Syracuse, N.Y., Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 27 § 27-131

(a) Effective January 1, 2011, owners are required to obtain a rental registry certificate for each one-family and/or two-family non-owner occupied dwelling rented or leased within the city of Syracuse.
(b) Effective July 1, 2018, rental registry certificates will expire three (3) years after they are issued. The expiration date shall be printed on each rental registry certificate. Rental registry certificates issued prior to July 1, 2018 will expire two (2) years after they were issued, the expiration date on the certificate shall still apply. All renewal rental registry certificates shall be issued for a three (3) year period.
(c) Upon expiration of any rental registry certificate, an owner must renew the registration of any one-family and/or two-family non-owner occupied dwellings. Applications for renewal of a rental registry certificate should be submitted at least forty-five (45) days prior to the expiration date of the rental registry certificate.
(d) Except as otherwise provided herein, it shall be unlawful and a violation of this chapter to rent or lease a one-family and/or two-family non-owner occupied dwelling without obtaining a rental registry certificate as required by article 9.
(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing, an owner is not required to obtain a rental registry certificate for any one-family and/or two-family non-owner occupied dwelling where at least one dwelling unit is solely occupied by a person related by blood, marriage, or adoption to or under the legal custody of the owner of the dwelling unit, which may include one additional person who is not a minor without regard to the relationship of the person and without regard to the number of minors in the dwelling unit related by blood, marriage or adoption to the additional person or under the legal custody of the person.