Short-term rental (Airbnb) rules in Kennebunk, Maine
Yes, but since January 1, 2025 you must register each short-term rental (stays under 15 days) with the Town Clerk every year and pass a fire inspection by the Fire Department. The fee is $250 to register and $150 to renew. Accessory dwelling units can't be used as short-term rentals.
| What counts as a short-term rental | Any dwelling unit or ADU rented for under 15 consecutive days [1] |
| Registration | Required with the Town Clerk; renew by January 1 each year [2] |
| Fees | $250 registration, $150 renewal [5] |
| Inspection | Fire Chief or designee inspects every year [3] |
| Advertising | Registration number must be displayed in the unit and used in all ads [4] |
| ADUs | Can't be used as short-term rentals [6] |
Registration
Kennebunk's Short-Term Rental Ordinance covers any dwelling unit or accessory dwelling unit rented for fewer than 15 consecutive days [1]. Starting January 1, 2025, you must register the unit with the Town Clerk before rentals begin and renew by January 1 every year [2]. Each unit needs its own registration. You'll provide:
- the address, unit number, and tax map and lot
- the owner's contact details, including every individual with an ownership interest if the owner is an LLC, trust or corporation
- a local contact person and any property manager
In a condo or HOA, you must show that the association documents don't prohibit short-term rentals. The ordinance leaves the fee to the Select Board, and its fee schedule (last approved March 25, 2025) sets a $250 registration fee and a $150 renewal fee [5]. (The "6-4" entries in that quoted row are section references, not amounts.)
Fire inspection
Once your application and fee are complete, the Fire Chief or a designee inspects the unit for fire prevention and life safety compliance. No registration is issued until any problems are fixed. A new inspection is required every year [3].
After registration
The Clerk issues a numbered registration. You must display it in the unit and use the number in all advertising [4]. The Clerk also gives you the town's Good Neighbor Policy, and you must hand a copy to your guests. Registrations can't be transferred. A change in owner, or in an owning entity's members, managers or officers, requires a new registration.
ADUs and zoning
Under zoning, accessory dwelling units can't be used as short-term rentals [6]. The ordinance doesn't set a cap, a minimum stay or an owner-occupancy rule for other homes. Violations carry the state's minimum civil penalties.
See how Kennebunk compares with 8+ other Maine towns on short-term rentals (airbnb / vrbo) →
Next steps
- If you're in a condo or HOA, get documents showing short-term rentals aren't prohibited.
- Register with the Kennebunk Town Clerk ($250) and list all owners and a local contact.
- Schedule and pass the Fire Department life-safety inspection.
- Put your registration number on all listings, display it in the unit, and give guests the Good Neighbor Policy.
- Renew by January 1 each year ($150, with a new inspection).
Common questions
- Do I need to register a short-term rental in Kennebunk, Maine?
- Yes. Since January 1, 2025, any dwelling unit rented for fewer than 15 consecutive days must be registered with the Town Clerk each year and pass a Fire Department inspection.
- How much does it cost to register an Airbnb in Kennebunk, Maine?
- $250 to register and $150 to renew. Renewal is due by January 1 each year, with a new inspection.
- Can I rent my ADU as an Airbnb in Kennebunk, Maine?
- No. Under zoning, accessory dwelling units can't be used as short-term rentals.
- What do I need to advertise a short-term rental in Kennebunk, Maine?
- Display your numbered registration in the unit and use the number in all advertising. The Clerk also gives you the town's Good Neighbor Policy, and you must hand a copy to your guests.
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
- Short-Term Rental Ordinance, Section 1, Short-Term Rental Ordinance, p. 1
A short-term rental unit shall include any dwelling unit or accessory dwelling unit that is rented for a term of less than fifteen (15) consecutive days.
- Short-Term Rental Ordinance, Section 2, Short-Term Rental Ordinance, p. 1
Effective January 1, 2025, any person seeking to operate a short-term rental unit shall register the unit with the Town Clerk’s office. The owner of any short-term rental unit must register when the short-term rental will commence and shall renew the registration by January 1 in each succeeding year..
- Short-Term Rental Ordinance, Section 5, Short-Term Rental Ordinance, p. 2
If the short-term rental unit fails to meet these requirements, no registration shall be issued until identified issues are resolved to the satisfaction of the Fire Chief or designee. Each annual short-term rental unit registration shall require a new inspection.
- Short-Term Rental Ordinance, Section 6, Short-Term Rental Ordinance, p. 2
This registration shall be displayed in the short-term rental unit and shall be used in all advertising for the unit.
- Fee Schedule, 6-12 Short Term Rentals, Kennebunk Town Ordinances (non-zoning, compiled), p. 244
Short Term Rentals 6-4 6-4 Registration Fee: $250.00 6-4 6-4 Renewal Fee: $150.00
- Zoning Article 10, Section 15.A(7), Zoning Ordinance Article 10 - Performance Standards, p. 55
(7) Accessory dwelling units shall not be used as short term rentals.