Watertown, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 177 § 177-8
Registration application fees
Operative Text
A. Registration application fee. A nonrefundable registration application fee shall be paid to the City upon filing each application for a certificate of registration of a rental occupancy and/or for a rental dwelling, in an amount to be set from time to time by the City Council by resolution. The City Council resolution may, in its discretion, but subject to applicable law, establish a schedule or schedules setting different application fees for different categories of applicants or properties. B. The fees required by this section shall be waived for any applicant that demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Code Enforcement Official that it is a not-for-profit housing development corporation organized under the laws of the State of New York and that it is providing housing for senior citizens or other designated special populations subject to income guidelines established by either federal or state regulation.
Section 177-8 of Watertown's Code of Ordinances establishes that anyone filing for a certificate of registration for a rental occupancy or rental dwelling must pay a nonrefundable fee set by the City Council through resolution. The City Council has the authority to create tiered fee schedules that apply different amounts to different categories of applicants or properties. Qualifying not-for-profit housing development corporations incorporated under New York State law that serve senior citizens or other designated special populations under federal or state income guidelines are exempt from these fees.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 177-8, landlords and property managers in Watertown are generally expected to pay a nonrefundable registration application fee each time they file for a certificate of rental occupancy or rental dwelling registration, in the amount currently set by City Council resolution. Because the City Council may establish different fee tiers for different property or applicant categories, compliant operators typically confirm the applicable fee schedule before submitting an application. Not-for-profit housing development corporations serving qualifying populations should be prepared to demonstrate their eligibility to the Code Enforcement Official in order to have the fee waived.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 177-8 is relevant to tenants because it governs the registration process that landlords must complete for rental properties in Watertown — a registration system that can be a tool for tracking whether a rental unit is legally operating. Tenants who have questions about whether their unit is properly registered may contact the Watertown Code Enforcement office, which administers the certificate process under this provision. Tenant-rights organizations can also help residents understand how the registration requirement under § 177-8 may relate to their housing 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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