The 14-Day Security Deposit Rule in New York
In New York, non-rent stabilized landlords must return your security deposit within 14 days of you vacating. If they miss this deadline, they lose the right to keep any of the money.
New York, USA
Laws available for this jurisdiction in plain English.
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Paid Family Leave Rights in New York
New York workers have a right to up to 12 weeks of paid, job-protected leave to bond with a child or care for a sick family member.
New York Rent Stabilization Laws
If you live in a rent-stabilized apartment in NY, your landlord can only increase your rent by a small percentage set annually by the Rent Guidelines Board, and you have the right to renew your lease.
New York General Obligations Law Section 7-103
Requires landlords who own buildings with six or more units to place security deposits in interest-bearing bank accounts for the benefit of the tenant.
New York Mandatory Seat Belt Law
Every passenger in a motor vehicle, regardless of where they are sitting, must be restrained by a seat belt or appropriate child safety restraint.
The 'Freelance Isn't Free' Act in New York
New York protects freelance workers and independent contractors by requiring written contracts for work over $800 and mandating that clients pay them on time.
New York Pay Transparency Law
Employers in New York with 4 or more employees are legally required to include the minimum and maximum salary or hourly wage in any job advertisement.
New York Marijuana Legalization (MRTA)
Under the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), it is legal for adults 21 and older to possess, use, and grow specific amounts of cannabis in New York State.
New York School Bus Passing Law
It is illegal to pass a stopped school bus from either direction when its red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended.
New York Digital Fair Repair Act
New York was the first state to require electronics manufacturers (like Apple and Samsung) to make diagnostic tools, parts, and repair manuals available to independent repair shops and consumers.
New York Bail Reform Act
New York significantly altered its criminal justice system by eliminating cash bail for most misdemeanors and non-violent felonies, though the law has been heavily amended since its passing.
New York Wage Theft Prevention Act
New York heavily penalizes employers who steal wages or fail to provide transparent pay documentation. The law mandates strict written notice requirements for all new hires.
New York Adult Survivors Act
The Adult Survivors Act created a one-year 'lookback window' (which closed in Nov 2023) that allowed adult victims of sexual abuse to file civil lawsuits against their abusers or the institutions that protected them, regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred.
New York Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019
A comprehensive set of laws that reformed rent stabilization and significantly increased tenant protections regarding evictions and rent increases.
New York LLC Transparency Act
To combat money laundering and tax evasion (often seen in luxury real estate), New York requires LLCs to report the actual human beings who own or control them to the state government.
New York Clean Slate Act
Starting in late 2024, the Clean Slate Act automatically seals many criminal records in New York after a certain period of time, allowing formerly incarcerated people to get jobs and housing without discrimination.
New York SAFE Act (Gun Control)
The NY SAFE Act is one of the strictest gun control laws in the United States, banning the sale of 'assault weapons' and high-capacity magazines, and requiring background checks for all ammunition purchases.
New York Rent Control (Different from Stabilization)
Rent Control in New York is older, stricter, and much rarer than Rent Stabilization. It applies only to specific older buildings where the tenant or their family has lived continuously since before 1971.
New York Paid Family Leave (PFL)
New York provides one of the nation's most comprehensive paid family leave programs, giving workers up to 12 weeks of paid, job-protected time off for major family events.
New York SHIELD Act (Data Security)
The Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security (SHIELD) Act forces any business holding the private data of a New York resident to implement strict cybersecurity safeguards.
New York Concealed Carry Improvement Act (CCIA)
After the Supreme Court struck down NY's old gun permit law in 2022, NY passed the CCIA. It makes getting a permit possible but strictly bans carrying guns in massive 'sensitive locations' and on all private property unless explicitly permitted.
New York HERO Act (Airborne Diseases)
Passed in response to COVID-19, the NY Health and Essential Rights (HERO) Act forces employers to adopt strict safety plans to protect workers from airborne infectious diseases.
New York Excelsior Scholarship (Free College)
New York was the first state to offer a tuition-free, four-year public college education to middle-class and low-income residents, but it comes with strict postgraduate residency strings attached.
New York 'Freelance Isn't Free' Act
Originally a NYC law, this protection was expanded statewide to ensure freelancers and independent contractors receive written contracts and timely payments.
New York Ban on Declawing Cats
New York was the first U.S. state to ban the controversial practice of declawing cats, a procedure that involves amputating the last bone of each toe.
New York Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act
A state law that determines which state has the power to make decisions about a child's custody to avoid multi-state legal battles.
