With World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium drawing visitors from around the world, short-term rental demand in NYC is surging — and so is the temptation to cash in. Before you list your apartment, know what Local Law 18 actually allows. For most tenants, the answer is: far less than you think.
The Short Answer
For most NYC renters, legally renting out your entire apartment for a few nights is not possible. New York's rules on short-term rentals are among the strictest in the country, and they didn't pause for the World Cup.
What Local Law 18 Requires
Local Law 18 — the Short-Term Rental Registration Law, enforced since September 2023 — requires anyone hosting short-term stays (under 30 days) to register with the city's Office of Special Enforcement (OSE). Registration comes with hard conditions:
- You must be present in the home during the entire stay — renting out your whole apartment while you're away is prohibited for stays under 30 days
- Maximum two guests at a time
- Guests must have free access to the whole unit (no locked-off areas functioning as separate units)
- The building must not be on the city's prohibited buildings list (many landlords have registered their buildings as off-limits to short-term rentals)
Booking platforms — Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com — are barred from processing payments for unregistered NYC listings. That's why entire-apartment short-stay listings largely vanished from these platforms after enforcement began.
What It Means for Tenants Specifically
Even if you register, two more layers apply to renters:
Your lease. Most NYC leases prohibit subletting or short-term rentals without landlord consent. Violating that clause is grounds for eviction — and during a high-demand event, landlords and neighbors are watching listings closely.
Rent regulation. If your apartment is rent-stabilized, profiting from it is prohibited: you cannot charge a subtenant or guest more than your regulated rent (a small surcharge for furnished sublets is the only exception). Rent-stabilized tenants who illegally profit from short-term rentals may face serious consequences, including lease termination proceedings.
Stays of 30+ days are different. The short-term rules don't apply to rentals of 30 days or longer. A legal sublet (with landlord consent, at legal rent) for a month-plus is the legitimate path — New York tenants in market-rate units have a qualified legal right to sublet with consent, which a landlord cannot unreasonably refuse.
If You're Visiting for the World Cup
The same law protects you from scams. Before booking a short-term stay in NYC:
- A legal short-stay listing has an OSE registration number — look for it
- An "entire apartment" for 3 nights in NYC is almost certainly an illegal listing or a scam
- If a deal looks too good and asks for payment off-platform — walk away
The Bottom Line
The World Cup will tempt thousands of New Yorkers to list their apartments. For most tenants, the math is brutal: a few hundred dollars a night against the risk of eviction, lease termination proceedings, or city fines. If you want to rent out your place legally, the 30-day-plus sublet with landlord consent is the only clean path.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Airbnb my NYC apartment during the World Cup? For stays under 30 days: only if you register with the city, remain present during the stay, host no more than two guests, and your building and lease allow it. Renting out your entire apartment while away is prohibited.
What happens if I list my apartment illegally? City fines, potential eviction for violating your lease — and for rent-stabilized tenants, illegal profiteering can lead to lease termination proceedings.
Can I sublet my apartment for a month instead? Yes — rentals of 30+ days aren't covered by short-term rental rules. You still need landlord consent, and rent-stabilized tenants can't charge above their regulated rent.
How do I know a listing I'm booking is legal? Legal NYC short-stay listings display an OSE registration number. Entire-apartment listings for short stays are red flags.
Related NYC Housing Guides
- The 40x Rent Rule and Guarantors
- How to Check If Your Apartment Is Rent-Stabilized in 2026
- Security Deposit Rules in NYC
Sources: NYC Local Law 18 of 2022; NYC Office of Special Enforcement; NY Real Property Law §226-b (subletting); Rent Stabilization Code. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
