Free NYC Rent-Stabilized Lease Rider
NYC Rent-Stabilized Lease Rider required by 9 NYCRR §2522.5(c)(1) at every initial lease and renewal. Discloses rent-stabilization status, DHCR-registered legal rent, RGB Order applicability, succession rights, HSTPA protections (2019). DHCR Form RA-LR1 is the official version; use the current DHCR form for full statutory compliance.
Free NYC Rent-Stabilized Lease Rider — overview
🗽 NYC Statutory Requirement
9 NYCRR §2522.5(c)(1) requires landlords of rent-stabilized apartments to provide a Rent Stabilized Lease Rider at every initial lease and renewal. DHCR publishes Form RA-LR1 as the official rider — the official form should be used for full statutory compliance. Failure to provide the rider exposes the landlord to DHCR enforcement and tenant overcharge complaints.
A NYC Rent-Stabilized Lease Rider is required at every initial lease and every renewal under 9 NYCRR §2522.5(c)(1) of the Rent Stabilization Code. It discloses rent-stabilization status, the DHCR-registered legal rent, applicable Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) order, succession rights, HSTPA (2019) protections, and tenant remedies. The DHCR-published Form RA-LR1 is the official version.
Generate the Notice
Complete the fields below to document the substantive rider terms. For full statutory compliance, also provide the official DHCR Form RA-LR1 (download current version from hcr.ny.gov/forms).
DHCR Form RA-LR1 vs This Template: The DHCR-published Form RA-LR1 is the official Rent Stabilized Lease Rider. DHCR updates the form periodically and may require its precise language. This template documents the substantive rider terms for reference; for full statutory compliance, use the current DHCR form.
1. Parties and Property
2. Rent-Stabilization Status and Tenant Rights
⚠ Official DHCR Form RA-LR1 May Be Required
NY DHCR (Division of Housing and Community Renewal) publishes the official Form RA-LR1 Rent Stabilized Rider, updated periodically. The official DHCR rider, in the prescribed format and language, may be required for full statutory compliance under 9 NYCRR §2522.5(c)(1). This template documents the substantive rider terms; for the official current rider, download from hcr.ny.gov/forms.
3. Signature and Acknowledgment
About the NYC Rent-Stabilized Lease Rider
The NYC Rent-Stabilized Lease Rider is required by 9 NYCRR §2522.5(c)(1) of the New York Rent Stabilization Code at every initial lease and every renewal of a rent-stabilized apartment. NY HCR’s Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) publishes the official Form RA-LR1 as the prescribed rider — landlords should use the current DHCR form for full statutory compliance. The rider discloses: (1) that the apartment is subject to the Rent Stabilization Code (9 NYCRR Parts 2520-2531); (2) the DHCR-registered legal regulated rent (the maximum the landlord may charge); (3) any preferential rent (where landlord agrees to charge less than legal regulated rent); (4) the applicable Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) Order setting maximum increases; (5) the tenant’s guaranteed renewal right under 9 NYCRR §2523.5(a); (6) family member succession rights under 9 NYCRR §2523.5(b); (7) the tenant’s right to file rent overcharge complaints with DHCR (with treble damages for willful overcharge under RSL §26-516); (8) any pending Major Capital Improvement (MCI) or Individual Apartment Improvement (IAI) applications. The 2019 Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act (HSTPA) substantially expanded tenant protections in rent-stabilized housing: extended the rent overcharge look-back period; eliminated the automatic vacancy bonus; eliminated high-rent/high-income deregulation (with limited exceptions); and provided preferential rent protection (RSL §26-511(c)(14)) so that base rent on renewal is the preferential rate, not the legal regulated rent. Best practice: use the current DHCR Form RA-LR1 (downloaded from hcr.ny.gov/forms); deliver at every initial lease and renewal; obtain tenant acknowledgment of receipt; retain copies with the tenant file; ensure DHCR annual registration is current; consult NYC rent-stabilization counsel for any matter likely to involve DHCR proceedings.
