Rental Dwelling Registry Information
Below you’ll find answers to the most commonly asked questions about ROPs. For more information, including complete
copies of the applicable City and State Codes, see our ROP Guidebook, available on our website at albanyny.gov.
Registration Renewal. Your rental units will remain
registered for thirty months after the date your residential
occupancy permit has been issued. Re-registration,
including a new registration inspection, will be required at
the end of that thirty month period.
ROP Delivery. An ROP will be mailed the week following
a successful ROP inspection. Copying and administrative
fees may be charged for additional copies.
Checking ROP Status. A list of active ROPs is available
on our website at albanyny.gov.
Inspection Scheduling. The date & hour time window
you selected on this form will be when we arrive at the
property if we receive the form at least three full business
days in advance of the inspection. If you need your ROP
inspection sooner than that, you may deliver the form and
fee in person or coordinate with our staff by phone at (518)
434-5995.
Inspection. Depending on the condition of your property,
the inspection will last approximately 20 minutes. The
inspector will be looking for code violations so we urge you
to review the NYS Building Codes prior to your inspection
to ensure that you are in compliance. Note, work done to
comply with code will often require a building permit.
Inspection Checklist. An ROP inspection is not a top-to-
bottom code review of a building but any code violations
found must corrected before an ROP may be issued In a
standard inspection will look at 1) smoke and carbon
monoxide detectors, 2) open means of egress, 3) general
cleanliness, 4) unit security, 5) potential structural
problems, 6) electric facilities, and 7) running, clean water.
Failures in these areas will lead to deeper investigation.
Zoning Compliance & Building Alterations. An ROP
inspection does not confirm that a building is in
compliance with City zoning rules. An ROP does not
make units that have been added illegally and without
proper approvals legal and where it is later discovered that
an ROP has been issued to an illegal unit, that ROP will be
revoked. If there has been unpermitted work, an
ROP inspection does not substitute for the building
permit process.
ROP Fee Exemptions. All residential dwelling units must
be registered. However, Albany City Code §231-144(B)
provides that “Owner-occupied rental dwellings containing
not more than one rental unit owned by one or more
natural persons, all of whom are aged 65 years or older, are
exempt” from paying the $50 fee.
Smoke Detector Location. For typical small residential
buildings, smoke detectors are required on the ceiling or
wall outside and in the vicinity of each bedroom area, in
each bedroom, and on each floor. Smoke detectors are most
effective when placed high in a room.
Carbon Monoxide Detector Location. In typical small
residential buildings with fuel burning appliances, carbon
monoxide detectors must be installed outside and in the
vicinity of each bedroom area. Carbon monoxide detectors
are most effective when placed low in a room.
Elevators, Sprinklers, Integrated Fire Alarms. For
buildings with elevators, sprinklers, and/or integrated fire
alarm systems which are required to have regular,
mandatory inspections, the most recent copies of those
inspection reports must be made available to the inspector
at the time of the inspection.
Follow-up Inspections. If code violations are discovered
during the first inspection, you will be provided with a list
of those violations and what needs to be done to remedy
them. Unless they are critical, you will be given 30 days to
make the necessary repairs or changes. No penalties are
assessed for violations found in ROP inspections.
Follow-up Inspection Scheduling. The date of a follow-
up inspection may be sooner or later than the standard 30
days. Requests to extend a follow-up inspection
date must be made in writing.
Follow-up Inspection Fees. The $50 registration fee
covers our initial inspection and one follow-up inspection
and must be paid up front. No inspection may be scheduled
before the $50 fee has been paid. If violations are
discovered after a follow-up inspection, a $50 fee will be
charged for each inspection thereafter.
No Show and Late Cancellation Fees. If no one is at
the property to let the inspector perform the
inspection at the scheduled time, a $50 no-show
fee will be assessed. Cancellations received less
than 24 business hours before the schedule
inspection time will also incur a $50 fee.
Abandoned ROPs. If an inspection is attempted but is
not able to be performed and no further contact is made
with the department or calls to schedule an ROP inspection
are not returned, the ROP will be deemed abandoned after
three months.
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