NYC HPD section 8 voucher port-out form: the complete guide

Last updated 2026-07-10

What is the NYC HPD port-out form and when do you need it?

The NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) runs one of the largest local Housing Choice Voucher programs in the country. When an HPD voucher holder wants to move outside New York City with that voucher, they go through a formal portability process. It starts with a written request to HPD's portability unit.

There's no single fillable PDF titled "port-out form" from HPD the way some smaller PHAs publish one. Your portability request is a written or online submission, sometimes with a standardized portability packet attached. The intake method has changed over time. As of 2024, HPD points participants to its customer service portal or to a written request to the Leased Housing Department. Not sure which applies right now? Call HPD's Section 8 line at 212-863-5610 or check HPD's official portability page. ^[1]

You need this process any time you want to use your housing choice voucher program benefit outside the five boroughs. Moving to another part of New York State, to New Jersey, or across the country all count. The moment you step outside the city limits, portability rules under 24 CFR 982.353 kick in. ^[2]

Who is eligible to port out of NYC HPD?

Under 24 CFR 982.353(b), a family may port out if they have lived in the initial PHA's jurisdiction for at least 12 months, or they are moving to reunite with or be near a family member, or they are a survivor of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking protected under VAWA. ^[2]

The 12-month residency rule is the one that trips people up. HPD counts those 12 months from the date you first leased up on your voucher, not from when you landed on the waitlist or received the voucher. Under a year in your HPD-assisted unit, and you generally can't port out unless one of the exceptions above applies.

HPD may also restrict portability if you owe HPD money, if your voucher has been terminated or is up for non-renewal, or if you're in the middle of an informal hearing. Clear any open issue before you submit. A pending termination freezes the port-out paperwork cold. ^[1]

One more thing. You have to be in good standing with your current landlord. HPD typically wants confirmation that you're not in the middle of a lease violation proceeding. Families sometimes try to port out while they're being evicted, and that almost always fails.

What documents does HPD require for a port-out request?

HPD's portability packet generally requires the items below. Requirements shift, so confirm with HPD directly. This list reflects the standard federal framework plus HPD's known local requirements.

Document	Notes
Written portability request letter	State your name, voucher number, current address, and intended destination city/state
Copy of your current lease	HPD needs to verify your tenancy and lease expiration date
Government-issued photo ID	For all adult household members
Proof of household composition	Birth certificates, custody orders if applicable
VAWA certification (if applicable)	HUD Form 5382, if using the VAWA exception to the 12-month rule
Evidence of family reunification (if applicable)	Only needed if using that exception

HPD will not forward your packet to the receiving housing authority until it has verified your current lease status and confirmed you have no repayment agreement in default. ^[1]

If you owe HPD money from a past overpayment or fraud finding, you either pay it in full or set up a repayment agreement before porting. There's no standard waiver. HPD has discretion here, and in practice they rarely approve a port for someone with an unresolved debt.

How does the HPD portability process work step by step?

Here's the actual sequence, from your first call to your move-in in the new city.

Step 1: Notify HPD in writing that you want to port. Do this before your current lease expires and before you give your landlord notice. Porting takes longer than most people expect.

Step 2: HPD schedules a portability briefing. Usually a phone or in-person appointment where an HPD caseworker walks through your rights and the timeline. They verify your eligibility at this meeting. ^[1]

Step 3: HPD issues portability documents to you and to the receiving PHA. The core document is the Request for Tenancy Approval (RTA) packet, plus a portability transmittal letter. The transmittal letter tells the receiving housing authority everything they need to absorb your voucher. HUD Form 52665 is the standard portability transmittal form used across all PHAs. ^[3]

Step 4: The receiving PHA accepts or declines to absorb your voucher. Under 24 CFR 982.355, a receiving PHA can bill HPD for your subsidy (HPD stays financially responsible) or absorb the voucher into its own program. If they absorb it, you become a participant of the receiving PHA and HPD is out of the picture. If they bill HPD, HPD stays your administering agency. ^[2]

Step 5: The receiving PHA issues you a voucher (or confirms your existing one) and you start searching for a unit in the new jurisdiction.

