NYC move-in costs: what a landlord can legally charge
In NYC a landlord can ask for first month’s rent, a deposit of up to one month and a $20 screening fee. See banned charges and a worked $3,000 example.
5 min read · Updated
To move into a New York City apartment, a landlord can legally ask you for the first month’s rent, a security deposit of no more than one month’s rent, and a credit and background check fee of no more than $20. For a $3,000 apartment, that is at most $6,020 paid to the landlord before you get the keys.
Some charges you may still be asked for, such as last month’s rent on top of a deposit, a landlord’s broker fee, or an application “processing” fee, are now banned by state or city law. Here is what is allowed, what isn’t, and what else to budget for.
At a glance
- Security deposit
- Max 1 month’s rent
- Includes any “advance,” such as last month’s rent
- Credit/background check
- Max $20
- Or actual cost, if lower
- Landlord’s broker fee
- Banned
- Since June 11, 2025 (FARE Act)
- Other application or move-in fees
- Banned
- Before or at the start of the tenancy
What a landlord can charge
First month’s rent
Rent for your first month (or a prorated first month) is a normal payment at lease signing.
A security deposit of up to one month’s rent
New York caps any deposit or advance at one month’s rent. The Attorney General’s guidance says this also means a landlord may not charge you last month’s rent in advance if you are paying a security deposit. The state housing agency adds that an owner can’t ask a tenant, a guarantor or any third party for more than one month’s security. The state housing agency says that when a lease is renewed at a higher rent, the owner can collect more to bring the deposit up to the new monthly rent.
In buildings with six or more apartments, the landlord must keep deposits in an interest-bearing account at a bank in New York, tell you the bank’s name and address in writing, and pay you the interest minus a 1% yearly administrative fee.
A screening fee of up to $20
Landlords may charge for credit and background checks, but only the actual cost or $20, whichever is less. They must give you a copy of the report and the screening company’s receipt, and must waive the fee if you provide a check done within the past 30 days.
A broker you chose to hire
If you signed an agreement hiring your own broker to find you an apartment, you pay that broker what you agreed. That fee goes to your broker, not the landlord. See do I owe a broker fee?
What a landlord can’t charge
| Allowed? | Rule | |
|---|---|---|
| First month’s rent | Normal rent payment | |
| Security deposit up to 1 month | GOL §7-108 | |
| Last month’s rent plus a deposit | Counts toward the 1-month cap | |
| Extra deposit for low credit or no guarantor | 1-month cap applies to everyone | |
| Credit/background check up to $20 | RPL §238-a | |
| Application or “processing” fee | RPL §238-a | |
| Fee to hold or reserve the apartment (key money) | Unlawful per NYS HCR | |
| Fee to the landlord’s or listing broker | FARE Act | |
| Fee to a broker you chose to hire | Per your agreement |
State law bars landlords from demanding any fee for processing, reviewing or accepting an application, and any other payment, fee or charge before or at the beginning of the tenancy, apart from the capped screening fee and a few narrow exceptions (such as payments another law provides for, and certain senior and care communities). A landlord’s “move-in fee,” “lease prep fee” or “admin fee” fits that description.
Worked example: a $3,000 apartment
| Charge | Legal amount | If illegal charges were added |
|---|---|---|
| First month’s rent | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| Security deposit | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| Last month’s rent in advance | $0 | $3,000 |
| Credit/background check | $20 | $20 |
| Application processing fee | $0 | $100 |
| Landlord’s broker fee (example: 15% of a year) | $0 | $5,400 |
| Total | $6,020 | $14,520 |
If you have roommates, ask how screening is charged; each check is still capped at $20 or its actual cost. The deposit cap is one month of the apartment’s rent, not one month per person.
Other move-in costs that aren’t paid to the landlord
- Movers or a truck: estimate with the NYC moving cost estimator.
- An institutional guarantor fee, if you need one: often most of a month’s rent (see institutional guarantors).
- Your own broker, if you hired one.
- Renters insurance, if your lease requires it (see renters insurance).
- Utility setup, furniture and household basics (see setting up utilities).
Move-in checklist
Tick these off as you go. Your progress is saved in this browser.
Before you hand over money
0/8Protect your deposit from day one
Before you move in, the landlord must offer you the chance to inspect the apartment. If you ask for the inspection, you and the landlord sign a written agreement listing existing damage, and the landlord can’t later keep deposit money for anything on that list. Take dated photos as well. When you move out, the landlord has 14 days to return the deposit with an itemized statement of anything kept, or it loses the right to keep any of it. A willful violation can cost the landlord up to twice the deposit. Read more in security deposit rules in New York.
Can you afford the rent itself?
Upfront cash is one test; the monthly rent is the other. Check it here:
How much rent can I afford?
Open full calculator →Then total every upfront dollar with the NYC move-in cost calculator, check a deposit with the security deposit calculator, and check a broker fee with the FARE Act broker fee checker. If you were overcharged, the NY Attorney General’s office takes security deposit complaints, and DCWP takes broker fee complaints at nyc.gov/consumers or 311.
Re-verified 2026-10-12. One-month cap on any deposit or advance (GOL §7-108(1-a) excludes rent-controlled units, registered seasonal rentals and owner-occupied co-ops, now listed in the closing note), move-in inspection offer, 14-day itemized return, forfeiture and up-to-twice punitive damages verified in GOL §7-108(1-a). AG rent-law sheet verified “may not charge last month’s rent in advance if also paying a security deposit.” Interest-bearing account for 6+ unit buildings, 1% admin fee and bank notice verified in GOL §7-103. $20/actual-cost screening cap, report copy, 30-day waiver and ban on other fees before or at the start of the tenancy verified in RPL §238-a(1). Key money / reservation deposits unlawful per HCR FS-09 (11/2025). FARE Act fee ban and itemized disclosure verified in Local Law 119 text and DCWP FAQ. Deposit top-up at renewal attributed to HCR FS-09. Fixed: move-in inspection is offered before occupancy (not “after you sign”), and items on the signed condition list can’t be deducted (§7-108(1-a)(c)); description trimmed to 160 chars. Worked example checked: 3000+3000+20=6,020; with illegal add-ons 14,520.
Sources
- General Obligations Law §7-108: Rental security deposits · New York State Senate (accessed October 12, 2026)
- General Obligations Law §7-103: Security deposits held in trust · New York State Senate (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Real Property Law §238-a: Fees, charges and late fees · New York State Senate (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Changes in New York State Rent Law: What You Need to Know · Office of the New York State Attorney General (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Residential Tenants’ Rights Guide · New York State Office of the Attorney General (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Fact Sheet #9: Renting an Apartment - Security Deposits and Other Charges (FS-09, 11/2025) · NYS Homes and Community Renewal (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Frequently Asked Questions: Broker Fees (08/12/2025) · NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Local Law 119 of 2024 (FARE Act), full text · New York City Council (via intro.nyc) (accessed October 12, 2026)
General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change; confirm with the agency or a professional before you act.