Draft. This page was compiled from official sources but has not completed editorial verification. Confirm every figure with the official links below before acting.
Boston Short-Term Rental Rules: What Hosts Need to Know in 2026
Boston registers short-term rentals only in owner-occupied homes. A Home Share or Limited Share unit must be the operator’s primary residence, and an Owner-Adjacent unit must be in the same owner-occupied two- or three-family building.
The annual registration fee is $25 for a Limited Share unit and $200 for a Home Share or Owner-Adjacent unit. Registrations run for one year, must be renewed, and do not transfer when the unit is sold.
Three unit types, one owner-occupancy rule
Boston’s ordinance divides short-term rentals into three unit types. A Limited Share unit is a room or shared space in the operator’s primary residence while the operator is present. A Home Share unit is the whole primary residence. An Owner-Adjacent unit is a second unit in the same owner-occupied two- or three-family building.
Owner-occupancy is the gate: the operator must live in the unit at least nine months out of twelve. The city verifies the primary residence with at least two documents, such as a utility bill, voter registration, motor vehicle registration, deed, lease, or proof of the residential exemption.
- Only owner-occupied units qualify.
- One whole unit may be offered at a time.
- Registrations renew annually and do not transfer on sale.
The three registration types
The unit type sets the fee, the occupancy limit, and whether the operator must be present during the stay.
Limited Share — $25 a year
A private bedroom or shared space in the operator’s primary residence, rented while the operator is present. Occupancy is limited to three guest bedrooms or six guests, whichever is fewer, and one bedroom must be reserved for the operator.
Home Share — $200 a year
The operator’s whole primary residence, offered while the operator is away. Occupancy is limited to five bedrooms or ten guests, whichever is fewer.
Owner-Adjacent — $200 a year
One entire secondary unit in an owner-occupied two- or three-family building where the owner owns all units. An operator may register one Owner-Adjacent unit in addition to their own Home Share or Limited Share unit.
License fees
| Label | Fee |
|---|---|
| New license — Limited Share | $25 |
| New license — Home Share | $200 |
| New license — Owner-Adjacent | $200 |
| Renewal — Limited Share | $25 |
| Renewal — Home Share | $200 |
| Renewal — Owner-Adjacent | $200 |
Registration conditions and host responsibilities
- Home Share and Limited Share units must be the operator’s primary residence, meaning the operator lives there at least nine months out of twelve; Owner-Adjacent units must be in the same owner-occupied two- or three-family building.
- Limited Share: a private bedroom or shared space in the operator’s primary residence while the operator is present, limited to three guest bedrooms or six guests, whichever is fewer, with one bedroom reserved for the operator.
- Home Share: the whole primary residence, limited to five bedrooms or ten guests, whichever is fewer.
- Owner-Adjacent: one entire secondary unit in an owner-occupied two- or three-family building; an operator may offer only one whole unit at a time.
- The registration number must appear on every listing, a business certificate from the City Clerk is required after registration, and a registration does not transfer when the unit is sold.
- The operator must notify abutters within 300 feet within 30 days of registration, post a fire-safety sign inside the unit, and provide a local contact who can respond in person within two hours.
Enforcement: inspections, suspensions, and daily fines
Inspectional Services checks registration information against city records and can inspect a unit. An outstanding building, sanitary, zoning, or fire violation suspends the registration until the violation is resolved.
Offering an ineligible unit as a short-term rental carries a $300 fine per violation, per day. The city can also seek an injunction to stop the listing.
- Ineligible unit: $300 per violation, per day.
- Outstanding code violations: registration suspended until cured.
- City may seek an injunction against an illegal listing.
| Item | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Ineligible unit | Offering an ineligible unit as a short-term rental carries a $300 fine per violation, per day. |
| Suspended registration | An outstanding building, sanitary, zoning, or fire violation suspends the registration until the violation is resolved. |
Room occupancy excise: 14.95%
Combined hotel occupancy tax ~14.95%
The combined room occupancy tax is about 14.95%: a 5.7% Massachusetts excise, a 6.5% Boston local room occupancy excise, and a 2.75% convention center fee.
Platforms such as Airbnb collect and remit the tax on platform bookings. Hosts who take direct bookings remit the tax themselves.
Stays of 28 consecutive nights or longer are not short-term rentals and are not subject to the short-term rental registration rules.
- Collection
- Platforms such as Airbnb collect and remit room occupancy taxes on platform bookings; hosts remit direct bookings.
- Filing
- Operators file room occupancy excise returns with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (Form RO-2); confirm the filing frequency in MassTaxConnect.
Ranges vary — verify. Stays of 28 consecutive nights or longer are not short-term rentals.
Permit notes
- Local contact
- A local contact must be able to respond in person within two hours and provide a 24-hour phone number for guests and public safety agencies.
- Renewal requirements
- Registrations run for one year and must be renewed; a registration does not transfer when the unit is sold.