Step 6: You find a unit, the receiving PHA inspects it under HQS or NSPIRE standards, and you lease up.

The whole sequence from initial request to move-in typically runs 60 to 90 days in practice, though federal rules give the receiving PHA 30 days to process the packet after they receive it. Plan around 90 days to be safe.

How long does the HPD port-out process take?

Federal rules don't set a hard deadline for HPD to issue portability documents to the receiving PHA, but HUD guidance expects the initial PHA to process the packet within a reasonable time, generally read as 30 days from the portability briefing. ^[3]

Once the receiving PHA has the packet, their own clock starts. A big jurisdiction like the Los Angeles Housing Authority or the Chicago Housing Authority can take another 30 to 60 days to issue your voucher and schedule an intake appointment.

Here's the practical range based on reported participant experiences:

• Best case: 45 to 60 days total, if the receiving PHA has capacity and your paperwork is clean.
• Typical case: 60 to 90 days.
• Problem case: 4 to 6 months, usually a debt issue, a paperwork gap, or a receiving PHA backlog.

Don't give your NYC landlord a move-out notice until the receiving PHA confirms your voucher is active. Families have ended up temporarily unhoused because they timed the move wrong. ^[1]

Your HPD voucher's expiration date does not pause during the port process. If it expires while HPD is processing your request, you lose it. Ask HPD for an extension the moment you submit your portability request.

What happens to your voucher payment standard when you port out of NYC?

This is where a lot of families get a surprise. NYC's payment standards are among the highest in the country because HUD sets Fair Market Rents (FMRs) by metro area, and the New York metro FMRs run exceptionally high. ^[4]

Port to a lower-cost market and your payment standard drops to whatever the receiving PHA uses. That drop can be steep. Here's a real comparison using HUD's FY2024 FMR data:

Location	2BR FMR (HUD FY2024)
New York, NY metro	$2,563
Philadelphia, PA metro	$1,628
Atlanta, GA metro	$1,623
Cleveland, OH metro	$1,016
Memphis, TN metro	$1,035

The actual payment standard each PHA sets runs 90% to 110% of FMR (some PHAs with HUD approval go higher), so the numbers above are FMR benchmarks, not exact payment standards. ^[4] The direction is clear either way: moving from NYC to most other metros means your subsidy covers fewer absolute dollars of rent, even though the rent itself is usually lower.

If the receiving PHA bills HPD rather than absorbing your voucher, there's a brief period where HPD's payment standard might still apply. Once you're absorbed, you're fully under the receiving PHA's rules. The housing section 8 program rules on payment standards are local, not national.

Don't assume your NYC subsidy travels with you dollar for dollar. It doesn't.

Can you port your voucher to any state or city in the US?

Yes, with one caveat. The Housing Choice Voucher program is federal, so portability is a federally protected right under 24 CFR 982.353. ^[2] You can port to any jurisdiction in the 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, or any U.S. territory with a housing authority that runs an HCV program.

The caveat: the receiving PHA must have an active HCV program and must agree to accept portable vouchers. Some very small PHAs have tried to limit absorptions when they're over-leased, and there are documented cases of receiving PHAs putting up barriers. HUD guidance is clear that a receiving PHA cannot flatly refuse to process a portable voucher, but it can decline to absorb it and instead bill the initial PHA. ^[3]

If a receiving PHA gives you the runaround or refuses to process your paperwork, file a complaint with HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO). ^[5] Keep copies of every communication.

Popular destinations for NYC HPD port-outs include New Jersey (Newark, Jersey City, Bergen County), upstate New York cities like Yonkers, White Plains, and Albany, Philadelphia, and various Southeastern metros where the cost of living is lower. Porting to Yonkers or anywhere in New York State but outside NYC is still a port-out from HPD's perspective, and NYCHA's Section 8 program is separate from HPD's.

Hunting for open section 8 waiting lists in your destination city while you prepare to port? Do that research early. Some receiving PHAs have long backlogs for local applicants but process portable vouchers on a separate track.

What is HUD Form 52665 and do you fill it out yourself?

