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

Canton, Norfolk County · Bylaws checked 2026-10-20 · Reviewed · 11 cited sections

Allowed with a permit

Yes, but only in owner-occupied homes: condos, single-family homes, or two- and three-family buildings where the owner-occupant owns every unit. You need an annual Certificate of Registration from the Town Clerk, which requires a Building and Fire Department inspection, liability insurance and a local contact who can respond within two hours. Canton adds a 6% local tax.

RegistrationCertificate of Registration from the Town Clerk, valid 1 year [11]
Where allowedOwner-occupied condos and 1-, 2- and 3-family buildings only [6]
InspectionApproved Certificate of Inspection from the Building and Fire Departments [3]
Local contactMust be able to address issues within 2 hours' notice [3]
Renewal deadlineNovember 1, with the annual fee [4]
Abutter noticeWithin 30 days, to owners of homes within 300 ft [5]
Local tax6% of daily rental costs [7]
What counts as an STRRental of 31 consecutive days or less [1]
ZoningAllowed by right in SR, GR, B and CB; not allowed in LI, I, POS [8]
Fines$100 / $200 / $300 per offense; each day separate [10]

Registration with the Town Clerk

Canton's Short Term Rental bylaw (General By-Laws Art. XXVI, adopted 2023; text from the 2024 edition of the General By-Laws) covers any rental of 31 consecutive days or less [1]. You need a Certificate of Registration from the Town Clerk before operating [2]. Before the Clerk will issue it you must have a complete application and fees, a contact person who can deal with problems within two hours, proof of liability insurance, and an approved Certificate of Inspection from the Building and Fire Departments [3]. You also attest that you follow state law (including G.L. c. 64G registration with the Department of Revenue) and are current on town taxes and water and sewer charges, with no open code violations. Registrations last one year, and renewal is at the town's discretion [11]. The renewal and annual fee are due by November 1 [4]. A registration belongs to the operator and does not transfer with a sale.

Owner-occupancy and neighbors

Short-term rentals are allowed only in owner-occupied condominiums and single-, two- and three-family buildings. In a two- or three-family building, the owner-occupant must own all the units [6]. Within 30 days of registering, you must notify every owner of a home within 300 feet [5]. The Board of Health may inspect rentals.

Fees, rules and tax

The bylaw leaves the annual fee, the insurance amount and nuisance rules (noise, parking) to Town Clerk regulations approved by the Select Board. We could not find those regulations, the fee or the application form on the town website, so ask the Town Clerk. Canton assesses a 6% local tax on daily rental costs [7].

Zoning

The zoning bylaw lists short-term rental as allowed by right (Y) in the SR, GR, B and CB districts, as a principal use [8] and as an accessory use. The accessory listing is subject to state and town regulations and inspection requirements [9]. They are not allowed in the LI, I or POS districts. The owner-occupancy limit in Art. XXVI still applies in the districts that allow them.

Enforcement

The Board of Health and the police enforce the bylaw. Fines are $100, $200 and $300 for repeat offenses, and each day counts separately [10].

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

Next steps

  1. Confirm your property qualifies: owner-occupied condo, or a 1-3 family building where you live and own all units.
  2. Register with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (MassTaxConnect) and get your DOR certificate of registration.
  3. Ask the Town Clerk (Memorial Hall, 801 Washington St.) for the STR application form, the current fee and the required insurance amount.
  4. Schedule the Building and Fire Department inspection to get your Certificate of Inspection, and line up a local contact who can respond within 2 hours.
  5. After you receive the certificate, notify homeowners within 300 ft within 30 days, and renew by November 1 each year.

Common questions

Are short-term rentals allowed in Canton, Massachusetts?
Yes, but only in owner-occupied homes: condos, single-family homes, or two- and three-family buildings where the owner-occupant owns every unit. Zoning allows them in the SR, GR, B and CB districts, not in LI, I or POS.
Do I need a permit for an Airbnb in Canton, MA?
Yes. You need an annual Certificate of Registration from the Town Clerk, which requires a Building and Fire Department inspection, liability insurance and a local contact who can respond within two hours. Renewal and the annual fee are due by November 1, and you must notify homeowners within 300 feet within 30 days.
What is the short term rental tax in Canton, Massachusetts?
Canton assesses a 6% local tax on daily rental costs. The annual fee and required insurance amount are set by Town Clerk regulations that we could not find online, so ask the Town Clerk.
What counts as a short-term rental in Canton, MA?
Any rental of 31 consecutive days or less. Fines for violations are $100, $200 and $300 for repeat offenses, and each day counts separately.

