Town Permit Guide

Home › Maine › Bath › Short-Term Rentals (Airbnb / VRBO)

Short-term rental (Airbnb) rules in Bath, Maine

Bath, Sagadahoc County · Ordinances checked 2026-10-19 · Reviewed · 14 cited sections

Allowed with a permit

Yes, but you need a yearly Short-Term Rental License from the City Clerk ($100 per unit), and Bath issues no more than 65 licenses a year. Licenses run January 1 to December 31; to renew you must file by December 31 and have rented at least 30 days in the prior year, and your license number must appear in every listing.

License requiredShort-Term Rental License from the City Clerk's Office [1]
Annual cap65 licenses per calendar year [1]
Fee$100 per unit, renewal date January 1 [3]
License number in adsRequired in all advertisements and listings [2]
Renewal deadlineDecember 31 (late renewals are treated as new applications) [5]
Minimum use to renewRented at least 30 days in the prior license term (ordinance wording) [6]
Emergency contactReachable 24/7, able to respond within 1 hour [7]
What counts as a short-term rental (zoning)Whole dwelling unit rented for less than 30 consecutive days, owner not living there [8]
Districts where the zoning use is permitted (Table 8-1)R-R, R-T, R-C, R-UC, R-WM, R-WH, NC, CC, DB, CG, CX, WMU; not MC, I, GC, PO or TMC [11]

License and cap

You need a Short-Term Rental License from the City Clerk's Office, and no more than 65 are issued each calendar year [1]. The fee is $100 per unit [3]. Licenses run January 1 to December 31. Your license number must appear in all listings, and a license can transfer with the property if the new owner updates the contact information within 30 days [2].

Renewing

Renewals are due by December 31; a late renewal is treated as a new application, subject to the cap and reviewed in the order received [5]. To renew, the unit must have been rented at least 30 days in the prior term [6] (the ordinance says days; the form asks for 30 nights [14]), with no unresolved violations and the operator reachable in urgent situations. Denials can be appealed to the Zoning Board of Appeals within 30 days.

Application requirements

You need a 24/7 emergency contact who can respond within one hour [7], a signed safety checklist and a Good Neighbor Guide for guests. Rentals can't be used as event space [4].

Zoning rules

The Land Use Code defines a short-term rental as renting a whole dwelling unit for less than 30 consecutive days where the owner or leaseholder doesn't live in the unit; a building where half or more of the units are short-term rentals counts as a hotel [8]. Chapter 5's definition also mentions a "portion" of a unit, but defers to the Land Use Code. In the use matrix (Table 8-1), where a filled dot means permitted [10], the Short-Term Rental row is dotted under all six residential districts and NC, CC, DB, CG, CX and WMU, and blank (not permitted) under MC, I, GC, PO and TMC [11]. The use standards ban alterations that change the home's residential character, signs, RVs, tents and outdoor sleeping, and only rooms built as bedrooms may be used for sleeping [9]. Renting a shared room in your own primary residence doesn't need a license [2].

Renting rooms in a home you live in

How the zoning code treats nightly room rentals in an owner-occupied home is unclear. The code's short-term rental definition covers only a whole unit the owner doesn't live in [8]. Chapter 5 ties its "shared room" exemption to In-Home Lodging, but the code defines In-Home Lodging as rooms rented on leases of 30 days or more [12]. A Bed and Breakfast, a separate use, is a single-family home where a resident owner provides overnight accommodation for a fee [13]. The license form also lists "portion of dwelling unit" as a unit type. Ask the Codes Office how your setup is classified.

See how Bath compares with 8+ other Maine towns on short-term rentals (airbnb / vrbo) →

Next steps

  1. Confirm your property's zoning district on the City's zoning map; Table 8-1 doesn't permit short-term rentals in the MC, I, GC, PO or TMC districts.
  2. Prepare the Short-Term Rental License application (Chapter 5, Article 17) with your 24/7 emergency contact, a signed safety checklist and your Good Neighbor Guide.
  3. Submit it with the $100-per-unit fee to the City Clerk's Office, 55 Front Street (207-443-8332), as early as possible since only 65 licenses are issued each year.
  4. Put your license number in every listing, and file your renewal before December 31 each year.

