The maximum length of a standard residential lease agreement in New York is one (1) year. Oral leases for a term shorter than one year are permitted, but they cannot be enforced for periods longer than one year (NY Gen Oblig L § 5-701 (2019)).
This means that all leases for one year or longer need to be in writing. It is recommended that all leases be in writing regardless of duration because written leases are easier to prove and enforce than oral leases.
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The information for this answer was found on our New York Residential Lease Agreement answers.