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 Canton's published bylaws. Section numbers are as printed in the source.

  1. Art. XXVI, §2 Definitions (Short-term rental), Revised General By-Laws (2024 edition; amendments through ATM May 13, 2024), p. 224
    A short-term rental is a rental that is for not more than 31 consecutive calendar days.
  2. Art. XXVI, §3.A Registration, Revised General By-Laws (2024 edition; amendments through ATM May 13, 2024), p. 225
    No person shall operate a Short term rental without having first obtained a Certificate of Registration from the Town Clerk.
  3. Art. XXVI, §3.D, Revised General By-Laws (2024 edition; amendments through ATM May 13, 2024), p. 225
    The Town Clerk shall not issue any Certificate of Registration unless the operator has (1) submitted a complete application and paid all associated fees; (2) provided contact information for the operator and persons designated to address any issues at the Short term rental within two hours’ notice; (3) provided the Town with a certificate of insurance evidencing liability insurance coverage for the Short term rental in an amount to be determined in the regulations issued pursuant to Section 4 of this Short Term Rentals by-law; and (4) provided an approved Certificate of Inspection completed by the Building and Fire Departments .
  4. Art. XXVI, §3.F (sentence continues from p.225), Revised General By-Laws (2024 edition; amendments through ATM May 13, 2024), p. 226
    An application for renewal of a Certificate of Registration shall be submitted along with the annual fee no later than November 1 of the next year.
  5. Art. XXVI, §3.H, Revised General By-Laws (2024 edition; amendments through ATM May 13, 2024), p. 226
    The Operator must notify all abutters to a Short term rental that it has been registered as a Short-term rental unit within 30 days of being issued a Certificate of Registration. An abutter is defined as the owner of any residential dwelling within 300 feet of the Short-term rental.
  6. Art. XXVI, §3.I, Revised General By-Laws (2024 edition; amendments through ATM May 13, 2024), p. 226
    Short term rentals are only allowed in owner-occupied condominiums, single-family, two-family, and three-family buildings. For two-family and three-family buildings, the owner-occupant must own all the units.
  7. Art. XXVI, §5 Tax, Revised General By-Laws (2024 edition; amendments through ATM May 13, 2024), p. 226
    The Town of Canton will assess a 6% tax on the daily rental costs in accordance with the Commonwealth of MA local occupancy tax rules and regulations.
  8. Attachment A, Table of Use Regulations, A. Residential Uses, Zoning By-Laws 2026 (amended through STM 2025), p. 13
    Short-term rental Y Y Y Y N N N N N
  9. Attachment A, Table of Use Regulations, J. Accessory Uses, note 6, Zoning By-Laws 2026 (amended through STM 2025), p. 24
    6 Subject to applicable State and Town regulations, administrative regulations, and inspection requirements.
  10. Art. XXVI, §6.B Enforcement, Revised General By-Laws (2024 edition; amendments through ATM May 13, 2024), p. 227
    If noncriminal disposition is elected, the penalty shall be one hundred dollars ($100) for the first offense, two hundred dollars ($200) for the second offense and three hundred dollars ($300) for a third or subsequent offense. Each day or portion thereof shall constitute a separate offense.
  11. Art. XXVI, §3.F, Revised General By-Laws (2024 edition; amendments through ATM May 13, 2024), p. 225
    A Certificate of Registration is valid for one year and may be renewed at the discretion of the Town, provided that the operator has complied with the provisions of this Short Term Rentals by-law and any associated regulations during the preceding year.
This page summarizes Canton's posted bylaws as of 2026-10-20. Bylaws are amended, and individual lots can have overlays, subdivision covenants, or HOA rules that are stricter. Confirm with Building Department (Building Commissioner Edward Walsh; Zoning Enforcement Officer in the same office), Lower Level, Memorial Hall, 801 Washington Street, Canton MA 02021 (781-821-5003) before you build. Spot an error?