Short-term rental (Airbnb) rules in Cumberland, Maine
Cumberland's ordinances we reviewed don't specifically regulate short-term rentals like Airbnb or VRBO: we found no registration, license, cap or minimum-stay rule. Renting rooms to overnight guests in your home as a bed-and-breakfast is a separate use that is treated as a home occupation.
| STR registration or license | None found in the ordinances reviewed [1] |
| Rental of a single home | Not a 'commercial use' under the zoning definitions [1] |
| Bed-and-breakfast | Resident-hosted, max 6 guest bedrooms and 12 guests; treated as a home occupation [3] |
| B&B with 4+ guest bedrooms | Planning Board site plan review [4] |
No STR-specific rules found
We didn't find any short-term rental registration, license, fee, cap, minimum stay or owner-occupancy rule in the Cumberland zoning chapters or other ordinances we reviewed. The zoning definitions say commercial use does not include the rental of a single dwelling unit on a single lot [1], and a dwelling unit includes rental units regardless of the time period rented [2]. Neither definition sets STR-specific limits.
Bed-and-breakfasts are different
If you stay in the home and rent rooms to paying overnight guests, that is a bed-and-breakfast: a single-family dwelling where the residents provide lodging in up to six guest bedrooms, with sleeping accommodations for 12 or fewer guests and breakfast as the only meal [3]. A bed-and-breakfast is treated as a home occupation, and one with four or more guest bedrooms also needs Planning Board site plan review [4]. The Fire/EMS Chief must certify life-safety compliance before a B&B opens, and the parking table requires one extra space per guest bedroom.
Other things to check
A family is limited to no more than five unrelated persons living as a single housekeeping unit, which may matter for long-term group rentals. State lodging tax registration applies separately (see state rules below), as do any HOA or deed restrictions.
A Chapter 315 amendment adopted August 10, 2026 may not be reflected in the online text we reviewed.
See how Cumberland compares with 8+ other Maine towns on short-term rentals (airbnb / vrbo) →
Next steps
- Ask the Cumberland Code Enforcement Office (207-829-2207) to confirm the town has no short-term rental registration or permit requirement.
- If you will host guests in rooms while living in the home, apply for home occupation approval as a bed-and-breakfast (Planning Board site plan review for 4+ guest bedrooms).
- Register with Maine Revenue Services for lodging tax if you rent 15 or more days a year outside a booking platform.
- Check your deed, HOA or condo rules for rental restrictions.
Common questions
- Does Cumberland, Maine regulate Airbnb or short-term rentals?
- The ordinances we reviewed don't specifically regulate short-term rentals like Airbnb or VRBO. We found no registration, license, cap or minimum-stay rule. Ask the Code Enforcement Office to confirm.
- Can I run a bed and breakfast in Cumberland, Maine?
- Yes, as a home occupation. A B&B is a single-family dwelling where the residents provide lodging in up to six guest bedrooms for 12 or fewer guests, with breakfast as the only meal. One with 4 or more guest bedrooms needs Planning Board site plan review.
- Do I need a license for an Airbnb in Cumberland, Maine?
- We found no local short-term rental license or registration. State lodging tax registration applies separately, as do any HOA or deed restrictions.
- What safety approval does a bed and breakfast need in Cumberland, Maine?
- The Fire/EMS Chief must certify life-safety compliance before a B&B opens, and the parking table requires one extra space per guest bedroom.
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.
What the ordinance says
- § 315-4 Definitions, Commercial use, Chapter 315 Zoning, Article I Title, Purpose and Definitions
Commercial use does not include a home-based business, the rental of a single dwelling unit on a single lot or incidental sales of goods or services as may be allowed by permit or standard.
- § 315-4 Definitions, Dwelling unit, Chapter 315 Zoning, Article I Title, Purpose and Definitions
The term shall include mobile homes and rental units that contain cooking, sleeping, and toilet facilities regardless of the time-period rented.
- § 315-4 Definitions, Bed-and-breakfast, Chapter 315 Zoning, Article I Title, Purpose and Definitions
A single-family dwelling in which the resident or residents of the dwelling provide overnight lodging to paying guests in a maximum of six guest bedrooms located within the dwelling or permitted attached structures. Total sleeping accommodations shall be for 12 or fewer guests.
- § 315-4 Definitions, Bed-and-breakfast, Chapter 315 Zoning, Article I Title, Purpose and Definitions
In addition to any other review required under this chapter, a bed-and-breakfast shall be considered a home occupation and shall be allowed under the conditions and regulations applicable to home occupations, subject to site plan review and approval by the Planning Board if providing four or more guest bedrooms.