HUD Form 52665, titled "Family Portability Information," is the standardized transmittal document that the initial PHA (HPD in your case) sends to the receiving PHA. ^[3] You do not fill this out yourself. It's an inter-agency form.

The form contains:

• Your family's name, composition, and voucher number
• The subsidy amount HPD is currently paying
• Your current payment standard
• Your bedroom size
• Certification that your family is in good standing
• Instructions on whether HPD prefers billing or absorption

Why it matters to you: if HPD makes an error on Form 52665, the receiving PHA may reject or delay your packet. Before your portability briefing ends, ask your HPD caseworker to confirm the bedroom size listed on Form 52665. Bedroom size errors are more common than you'd expect, especially for families whose composition recently changed.

HUD lays out portability procedures in the HCV Program Guidebook (HUD Handbook 7420.10G). ^[3] Download it if you want chapter and verse on what the receiving PHA has to do and when.

What if the receiving housing authority won't accept your port-out?

A receiving PHA has limited grounds to refuse a portable voucher. Under HUD rules, it must process the portability packet. What it can do is choose billing over absorption, which shifts the administrative and financial responsibility back to HPD. That's not the same as refusing to house you. ^[3]

If a receiving PHA is genuinely stonewalling your port by not responding or giving you the runaround, your first call goes to HPD's portability unit. HPD has a financial interest in getting you absorbed, because once you're absorbed HPD no longer pays your subsidy. They'll sometimes intervene with the receiving PHA on your behalf.

If that doesn't work, file a complaint with HUD's local field office. The New York field office covers HPD-related complaints: HUD NY Field Office, 26 Federal Plaza, New York, NY. You can also file online through HUD's FHEO complaint portal. ^[5]

Document everything. Dates of calls, names of caseworkers, what was said. If you have to escalate, a paper trail is what wins.

Legal aid is another route. New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) and the Legal Aid Society of New York handle housing voucher cases and have pushed back against both HPD and receiving PHAs on behalf of participants. These are free legal services for income-eligible residents. ^[6]

What happens to your security deposit and current lease when you port?

Porting doesn't automatically end your current lease. You're still legally bound to your existing lease until it expires or you negotiate a mutual termination with your landlord.

Most HPD participants are on annual leases. To port before your lease ends, you have a few options:

1. Wait until your lease naturally expires and give proper notice (usually 30 days, check your lease). 2. Negotiate a buyout or early termination agreement with your landlord. 3. If your landlord agrees, surrender the unit early with written confirmation.

HPD generally won't issue the portability packet while months remain on an active lease unless there's a documented hardship (job relocation, domestic violence, severe health issue). Talk to your caseworker about your specific situation.

Your security deposit is between you and your landlord. HPD has no part in it. New York law requires landlords to return a security deposit within 14 days of you vacating, with a written itemization of any deductions. ^[7] If the landlord doesn't comply, you can sue in small claims court for up to twice the deposit amount.

The rental assistance subsidy itself has no deposit component. Your HAP contract with the landlord ends when you move out, and HPD notifies the landlord.

How can landlords in the receiving city prepare for a porting tenant?

You're a landlord outside NYC and a prospective tenant says they're porting an HPD voucher. Here's what to know.

The porting tenant goes through the receiving PHA's normal landlord onboarding. You fill out a Request for Tenancy Approval with the receiving PHA, schedule an HQS or NSPIRE inspection, and negotiate rent within the receiving PHA's payment standard. You don't deal with HPD directly unless the receiving PHA chooses to bill HPD (which landlords rarely notice either way).

The receiving PHA may take a bit longer than usual on a portable tenant because it's waiting on documents from HPD. Build in a realistic timeline before you expect the HAP contract to be signed.

Still deciding whether to accept vouchers at all? Source-of-income discrimination is prohibited in New York State under Executive Law Section 296. ^[8] Outside New York, the law varies by state and city. In many cities across the country, landlords can still legally decline vouchers, though that landscape keeps changing.

For landlords new to vouchers, VoucherReady's landlord kit covers the RTA process, HQS inspection checklist, and HAP contract basics in one place. Worth reviewing before you sign your first HAP contract.