NYC Statutory Requirements
- Statute: 9 NYCRR §2522.5(c)(1) (Rent Stabilization Code rider requirement)
- Official form: DHCR Form RA-LR1
- Overcharge: RSL §26-516 (treble damages for willful)
- Renewal right: 9 NYCRR §2523.5(a)
- Succession: 9 NYCRR §2523.5(b) (family member succession)
- Preferential rent: RSL §26-511(c)(14) (HSTPA 2019 protection)
- RGB Orders set max increases annually
Delivery and Record-Keeping
- Required at every initial lease
- Required at every renewal
- Tenant acknowledgment recommended (signature acknowledging receipt)
- Retain copies with tenant file
- DHCR registration current — annual registration filing required
Common Mistakes
- Using outdated DHCR Form RA-LR1 — DHCR updates periodically; use current form
- Failing to disclose preferential rent — HSTPA preferential rent protection applies
- Missing DHCR registration — landlord cannot collect rent increases without current registration
- Failing to deliver at renewal — required at every renewal, not just initial lease
- Treating apartment as deregulated when HSTPA eliminated deregulation pathway
Best Practices
- Use current DHCR Form RA-LR1 (download from hcr.ny.gov/forms)
- Deliver at initial lease AND every renewal
- Obtain tenant signature acknowledging receipt
- Maintain DHCR annual registration
- Retain copies indefinitely (overcharge claims have extended look-back)
- Consult NYC rent-stabilization counsel for DHCR proceedings
Related Resources
- New york landlord tenant laws
- New york habitability laws
- New york security deposit laws
- New york eviction notice laws
- New york late fee laws
- Landlord forms
What the RA-LR1 Rider Must Disclose
Beyond confirming rent-stabilized status, the DHCR-published Rider (Form RA-LR1) has two disclosure duties that are easy to miss because they depend on the individual lease, not just the building’s regulatory status. First, on a vacancy lease the Rider must state the legal regulated rent that was in effect immediately before the vacancy and explain how the new tenant’s rent was computed from it — the prior rent and the basis for any increase, not merely the new number (Rent Guidelines Board, Rent Stabilization FAQs; Before Signing a Lease). Second, where the building receives a 421-a property tax exemption, the lease rider must separately disclose that the unit’s rent-stabilized status is tied to that exemption and state the approximate date the 421-a benefit — and with it the stabilization coverage — is scheduled to expire (NYC HPD, 421-a & Rent Stabilization Tenant Fact Sheet). A building receiving a J-51 tax exemption carries the same tax-incentive disclosure logic. Neither disclosure is optional or building-wide boilerplate: both must reflect the specific lease and the specific building’s tax-benefit timeline.
RTP-8 Renewal Offer: Timeline and Tenant Response Window
The RA-LR1 Rider and the RTP-8 renewal offer are two different DHCR documents that arrive together at renewal but serve different jobs. RTP-8 is the DHCR Renewal Lease Form itself — the actual offer of a one- or two-year renewal term at a rent set under the current Rent Guidelines Board order. The Rider is the disclosure attached to it. Both are required; neither substitutes for the other.
| Step | Requirement | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Renewal offer sent | Owner must mail or personally deliver the RTP-8 renewal offer not more than 150 days and not less than 90 days before the current lease expires. Electronic delivery is allowed only with the tenant’s voluntary written consent (HCR Form EL-TVC, per Ch. 74 of the Laws of 2022) — an owner cannot require electronic-only delivery. | Rent Guidelines Board, Leases FAQs |
| Tenant response window | Tenant has 60 days from receiving the offer to choose a one- or two-year term and return it. | Rent Guidelines Board, Leases FAQs |
| Tenant misses the 60 days | The landlord may refuse to renew and may pursue eviction after the original lease expires — though a landlord’s own late offer (outside the 90–150 day window) can be raised as a mitigating defense. | Rent Guidelines Board, Leases FAQs |
Because the Rider must accompany every vacancy and renewal lease — not just the first one — a landlord who sends a compliant RTP-8 on time but leaves out the Rider (or attaches a Rider missing the prior-rent or 421-a disclosure above) has still not completed the renewal correctly under 9 NYCRR §2522.5(c)(1).
