Erie County
City of Buffalo, NY: zoning for new construction
Residential lots in the City of Buffalo run from a 0.034-acre minimum in N-2R Residential up to 0.092 acres in N-4-50 Single-Family, across 4 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 (716) 851-4949 before you rely on a figure.
Looking specifically at an accessory dwelling unit? See ADU rules for Buffalo →
Zoning districts
| District | Min lot | Setbacks F / S / R | Max height | ADU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N-2R Residential | 0.034 ac | - / 3 / - ft | 40 ft | As of right |
| N-3R Residential | 0.041 ac | - / 3 / - ft | 40 ft | As of right |
| N-4-30 Single-Family | 0.055 ac | - / 3 / - ft | 40 ft | As of right |
| N-4-50 Single-Family | 0.092 ac | - / 6 / - ft | 40 ft | As of right |
Short-term rentals
Short-term rentals allowed with local rules. Short-term rentals require a City license and certificate under Chapter 380, Short-Term Rental Housing, adopted 2-20-2024. § 380-7 requires both a short-term rental license and a certificate; §§ 380-16 through 380-18 govern issuance, denial and revocation, and § 380-21 the revocation procedure. Separate obligations sit in Chapter 264 (rental dwelling unit registration) and Chapter 269 (lodging houses). New York State's 2025 short-term rental registry (Ch. 99 of the Laws of 2025) separately requires every host statewide to register the unit regardless of local law. Confirm with City of Buffalo at (716) 851-4949 before listing.
Good to know
- UtilityNational Grid territory.
- Building dept(716) 851-4949
- Last reviewed2026-08-06
Working out a budget? A standard-finish build here runs $204–$268/sq ft , and a conforming lot adds about $2,380 on top - see the full cost to build a house in Buffalo, or what an ADU costs here.
Sizing up a specific parcel in Buffalo?
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 Erie County towns
All Erie County zoning: Lackawanna (City) · Tonawanda (City) · Alden · Amherst · Aurora · Boston · Brant · Cheektowaga · Clarence · Colden · Collins · Concord · Eden · Elma · Evans · Grand Island · Hamburg · Holland · Lancaster · Marilla · Newstead · North Collins · Orchard Park · Sardinia · Tonawanda · Wales · West Seneca · Akron (Village) · Alden (Village) · Angola (Village) · Blasdell (Village) · Depew (Village) · East Aurora (Village) · Farnham (Village) · Gowanda (Village) · Hamburg (Village) · Kenmore (Village) · Lancaster (Village) · North Collins (Village) · Orchard Park (Village) · Sloan (Village) · Springville (Village) · Williamsville (Village)
Zoning figures for City of Buffalo are compiled from the municipal code (last reviewed 2026-08-06) 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 (716) 851-4949 before relying on any number. Source: Offsite / Aldo zoning dataset, municipalData.js.