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Short-term rental (Airbnb) rules in Andover, Massachusetts

Andover, Essex County · Bylaws checked 2026-10-03 · Reviewed · 5 cited sections

Restricted

Probably not in a residential district, though no bylaw says so directly. Andover's zoning (2022 text, the newest we have) has no short-term rental rule or license and doesn't list short-term rentals as a use; it prohibits any use it doesn't specifically permit, and the 2025 ADU bylaw expressly bars ADU short-term rentals. Confirm with the Building Division before you list a home.

Unlisted usesProhibited unless specifically permitted [1]
ADUs as short-term rentalsProhibited [2]
Motels/hotels (transient occupancy)Not allowed in SRA, SRB or SRC residential districts [5]

No short-term rental bylaw

These rules come from the 2022 town-hosted zoning text (adopted 2023) and the 2025 ADU amendment; the current bylaw may have changed. The zoning text we reviewed has no definition of short-term rental and no registration, licensing, fee, minimum-stay or occupancy rules for Airbnb- or VRBO-style rentals. The bylaw does say that land and buildings may be used only as allowed in the Table of Use Regulations, and that any use not specifically permitted is prohibited [1]. Short-term rental isn't one of the listed uses.

ADUs can't be rented short-term

The 2025 ADU bylaw (Sec. 7.9) expressly says an accessory dwelling unit may not be used as a short-term rental as defined in the state law, G.L. c. 64G [2]. That's the only explicit short-term rental rule we found. The 2026 Town Meeting amended the ADU section again (text not reviewed), so confirm this rule is still in place.

Related uses

The closest listed uses are a boarding or lodging house, which the bylaw defines in terms of letting rooms to non-family members [3]; the use table shows it needs a Zoning Board of Appeals special permit (ZBA) in SRA and SRB and marks it N (not allowed) in SRC. A motel or hotel, defined as a building for transient or overnight occupancy, is marked N (not allowed) in the SRA, SRB and SRC columns of the use table [4][5]. Neither is a clear fit for renting your whole house for short stays.

What this means

The verdict rests on reading the "not specifically permitted is prohibited" clause, not on an explicit ban. Renting your home for short stays isn't clearly allowed in Andover's residential districts. We couldn't review the current codified bylaw on eCode360, and the town-hosted zoning text we used dates from 2022, so a newer amendment could change this. State rules (registration with the Department of Revenue and room occupancy tax) apply separately wherever short-term rentals are allowed.

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

Next steps

  1. Before listing, ask the Andover Building Division (978-623-8620), which enforces zoning, whether a short-term rental of your home is allowed.
  2. Don't plan to use an ADU as a short-term rental; Sec. 7.9.4 bars it.
  3. If the town confirms a rental is allowed, register with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue under G.L. c. 64G before your first booking.

Common questions

Are short-term rentals allowed in Andover, Massachusetts?
Probably not in a residential district, though no bylaw says so directly. Zoning has no short-term rental rule and prohibits any use it doesn't specifically permit. Confirm with the Building Division before listing a home.
Can I rent an ADU on Airbnb in Andover, Massachusetts?
No. The 2025 ADU bylaw expressly says an accessory dwelling unit may not be used as a short-term rental. The 2026 Town Meeting amended the ADU section again, so confirm this rule is still in place.
Does Andover, Massachusetts require a short-term rental license?
The zoning text we reviewed has no short-term rental registration, license or fee. State rules, including Department of Revenue registration, apply separately wherever rentals are allowed.

Massachusetts' short-term rental law

Since July 1, 2019, M.G.L. c. 64G has taxed and regulated short-term rentals: stays of 31 days or less in a home, apartment, condo or room booked in advance.

State requirements:

  • Register with the Department of Revenue (DOR) on MassTaxConnect and get a Certificate of Registration for each property. Post it in the unit.
  • 14-day exemption: if you rent a property 14 days or fewer in a calendar year, no tax is due. You still have to register and file DOR's declaration by January 15 each year. Go over 14 days and you owe tax on every day, including the first 14.
  • State room occupancy excise: 5.7% of rent (including cleaning and booking fees).
  • Local taxes on top, if your town has adopted them: a local excise of up to 6% (6.5% in Boston), and a community impact fee of up to 3%. The fee applies to "professionally managed" units (an operator with 2 or more units in a town, other than units in the owner's own 1 to 3 family home) and, by separate vote, to units in an owner-occupied 2 or 3 family house. Barnstable County towns add 2.75% for a regional water fund.
  • Insurance: at least $1 million liability coverage per unit, unless the booking platform provides equal coverage (c. 175, §4F).

Towns may go further (c. 64G, §14). They can require local licenses and inspections, cap the number of days or units, limit where rentals are allowed, or ban them entirely.

State sources: M.G.L. c. 64G, §1 (definitions) · M.G.L. c. 64G, §3 (state excise; 14-day exemption) · M.G.L. c. 64G, §3A (local excise) · M.G.L. c. 64G, §3D (community impact fees) · M.G.L. c. 64G, §14 (local regulation) · M.G.L. c. 175, §4F (STR liability insurance) · DOR, Room Occupancy Excise Tax (updated Apr 8, 2026)

What the bylaw says

Exact text from Andover's published bylaws. Section numbers are as printed in the source.

  1. Sec. 3.1 Use Regulations, General, Re-Codified Andover Zoning Bylaw (March 21, 2022 text, adopted as new Article VIII at 2023 ATM) - town PDF, p. 6
    Any building or use of premises not specifically permitted is prohibited.
  2. Sec. 7.9.4 Use Prohibitions, ADU Warrant Article and Bylaw Final Version (new Sec. 7.9, approved 2025 ATM Art. 21), p. 2
    1. ADUs may not be used as short-term rentals as defined in G.L. c. 64G sec. 1.
  3. Sec. 10.0 Definitions, Boarding or Lodging House, Re-Codified Andover Zoning Bylaw (March 21, 2022 text, adopted as new Article VIII at 2023 ATM) - town PDF, p. 122
    A dwelling in which meals are served, other than on a transient basis, for compensation, or rooms are let to people not members of the resident family.
  4. Sec. 10.0 Definitions, Motel or Hotel, Re-Codified Andover Zoning Bylaw (March 21, 2022 text, adopted as new Article VIII at 2023 ATM) - town PDF, p. 129
    A building or buildings intended and designed for transient, overnight, or extended occupancy, divided into separate units within the same building with or without a public dining facility.
  5. Appendix A, Table 1, Table of Use Regulations, C.16, Re-Codified Andover Zoning Bylaw (March 21, 2022 text, adopted as new Article VIII at 2023 ATM) - town PDF, p. 140
    16. Motel or hotel (See Section N N N N ZBA N Y N N ZBA ZBA ZBA 4.1.5.1)
This page summarizes Andover's posted bylaws as of 2026-10-03. Bylaws are amended, and individual lots can have overlays, subdivision covenants, or HOA rules that are stricter. Confirm with Building Division (Building Commissioner - Inspector of Buildings / zoning enforcement) (978-623-8620) before you build. Spot an error?