Where do you actually submit the HPD port-out request today?

HPD's process has evolved. As of 2024 into 2025, the most reliable submission methods for a portability request are:

1. In writing to HPD Leased Housing: mail or hand-deliver a signed letter to HPD's Section 8 office at 100 Gold Street, New York, NY 10038. Include your name, voucher number, current address, and the city and state you plan to move to.

2. HPD's online customer portal: HPD has moved many transactions to its tenant portal. Check the current HPD portability page at nyc.gov/hpd for the up-to-date submission link. ^[1]

3. In person during a scheduled appointment: HPD's customer service windows are appointment-only. Call 212-863-5610 to schedule.

Don't just show up. HPD's offices are busy, and walk-ins for portability requests rarely get accommodated. Get an appointment.

After you submit, you should get written confirmation from HPD within 10 to 14 business days acknowledging your request. If you don't hear back, follow up in writing. Keep copies of everything you send.

Still sorting out how the broader housing authority system works and where HPD fits in the national HCV picture? Start there before you get into portability specifics. Understanding how PHAs deal with each other makes the port-out process far less confusing.

Frequently asked questions

Can I port my HPD voucher to New Jersey?

Yes. New Jersey is one of the most common port-out destinations for HPD holders. You follow the same federal portability process: request a portability briefing from HPD, then HPD sends your packet to your chosen NJ housing authority. New Jersey has numerous housing authorities including the Newark Housing Authority and Jersey City Housing Authority, each with their own payment standards and processing times. Expect 60 to 90 days from request to move-in.

What is the 12-month residency rule for porting an HPD voucher?

Under 24 CFR 982.353(b), you must have leased up and lived in the HPD jurisdiction for at least 12 months before you can port out. The clock starts on your move-in date, not your voucher issue date. Exceptions apply if you're moving to reunite with a family member, or if you're a survivor of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking under VAWA protections.

Does porting out of NYC mean I lose my HPD voucher if the new city doesn't work out?

If the receiving PHA absorbs your voucher, you become their participant and can't automatically return to HPD. If the receiving PHA bills HPD instead, HPD stays your administering agency and the situation is more flexible. Either way, you'd need to apply for a new port back if you want to return to NYC. There's no guaranteed right to port back to HPD. Clarify which arrangement applies before you finalize your move.

How do I find the receiving housing authority's contact information before I port?

HUD keeps a searchable directory of all public housing authorities at HUD.gov. Go to HUD's PHA contact list and search by state and city. You can also call HPD and ask for the contact information of the specific receiving PHA you're targeting. Having the receiving PHA's phone number and portability coordinator's name before you submit your HPD request saves a lot of time once your packet is transmitted.

Will my bedroom size stay the same when I port out?

Your bedroom size entitlement is based on household composition, not your current unit. If your family qualifies for a two-bedroom under HPD's subsidy standards, the receiving PHA applies its own occupancy standards. Most PHAs follow similar HUD guidance on household size, but there's some local variation. The receiving PHA may assign a different bedroom size if its standards differ, though that's uncommon when family composition hasn't changed.

Can HPD deny my port-out request?

HPD can deny portability if you haven't met the 12-month residency requirement and don't qualify for an exception, if you have an unresolved debt or a repayment agreement in default, or if your voucher is under termination proceedings. They cannot deny your request simply because they want to keep you in NYC. If you believe your denial is improper, you have the right to request an informal hearing with HPD under 24 CFR 982.555.

Do I need to find a new apartment before submitting my port-out request?

No. Submit your portability request before you find a unit. HPD issuing your packet and the receiving PHA accepting it takes weeks to months. Search for a unit in your destination city during that waiting period, not before you've submitted the request. The receiving PHA will give you a new voucher with an expiration date, and you need a unit lined up and approved before that date.

What is a portability briefing and is it mandatory?

A portability briefing is a meeting between you and an HPD caseworker, by phone or in person, where HPD explains your rights, the process timeline, the documents required, and what changes when you move to a new jurisdiction. It's mandatory. HPD will not issue portability documents until the briefing is done. It typically runs 30 to 60 minutes. Come prepared with your destination city, your current lease expiration date, and any exception documentation you're relying on.

