Saranac Lake Freezes New STR Permits for Up to a Year

If you were planning to launch a new short-term rental in Saranac Lake, your window just closed. The village board voted 3-1 on Monday to impose a moratorium on issuing new STR permits for up to one year, putting a hard stop on expansion while officials decide whether their rules are actually working. Existing permit holders are not affected, but anyone hoping to get into the market now has to wait.

What the Board Actually Decided

The vote on October 15, 2026 was not close in outcome, but it was not without dissent. Trustee Sean Ryan cast the lone no vote, not because he opposes a review of the STR law, but because he said he has been left in the dark about what specific problems the board plans to fix. "If there are issues, I want to fix them and correct them," Ryan said. "But I don't want to make big sweeping changes with a lack of knowledge." Mayor Kelly Brunette was absent and did not vote.

Before the moratorium passed, Trustee David Trudeau successfully amended the language so the pause lasts for "up to a year" rather than a fixed full year. That distinction matters: the board can lift the moratorium at any point with another vote, meaning the freeze could end sooner if the review wraps up early.

One procedural wrinkle: the moratorium also applies to applications that were submitted before the law took effect, unless those applications were already under active review by the development board.

Why Now, and What They Are Looking At

Saranac Lake's STR framework has been in place since 2023 and was amended in 2025. The 2025 amendments created two classes of permits, hosted and unhosted, and added a 200-foot buffer zone around STR properties in residential districts to prevent clustering. The village currently has 118 active STR permits. It started the year with 115 and authorized up to 10 new permits for 2026, though as of August only four new permits had actually been issued.

Of those 118 permits, 44 are hosted units and 74 are unhosted. The board set a cap of seven new hosted and three new unhosted permits for this year.

Trustee Jeremy Evans said the core question is whether the annual cap on total permits is set at the right level. Under the current law, the board must set that number every January, and Evans said he does not want to pick a figure without real data to back it up. He also wants to know whether the density buffer amendment is producing unintended consequences. He said he has heard anecdotally that people want tweaks, though he does not believe the rule has been abused.

The moratorium resolution puts it plainly: the pause gives the village "time to collect data, evaluate the effectiveness of the regulations as amended and propose and adopt further amendments that may be necessary to ensure that the original objectives of the regulations are being achieved."

The Rules That Already Apply to Every Permit Holder

While the moratorium targets new applicants, existing hosts should know the compliance bar in Saranac Lake is already high. The village requires a valid STR permit, and only village residents or LLCs with at least 25% local ownership can apply, a rule designed to limit outside investment. Hosts must carry a minimum of $300,000 in liability insurance, post required signage at the property, and keep a fire extinguisher on site. An inspection is required, and the maximum occupancy is set by the Code Enforcement Officer under New York State Property Maintenance Code standards. STR taxes must be filed quarterly.

What Hosts Should Do Right Now

• Current permit holders: You can keep operating. The moratorium does not touch existing permits. Stay current on your quarterly tax filings and make sure your insurance, signage, and fire extinguisher are in order.
• Prospective hosts: No new permits will be issued during the moratorium. Watch for board announcements about the review process. The freeze can be lifted early, so follow village meeting agendas closely.
• Pending applicants: If your application was not already under active development board review when the moratorium took effect, it is paused. Confirm your status directly with the village.

For the complete Saranac Lake compliance guide including tax calculator, checklist, and daily monitoring, see Saranac Lake, NY STR Regulations.