Plain-English answers to common homeowner questions, taken from Bar Harbor's published ordinances, with every rule linked to the section it comes from.
Last reviewed
Short-Term Rentals (Airbnb / VRBO) Only with a town registration, and only where the Land Use Ordinance allows it. Bar Harbor requires every short-term rental to be registered with the Code Enforcement Officer, pass a life safety inspection, and renew each year (registrations expire May 31). VR-1 registrations are limited to an owner's primary residence; VR-2 registrations are capped and have a waitlist.Allowed with a permit
Fences Yes, with a permit from the Code Enforcement Officer. In residential and other non-business districts, fences can be up to 7 feet tall (8 feet in business and industrial districts), and they must be set back 18 inches from the property line unless your neighbor agrees to a fence on the line.Allowed with a permit
Burn Permits & Backyard Fires Yes, with a permit and a call to the fire department each time. Bar Harbor requires a permit for brush burning and for campfires, including fires in a metal fire pit, and you must call the fire station (207-288-5554) before lighting. Campfire permits are yearly and free at the station.Allowed with a permit
We couldn't download Bar Harbor's ordinance text for the other 7 topics yet, so we don't cover them rather than guess.