How long does my voucher stay valid while I'm waiting to port?

Your HPD voucher has an expiration date, and that clock doesn't pause while HPD processes your portability request. If your voucher is close to expiring, request an extension in writing at the same time you submit your portability request. HPD can grant extensions at its discretion. Once the receiving PHA issues you a voucher or accepts your portable voucher, you get a new search deadline from that PHA, typically 60 to 120 days depending on the jurisdiction.

What happens if I move to the new city before my paperwork is finalized?

Don't do this. Moving before the receiving PHA has approved a unit and signed a HAP contract means you pay rent out of pocket with no subsidy. HPD will not back-pay rent for months you moved ahead of the official paperwork. You could also lose your voucher entirely if HPD terminates it for abandonment. Wait for the receiving PHA's written confirmation that you can lease up before you move your belongings.

Is porting out of NYC the same as giving up my place on the NYCHA waiting list?

HPD and NYCHA are separate housing authorities. Porting out with your HPD voucher has no effect on any NYCHA waiting list position you might hold for public housing apartments. They're completely different programs. If you were on an HPD Section 8 waitlist before receiving your voucher, that's irrelevant once your voucher is active. Porting doesn't affect any other housing benefits you may be receiving.

Can domestic violence survivors skip the 12-month wait to port out of NYC?

Yes. Under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), incorporated into HCV program rules at 24 CFR 982.353(b), survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking can port immediately without meeting the 12-month residency requirement. You'll complete HUD Form 5382 (VAWA Self-Certification) and provide it to HPD with your portability request. HPD is required to keep this information confidential.

What does it mean if the receiving PHA 'bills' HPD instead of absorbing the voucher?

When a receiving PHA bills the initial PHA, the receiving PHA administers your voucher locally but HPD pays the housing assistance payment to the landlord. You follow the receiving PHA's rules day to day, but HPD stays financially responsible. Absorption is when the receiving PHA takes full control and uses its own funds. From a tenant's view the daily experience is similar, but billing means HPD could still pull your voucher if its funding changes.

Sources

1. NYC HPD, Section 8 Leased Housing portability information: HPD's Section 8 contact line is 212-863-5610; portability requests are processed through the Leased Housing Department at 100 Gold Street, New York, NY 10038
2. Code of Federal Regulations, 24 CFR Part 982.353, HUD HCV portability rules: Under 24 CFR 982.353(b), a family may port out after 12 months of residence, or immediately under family reunification or VAWA exceptions
3. HUD, Housing Choice Voucher Program Guidebook 7420.10G: HUD Form 52665 (Family Portability Information) is the standard inter-PHA transmittal document; the receiving PHA must process portable vouchers and may bill or absorb the subsidy
4. HUD, FY2024 Fair Market Rents, Office of Policy Development and Research: FY2024 two-bedroom FMRs: New York NY metro $2,563; Philadelphia PA metro $1,628; Atlanta GA metro $1,623; Cleveland OH metro $1,016; Memphis TN metro $1,035
5. HUD, Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, complaint portal: Voucher holders can file FHEO complaints if a receiving PHA obstructs portability processing
6. New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG), housing unit: NYLAG provides free legal services for income-eligible New Yorkers on housing voucher matters including portability disputes
7. New York State General Obligations Law Section 7-108, security deposit return: New York landlords must return a security deposit within 14 days of tenant vacating with a written itemization of deductions
8. New York State Executive Law Section 296, source-of-income discrimination prohibition: New York State law prohibits landlords from refusing to rent to tenants based on source of income, including housing vouchers
9. HUD, HCV Portability: Initial and Receiving PHA Roles, PIH Notice 2017-01: PIH Notice 2017-01 clarifies that a receiving PHA cannot flatly refuse to process a portable voucher and must either bill or absorb the family
10. HUD, Public Housing Authority (PHA) Contact Directory: HUD maintains a searchable national directory of public housing authorities by state and city