newly certificated construction — before assuming registration or inspection obligations do not apply. Landlords whose properties do not qualify for an exemption under § 177-3 generally ensure timely registration with the City to remain in compliance with ch. 177.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 177-3 defines which rental units in Watertown are covered by the city's registration and inspection framework, which in turn affects tenant protections tied to those requirements. Tenants living in units that appear to qualify for registration — meaning they include bathing, cooking, dining, living, and sleeping areas and are not among the listed exempt categories — may have grounds to raise a landlord's failure to register as a concern with the City's Code Enforcement office. Tenants who are uncertain whether their unit is properly registered under ch. 177 can contact the City of Watertown or a local tenant-rights organization to better understand what protections may apply to their situation.
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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