Compare Boston with other STR markets
Some cities allow investor-owned short-term rentals under caps or state preemption; others limit registration to the host’s primary residence. Boston is in the second group and further limits how many whole units may be offered at once.
Phoenix
Arizona
Allowed citywide with permit (state law bars city bans — host-friendly)
Low–moderate enforcement
New license $250
Last verified
View Phoenix rules →Scottsdale
Arizona
Licensed; Arizona law preempts local bans and occupancy caps
Moderate enforcement
New license $250
Last verified
View Scottsdale rules →Sedona
Arizona
Permit required; Arizona law sets the regulatory floor
Moderate enforcement
New license $210
Last verified
View Sedona rules →Los Angeles
California
Allowed in the host’s primary residence with registration; 120-night annual cap unless extended
High enforcement
New license $441
Last verified
View Los Angeles rules →Palm Springs
California
Allowed in single-family homes with an annual certificate; new certificates capped at 20% per organized neighborhood
High enforcement
New license — Vacation Rental $1,046
Last verified
View Palm Springs rules →San Diego
California
Licensed by tier; whole-home licenses are capped by ordinance
High enforcement
New license — Tier 1 — Part-Time $193
Last verified
View San Diego rules →San Francisco
California
Allowed only in the host’s permanent residence with registration; un-hosted stays capped at 90 nights per year
High enforcement
New license $925
Last verified
View San Francisco rules →Santa Monica
California
Home-sharing only in the host’s primary residence; un-hosted vacation rentals are unlawful
High enforcement
New license $582.25
Last verified
View Santa Monica rules →Denver
Colorado
Licensed, primary residence only
High enforcement
New license $150
Last verified
View Denver rules →Washington
District of Columbia
Licensed, primary residence only
High enforcement
New license $99
Last verified
View Washington rules →Fort Lauderdale
Florida
Licensed and inspected; annual Certificate of Compliance required
High enforcement
New license — Certificate of Compliance $880
Last verified
View Fort Lauderdale rules →Miami
Florida
Licensed and enforced; city and county requirements run in parallel
High enforcement
Last verified
View Miami rules →Orlando
Florida
Owner-occupied home sharing; whole-home rentals are limited by zoning
Moderate enforcement
New license — Home Sharing Registration $275
Last verified
View Orlando rules →Tampa
Florida
State-licensed; city rental registration repealed in 2023
Low–moderate enforcement
New license $230
Last verified
View Tampa rules →Atlanta
Georgia
Licensed, primary residence plus one additional dwelling unit
High enforcement
New license $150
Last verified
View Atlanta rules →Savannah
Georgia
Certified STVR, overlay district only, per-ward cap
High enforcement
New license $400
Last verified
View Savannah rules →Chicago
Illinois
Registered shared housing unit (31 days or fewer)
High enforcement
New license $250
Last verified
View Chicago rules →New Orleans
Louisiana
Licensed, capped, and lottery-based
High enforcement
New license — NSTR owner permit $500
Last verified
View New Orleans rules →Las Vegas
Nevada
Licensed; owner-occupied homes only (city limits)
High enforcement
New license $500
Last verified
View Las Vegas rules →New York
New York
Legal only in a registered primary residence (hosted stays)
High enforcement
New license $145
Last verified
View New York rules →Portland
Oregon
Permitted as an accessory use (primary residence required)
Moderate enforcement
Last verified
View Portland rules →Charleston
South Carolina
Licensed, primary residence only (commercial STRs only in the overlay district)
High enforcement
New license $345
Last verified
View Charleston rules →Nashville
Tennessee
Allowed with permit; heavy zoning restrictions on investor units
High enforcement
New license $313
Last verified
View Nashville rules →Austin
Texas
Licensed & enforced
High enforcement
New license $736.60
Last verified
View Austin rules →Seattle
Washington
Licensed; up to two units per operator
High enforcement
New license $75
Last verified
View Seattle rules →Frequently asked questions
Can I register an investment condo as a Boston short-term rental?
No. Boston registers only owner-occupied units: a Home Share or Limited Share unit must be the operator's primary residence, and an Owner-Adjacent unit must be in the same owner-occupied two- or three-family building.
How much does Boston STR registration cost?
A Limited Share unit costs $25 per year; Home Share and Owner-Adjacent units cost $200 per year. The registration runs for one year and must be renewed annually.
What tax applies to a Boston short-term rental?
The combined rate is about 14.95%: a 5.7% state room occupancy excise, a 6.5% Boston local excise, and a 2.75% convention center fee.
Official sources and cross-checks
Sources with links
- City of Boston — Short-Term Rentals boston.gov
- City of Boston — Short-Term Rental Ordinance (PDF) boston.gov
- City of Boston — FY26 Local Revenue boston.gov
- Mass.gov — Room Occupancy Excise Tax mass.gov