If the Rider or the Renewal Offer Is Never Provided
NYC rent-stabilized tenants who never receive the Rider, or never receive an RTP-8 renewal offer at all, have a specific DHCR complaint path — this is a different form than a general overcharge complaint. A tenant who was not served the Rider, or was not offered a timely renewal, may file DHCR Form RA-90, “Tenant’s Complaint of Owner’s Failure to Renew Lease and/or Failure to Furnish a Copy of a Signed Lease,” with DHCR’s Office of Rent Administration (Rent Guidelines Board, Leases FAQs). Where the failure to serve the Rider effectively concealed the basis for a rent increase, DHCR can treat the RA-90 complaint as a specific overcharge complaint and order a refund of any rent improperly collected, on top of whatever penalties apply in the overcharge proceeding (RSL §26-516).
- Missing Rider only, lease otherwise valid: file RA-90; DHCR can direct the owner to furnish the Rider and may treat the omission as grounds for an overcharge review.
- No renewal offer sent within 90–150 days: file RA-90; the tenant keeps occupancy rights while the complaint is pending, and the landlord’s delay can be raised defensively in any later eviction proceeding.
- 421-a disclosure omitted from the Rider: raise it with DHCR alongside the RA-90 complaint — an owner receiving a 421-a exemption is separately required to disclose the benefit’s expected expiration in the Rider (NYC HPD, 421-a & Rent Stabilization Tenant Fact Sheet).
These consequences run alongside — not instead of — the general enforcement point already covered above: a landlord who never furnishes any Rider version at all faces DHCR sanctions independent of whether a specific complaint has been filed.
Verifying the Rider’s Numbers Before You Rely on Them
A Rider’s prior-rent figure is only useful if it is accurate, and tenants are not limited to taking the landlord’s word for it. DHCR maintains rent history records for regulated apartments, and a current tenant or owner can request that history through DHCR’s Ask HCR web portal to confirm what the prior tenant was actually paying before comparing it to the Rider’s stated computation (Rent Guidelines Board, Leases FAQs). If the Rider’s numbers do not match DHCR’s rent history, or the owner appears to be mishandling riders or renewal leases across the building, tenants can also raise the issue with the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants (MOPT) in addition to filing directly with DHCR’s Office of Rent Administration (NYC HPD, 421-a & Rent Stabilization Tenant Fact Sheet).
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Rent Guidelines Board order applies to my rent-stabilized renewal lease?
The order is chosen by the date the renewal lease commences, not the date you send the offer. Apartment and Loft Order Number 58, dated 25 June 2026, sets the adjustment for leases commencing on or after October 1, 2026 and on or before September 30, 2027 at 0% for a one-year lease and 0% for a two-year lease. Order Number 57 governs leases commencing on or after October 1, 2025 and on or before September 30, 2026, at 3% for one year and 4.5% for two years. A renewal you mail in autumn 2026 for a term starting in September 2026 still falls under Order 57. Rates stated as of August 2026.
My tenant pays a preferential rent — can I raise the renewal rent up to the legal regulated rent?
No. Under Rent Stabilization Code § 2521.2(a), where the rent charged to and paid by the tenant is less than the legal regulated rent, that lower figure is the preferential rent. Section 2521.2(d) provides that for a tenant subject to a lease in effect on or after June 14, 2019, or entitled to a renewal or vacancy lease on or after that date, the rent that may be charged and paid on renewal is no more than the rent charged to and paid before that renewal, as adjusted by the most recent applicable guidelines increases and any other increases authorized by law. Section 2521.2(b) still requires the legal regulated rent to be set out in the lease.
What has to appear on the face of the lease itself, not just inside the rider?
Rent Stabilization Code § 2522.5(c)(1) requires the rider to be attached as an addendum to the lease, and requires this legend to appear on the face of each lease in bold print: “ATTACHED RIDER SETS FORTH RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF TENANTS AND LANDLORDS UNDER THE RENT STABILIZATION LAW.” The same paragraph requires the rider to be in larger type than the lease, in a form promulgated or approved by DHCR, and to carry a detailed description, in a format DHCR prescribes, of how the rent was adjusted from the prior legal rent. Copies must also be available in the languages DHCR’s language access plan requires.
