Albany County
City of Albany, NY: zoning for new construction
Residential lots in the City of Albany run from a 0.026-acre minimum in Residential, Townhouse up to 0.149 acres in Residential, Single-Family, Medium Density, across 25 zoning districts in all. Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. Power here is National Grid territory. The district table below has the setbacks, height limits and coverage - confirm the specifics with the building department at (518) 434-5165 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Albany →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential, Single-Family, Medium Density | — | 0 / 10 / 20 ft | — | No |
| Residential, Single-Family, Medium Density | — | 10 / 15 / 40 ft | — | No |
| Residential, Single-Family, Medium Density | — | — | — | No |
| Residential, Two-Family | 0.052 ac | 10 / 3 / - ft | — | Occupancy restricted |
| Albany Colonie Inermunicipal Overlay | — | — | — | — |
| Residential, Single-Family, Medium Density | — | - / 0 / 0 ft | — | Occupancy restricted |
| Residential, Single-Family, Medium Density | 0.08 ac | 15 / 3 / 25 ft | — | Occupancy restricted |
| Archaeological Resources Overlay | — | — | — | — |
| Combined Sewer Overlay | — | — | — | — |
| Flood Plain Overlay | — | — | — | — |
| Historic Resources Overlay | — | — | — | — |
| Residential, Single-Family, Medium Density | — | - / 10 / 20 ft | — | Occupancy restricted |
| Residential, Single-Family, Medium Density | — | - / 0 / 0 ft | — | Occupancy restricted |
| Residential, Single-Family, Medium Density | — | - / 0 / 0 ft | — | Occupancy restricted |
| Residential, Single-Family, Medium Density | — | - / 0 / 0 ft | — | Occupancy restricted |
| Residential, Single-Family, Medium Density | — | — | — | Occupancy restricted |
| Residential, Single-Family, Medium Density | — | — | — | Occupancy restricted |
| Residential, Single-Family, Medium Density | — | — | — | Occupancy restricted |
| Residential, Single-Family, Medium Density | — | — | — | Occupancy restricted |
| Residential, Single-Family, Medium Density | — | 0 / 3 / 0 ft | — | Occupancy restricted |
| Normans Kill Overlay | — | — | — | — |
| Residential, Single-Family, Medium Density | 0.149 ac | 25 / 5 / 40 ft | — | Occupancy restricted |
| Residential, Multi-Family | — | 0 / 0 / 15 ft | — | Occupancy restricted |
| Residential, Townhouse | 0.026 ac | 0 / 0 / - ft | — | Occupancy restricted |
| Residential, Village | — | 10 / 15 / 20 ft | — | Occupancy restricted |
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. Local Law F of 2023 amending Chapter 231 (Housing) requires an annual STR permit from the Dept. of Buildings & Regulatory Compliance. Active registration confirmed at albanyny.gov.
Good to know
- UtilityNational Grid territory.
- Building dept(518) 434-5165
- Last reviewed2026-07-08
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $202–$265/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $2,591 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Albany, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Albany?
Aldo pulls the exact zoning district, setbacks, and build feasibility for any parcel — before you buy. Enter your email to open Aldo and run your free report.
Other Albany County towns
All Albany County zoning: Cohoes (City) · Watervliet (City) · Berne · Bethlehem · Coeymans · Colonie · Guilderland · Knox · New Scotland · Rensselaerville · Westerlo · Altamont (Village) · Colonie (Village) · Green Island (Village) · Menands (Village) · Ravena (Village) · Voorheesville (Village)
Zoning figures for City of Albany are compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-07-08) and provided for decision-support only - not legal, engineering, or architectural advice. Setback and dimensional standards often carry conditions and exceptions; verify with the building department at (518) 434-5165 before relying on any number. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.