New York Warranty of Habitability
Every residential lease contains an implied promise that the premises are fit for human habitation and safe.
New York Rent Stabilization Law
Limits the amount landlords can increase rent annually in certain residential buildings and grants tenants right to renewal.
New York Justification and Duty to Retreat
Deadly physical force is only justified if the person reasonably believes the other person is using or about to use deadly force and they cannot retreat with complete safety.
New York Penal Law Section 35.15: Justification
New York requires individuals to retreat from a confrontation if they can do so with 'complete safety' before using deadly force, except when in their own home.
New York Child Support Standards Act (CSSA)
This law provides a strict mathematical formula to calculate how much a parent should pay in child support. Key Terms: 1. Combined Parental Income (the total income of both parents added together), 2. Pro Rata Share (the percentage of total income contributed by each parent), 3. Add-on Expenses (additional costs like childcare or medical bills not covered by basic support).
New York Handheld Device Law
It is illegal to use a handheld mobile telephone or electronic device while operating a motor vehicle on public highways.
Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (HSTPA)
Comprehensive legislation that expanded rent stabilization and significantly increased protections for tenants against eviction and excessive fees.
Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019
This act drastically expanded tenant protections in New York, limiting rent increases in stabilized apartments and making most of the state's rent laws permanent.
New York Defense of Justification
In New York, a person may use physical force for self-defense, but there is a duty to retreat before using deadly force unless they are in their own home or cannot safely retreat.
New York State No-Fault Divorce Law
Spouses may obtain a divorce without proving wrongdoing if the marriage has been irretrievably broken for at least six months.
New York Real Property Law Section 235-f
Tenants in New York have the right to share their apartment with immediate family and one additional unrelated person (a roommate).
New York Warranty of Habitability (Real Property Law 235-b)
Mandates that every residential lease contains an implied promise that the premises are fit for human habitation and safe.
New York Justification in Self-Defense
New York requires a duty to retreat in many circumstances before using deadly physical force, unless the person is in their own home or is preventing certain violent crimes.
New York Child Support Standards Act (CSSA)
Provides a specific mathematical formula to calculate child support obligations based on a percentage of the combined parental income to ensure consistency and adequacy of support.
New York Domestic Relations Law Section 236 Part B
Governs the fair, but not necessarily equal, division of marital property and the awarding of maintenance during a divorce.
New York Domestic Relations Law Section 236-B
Establishes the process for 'Equitable Distribution,' where marital property is divided fairly but not necessarily equally.
New York Justification for Use of Physical Force
New York law allows the use of physical force for self-defense but generally imposes a 'duty to retreat' if the person can do so with complete safety, except in their own home.
New York Domestic Relations Law Section 170(7)
Allows for 'no-fault' divorce if one spouse declares under oath that the marriage has broken down irretrievably for at least six months.
New York Lane Splitting Prohibition
Motorcyclists are prohibited from operating a vehicle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles.
New York Real Property Law § 235-b: Warranty of Habitability
Every residential lease in New York contains an implied promise that the premises are fit for human habitation and safe.
New York Implied Consent Law
By operating a motor vehicle in New York, you are deemed to have given consent to a chemical test of breath, blood, or urine to determine alcohol or drug content.
NY Real Property Law Section 235-b: Warranty of Habitability
In every written or oral lease, the landlord promises that the premises are fit for human habitation and the occupants will not be subjected to conditions dangerous to life or health.
Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019
Significantly strengthens rent stabilization laws and provides new protections for tenants across the state.
New York School Bus Passing Law
Drivers must stop for a school bus that has its red lights flashing and stop arm extended, regardless of which direction they are traveling or if the road is divided.
Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019
This act drastically reformed New York's rent laws by making rent stabilization permanent, limiting security deposits to one month, and restricting tenant screening based on past eviction history.
Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019
Revolutionized rent laws in New York by making rent stabilization permanent and severely limiting the ability of landlords to increase rent on vacant units.
New York Justification and Duty to Retreat
In New York, a person may not use deadly physical force if they know they can retreat with complete safety, except when in their own home or preventing certain violent felonies.
New York Justification: Use of Physical Force
New York law allows the use of physical force for defense but imposes a duty to retreat in public if the person knows they can avoid the use of deadly force with complete safety.
New York Domestic Relations Law Section 170(7)
Allows couples to obtain a divorce by stating that the relationship has broken down irretrievably for a period of at least six months.
New York Penal Law Section 35.15
Establishes a duty to retreat in New York before using deadly physical force, unless the person is in their own home or cannot retreat safely.