Common questions

Do I need a license for a short-term rental in Bath, Maine?
Yes. You need a yearly Short-Term Rental License from the City Clerk, $100 per unit, and your license number must appear in every listing. You also need a 24/7 emergency contact who can respond within one hour.
Is there a cap on Airbnb licenses in Bath, Maine?
Yes. No more than 65 short-term rental licenses are issued each calendar year. Renewals are due by December 31, and a late renewal is treated as a new application, subject to the cap.
How do I renew a short-term rental license in Bath, Maine?
File by December 31. The unit must have been rented at least 30 days in the prior term (the application form says 30 nights), with no unresolved violations and the operator reachable in urgent situations.
Where are short-term rentals allowed in Bath, Maine?
In all six residential districts and the NC, CC, DB, CG, CX and WMU districts. They aren't permitted in the MC, I, GC, PO or TMC districts.
Can I rent a room in my own home short-term in Bath, Maine?
It's unclear. Renting a shared room in your primary residence doesn't need a license, but Bath's Land Use Code doesn't clearly say how nightly room rentals in an owner-occupied home are classified. Ask the Codes Office before listing.

Maine state rules for short-term rentals

No statewide STR license. Maine has no state registration or permit for Airbnb/VRBO hosts. State law instead lets each town regulate short-term rentals (30-A M.R.S. §4364-C(2), passed in 2022). Check your town's rules.

Lodging tax (Maine Revenue Services):

  • Rentals of living quarters are taxed at 9%, still the rate in 2026.
  • Booking platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO must register with the state and collect the tax on bookings made through them.
  • If you rent a single unit for fewer than 15 days a year, you generally aren't a "retailer" and don't need to register.
  • If you rent 15 days or more in a year, you must register with Maine Revenue Services and collect tax on any bookings you take directly.
  • A stay of 28+ days in a row is tax-exempt only in certain cases, such as when the unit is the guest's primary residence.

No state lodging license for vacation rentals. Maine's lodging-license law leaves out "vacation rentals," meaning homes rented to people with a permanent home elsewhere. B&Bs, inns and hotels do need a license.

ADUs: Starting July 1, 2027, towns can't require ADU owners to live on the property. State guidance says towns can still regulate STRs, for example by requiring registration or banning STRs in ADUs.

State sources: 30-A M.R.S. §4364-C (municipalities may regulate short-term rentals) · Maine Revenue Services Instructional Bulletin 32: Rental of Living Quarters (Mar. 2026) · Maine Revenue Services: Sales and Use Tax Rates · 22 M.R.S. §2491 (lodging place / vacation rental definitions) · Maine Office of Community Affairs, Housing Legislation Guidance (March 2026)

What the ordinance says

Exact text from Bath's published ordinances. Section numbers are as printed in the source.