What do I actually lose if I never furnish the rider?
The consequence is a rent consequence, not merely a paperwork one. Rent Stabilization Code § 2522.5(c)(1) provides that where a tenant is not furnished with a copy of the lease rider required by paragraph (1), or with the documentation required on demand, the owner “shall not be entitled to collect any adjustments in excess of the rent set forth in the prior lease unless the owner can establish that the rent collected was otherwise legal.” In practice that holds your collectible rent at the prior lease level until you can prove the increase was lawful on some independent basis.
Can my tenant make me hand over the paperwork behind the rent figures in the rider?
Yes, and there is a clock on both sides. Rent Stabilization Code § 2522.5(c)(1)(ii) requires the rider itself to state that the tenant may, within 60 days of the execution of the lease, require the owner to provide directly to the tenant the documentation supporting the detailed description of how the prior legal rent was adjusted. The owner must then provide that documentation within thirty days of the request. Failing to supply it triggers the same loss of rent adjustments under § 2522.5(c)(3) as failing to supply the rider at all, so treat a documentation demand as urgent.
Do I have to give this rider to my free-market tenants as well?
No. Rent Stabilization Code § 2522.5(c)(1) applies to housing accommodations subject to the Code — apartments actually covered by 9 NYCRR Parts 2520 through 2531. An unregulated, free-market New York apartment is outside the rider requirement, outside the renewal-offer duty in § 2523.5, and outside the Rent Guidelines Board orders, and it runs on a different set of lease and notice rules entirely. Do not attach a rent-stabilized rider to a free-market lease. Confirm the unit’s regulatory status and its DHCR registration before you decide which paperwork the tenancy needs.
If my tenant moves out permanently, who can be named on the renewal lease?
Rent Stabilization Code § 2523.5(b)(1) entitles a family member, as defined in § 2520.6(o), to be named on the renewal lease where that person lived with the tenant in the apartment as a primary residence for at least two years immediately before the tenant permanently vacated — or at least one year where the person is a senior citizen or a disabled person as § 2523.5(b) defines those terms. Section 2523.5(b)(2) adds that continued rent payments or the signing of renewal leases does not preclude the claim, and § 2523.5(b)(4) gives the family member the same 60-day acceptance period.
What happens if I offer the renewal late, outside the 90-to-150-day window?
You do not lose the tenancy, but you lose control of both the date and the rate. Under Rent Stabilization Code § 2523.5(c)(1), where the owner fails to make a timely offer, the tenant chooses whether the term begins on the date a renewal would have commenced had the offer been timely, or on the first rent payment date occurring no less than 90 days after you actually make the offer. Either way, the increased rent cannot start before that 90-day mark, and the guidelines rate applied “shall be no greater than the rate in effect on the commencement date of the lease for which a timely offer should have been made.”
NYC tenant screening since 2004
NYC has the strongest tenant protections in the nation — HSTPA, rent stabilization, blacklist prohibition, source-of-income protections, and Fair Chance Act for housing. Tenant Screening Background Check has been providing FCRA-compliant NYC screenings since 2004, accounting for RPL §227-f, which bars refusing to rent based on a past or pending landlord-tenant proceeding.
Start Tenant Screening → Order NYC Tenant Screening →
Published by Tenant Screening Background Check
Established 2004 · 20+ Years · All U.S. States & Territories · Statute-Based · Attorney-Reviewed
A Private Eye Reports™ service trusted by landlords, property managers, and attorneys.
⚖ Legal Disclaimer
This NYC Rent-Stabilized Lease Rider template is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. 9 NYCRR §2522.5(c)(1) (Rent Stabilization Code) + RSL §26-516 (overcharge) + RPL §226-b (assignment/sublease) + DHCR Form RA-LR1 governs the specific notice requirements, timing, and form. NYC also imposes overlapping protections (HSTPA, Rent Stabilization Code, Health Code, Multiple Dwelling Law). State and city law may change. For NYC rent stabilization guidance, visit NY HCR Rent Stabilization. Consult a qualified NYC landlord-tenant attorney before relying on this template.