  1. Ch. 5, Art. 17, Section 5-703 License Required, Code of Ordinances Chapter 5 - Businesses, incl. Article 17 Short-Term Rentals (updated 11/26/2025), p. 86
    No person shall operate a short-term rental unit in the City of Bath without first obtaining a Short-Term Rental License issued by the City Clerk’s Office. No more than sixty-five (65) Short-Term Rental Licenses shall be issued annually, beginning January 1 of each calendar year.
  2. Ch. 5, Art. 17, Section 5-703 License Required, Code of Ordinances Chapter 5 - Businesses, incl. Article 17 Short-Term Rentals (updated 11/26/2025), p. 87
    Local license numbers shall be noted in all advertisements and listings. Shared rooms as defined in this ordinance are exempt from this licensing requirement when the home is their primary residence.
  3. City Clerk Business licenses, Fee Schedule, City Clerk - Business licenses page (STR fee and renewal date)
    Short Term Rentals $100/unit January 1
  4. Ch. 5, Art. 17, Section 5-704 Compliance with Land Use Regulations, Code of Ordinances Chapter 5 - Businesses, incl. Article 17 Short-Term Rentals (updated 11/26/2025), p. 87
    Short-term rental units shall not be used for event space, defined as Function or Assembly Facility in the City of Bath Land Use Code.
  5. Ch. 5, Art. 17, Section 5-706 License Term and Renewal, Code of Ordinances Chapter 5 - Businesses, incl. Article 17 Short-Term Rentals (updated 11/26/2025), p. 88
    Renewal applications must be submitted annually by December 31. Renewals submitted after December 31 will be considered as a new application and are subject to review and availability. All new applications shall be reviewed in the order received.
  6. Ch. 5, Art. 17, Section 5-706(a)(b), Code of Ordinances Chapter 5 - Businesses, incl. Article 17 Short-Term Rentals (updated 11/26/2025), p. 88
    The property has been rented for a minimum of thirty (30) days during the prior license term.
  7. Ch. 5, Art. 17, Section 5-702 Definitions, Emergency Contact, Code of Ordinances Chapter 5 - Businesses, incl. Article 17 Short-Term Rentals (updated 11/26/2025), p. 86
    Emergency Contact: The primary individual designated by the Operator who can be reached at all times and respond within one (1) hour in the event of an emergency or life safety issue to coordinate a response.
  8. LUC §8.6 Use Definitions, Short-Term Rental, City of Bath Land Use Code (new code adopted by City Council 2026-09-02, effective 2026-09-23), p. 111
    Short-Term Rental. The rental of a whole dwelling unit to guests for periods of less than 30 consecutive days, where the property owner or leaseholder does not reside within the dwelling unit. Any multi-family dwelling or mixed-use development where 50% or more of the dwelling units are short-term rentals is considered a hotel.
  9. LUC §8.3.JJ Short-Term Rental, City of Bath Land Use Code (new code adopted by City Council 2026-09-02, effective 2026-09-23), p. 90
    Overnight occupancy of recreational vehicles, camper trailers, and tents at the property is not allowed. Outdoor sleeping is prohibited. 4. Only rooms originally designed as bedrooms may be used for sleeping within the rental.
  10. LUC Table 8-1 Use Matrix, legend, City of Bath Land Use Code (new code adopted by City Council 2026-09-02, effective 2026-09-23), p. 78
    ⏺ = Permitted Use (May require Site Plan Approval) // ◐ = Permitted subject to Site Plan Approval by the Planning Board // Blank = Not Permitted
  11. LUC Table 8-1 Use Matrix, Piers/Docks and Short-Term Rental rows (read by column), City of Bath Land Use Code (new code adopted by City Council 2026-09-02, effective 2026-09-23), p. 78
    Piers, Docks, and Other Marine Structures § 8.3.CC Short-Term Rental § 8.3.JJ R-R ◐ ⏺ R-T ◐ ⏺ R-C ◐ ⏺ R-UC ◐ ⏺ R-WM ◐ ⏺ R-WH ◐ ⏺ NC ◐ ⏺ CC ◐ ⏺ DB ◐ ⏺ CG ◐ ⏺ MC ◐ CX ◐ ⏺ WMU ◐ ⏺ I ◐ GC PO ◐ TMC
  12. LUC §8.6 Use Definitions, In-Home Lodging, City of Bath Land Use Code (new code adopted by City Council 2026-09-02, effective 2026-09-23), p. 108
    In-Home Lodging. Up to three private bedrooms rented for a minimum of a 30-day consecutive lease within a single- family detached or attached, two-family, or townhouse dwelling in which the owner resides, without dedicated cooking facilities for the lodger(s).
  13. LUC §8.6 Use Definitions, Bed and Breakfast, City of Bath Land Use Code (new code adopted by City Council 2026-09-02, effective 2026-09-23), p. 104
    Bed and Breakfast. A single-family dwelling where a resident/owner provides overnight accommodation for a fee and may provide meals for guests.
  14. Short-Term Rental License Application, 7. Rental Activity, Short-Term Rental License Application (Chapter 5, Article 17), p. 2
    Total nights rented in prior calendar year: __________________ (must be ≥ 30 nights)
This page summarizes Bath's posted ordinances as of 2026-10-19. Ordinances are amended, and individual lots can have overlays, subdivision covenants, or HOA rules that are stricter. Confirm with Codes Enforcement Office (City Hall, 55 Front Street; Mon-Thu 7:30 AM-5:00 PM). Planning & Development: 207-443-8363 (207-443-8334) before you build. Spot an error?