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

Chatham, Barnstable County · Bylaws checked 2026-10-03 · Reviewed · 11 cited sections

Allowed with a permit

Yes, if you own the home and register it. Chatham's Board of Health requires owners to get an annual registration certificate (January 1 to December 31) before renting for 31 days or less, put the registration number on every listing, and limit guests to 2 per bedroom plus 2. Tenants can't sublet as short-term rentals, and an ADU and its main house can't be short-term rented at all.

What counts as a short-term rentalA home or bedroom rented for 31 consecutive days or less [2]
RegistrationBoard of Health registration certificate before renting; owners only [1]
Registration periodCalendar year (Jan 1 - Dec 31), renewed annually [3]
FeeSet by the Select Board (amount not in the regulation) [4]
Max occupancy2 per bedroom plus 2 [6]
Local contact response timeWithin 2 hours, 24/7 phone [7]
PenaltyUp to $200 per day [9]

Registration with the Board of Health

Chatham's Board of Health Short-Term Rental Property Regulation covers any home, or any bedroom in one, rented for 31 consecutive days or less [2]. Before you rent or advertise, the owner must register with the Board of Health and get a Registration Certificate. Tenants and lessees may never sublet a home as a short-term rental [1]. Registrations run for the calendar year, January 1 to December 31, and must be renewed each year with a new application and affidavit [3]. The fee is set by the Select Board [4]. Registrations go only to the owner and can't be transferred to another person or address [10]. They end when the property is sold.

Operating rules

  • Listings: put the town registration number on every listing [5].
  • Occupancy: no more than 2 guests per bedroom, plus 2 more [6].
  • Local contact: name an operator or agent who can respond within 2 hours of a call from the Health Division, Police or Fire, with a phone number answered 24/7. Post that contact inside the unit [7].
  • Parking: provide adequate on-site parking. Tell guests there is no overnight street parking on public roads [8].
  • Trash: remove it after each stay, or weekly if that's more often.
  • Compliance: the unit must meet health and safety codes, shown by an affidavit. It is subject to reasonable town inspections.

Violations can bring fines of $200 a day, and the Board may suspend or revoke a certificate after a hearing [9].

ADUs and zoning

The zoning bylaw bars any rental of an accessory dwelling unit, or the main house on the same lot, on a monthly, weekly or daily basis, including through vacation rental websites [11]. Board of Health registration doesn't mean your rental complies with zoning.

About this source

The copy we reviewed is a scanned document read by OCR; it took effect August 1, 2026. Older town web pages may still describe the earlier 2023 version, so confirm the current fee and application form with the Health Division. State registration with the Department of Revenue is also required (see below).

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

Next steps

  1. Register the property with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (MassTaxConnect) as required for short-term rentals.
  2. Apply to the Chatham Health Division for a Short-Term Rental Registration Certificate before listing, with the owner's contact information, the 24/7 local contact and a compliance affidavit; ask for the current Select Board fee.
  3. Add the town registration number to every listing and post the emergency contact inside the unit.
  4. Renew before December 31 each year, and re-register if the property is sold.

Common questions

Are short-term rentals allowed in Chatham, Massachusetts?
Yes, if you own the home and register it. The Board of Health requires an annual registration certificate before renting for 31 days or less. Tenants can't sublet as short-term rentals, and an ADU and its main house can't be short-term rented at all.
How many guests can stay in a short-term rental in Chatham, Massachusetts?
No more than 2 guests per bedroom, plus 2 more.
What do I need to list a short-term rental in Chatham, Massachusetts?
The town registration number on every listing, and a local contact who can respond within 2 hours, with a phone answered 24/7. Confirm the current fee with the Health Division, since the Select Board sets it.
What is the penalty for an unregistered short-term rental in Chatham, Massachusetts?
Fines can be up to $200 a day, and the Board may suspend or revoke a certificate after a hearing.

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

  1. BOH Short-Term Rental Regulation, Registration A. Registration/Application Required, Board of Health Short-Term Rental Property Regulation (effective July 1, 2023), p. 2
    No OWNER shall rent, or offer to rent, any SHORT-TERM RENTAL as that term is defined herein, prior to registering with the Board of Health and obtaining a Registration Certificate. No tenant or lessee of an OWNER shall let or sub-let a dwelling as a SHORT- TERM RENTAL under any circumstances.
  2. BOH Short-Term Rental Regulation, Definitions, Board of Health Short-Term Rental Property Regulation (effective July 1, 2023), p. 1
    SHORT-TERM RENTAL - A residential dwelling, or any bedroom within a dwelling, rented out for a fee, for a period of not more than 31 consecutive calendar days, excluding: hotels licensed under M.G.L. Chapter 140, §6; motels licensed under M.G.L. Chapter 140, §32B; lodging establishments licensed under M.G.L. Chapter 140, §23.
  3. BOH Short-Term Rental Regulation, Registration A., Board of Health Short-Term Rental Property Regulation (effective July 1, 2023), p. 2
    The period of registration shall be for one (1) calendar year, running from January 1 through December 31, and all permits shall expire on December 31 of the applicable year.
  4. BOH Short-Term Rental Regulation, Registration D. Fees, Board of Health Short-Term Rental Property Regulation (effective July 1, 2023), p. 2
    The fee for SHORT-TERM RENTAL registration or renewal shall be established by the Select Board.
  5. BOH Short-Term Rental Regulation, Publication of Registration Number, Board of Health Short-Term Rental Property Regulation (effective July 1, 2023), p. 3
    The Town-issued registration certificate number shall be included on any listing offering the SHORT-TERM RENTAL for rent.
  6. BOH Short-Term Rental Regulation, Occupancy Requirements, Board of Health Short-Term Rental Property Regulation (effective July 1, 2023), p. 3
    The maximum number of OCCUPANTS in a SHORT-TERM RENTAL shall be two (2) per bedroom (as defined by the Board of Health Regulations) plus two (2) additional OCCUPANTSs.
  7. BOH Short-Term Rental Regulation, Contact Information C., Board of Health Short-Term Rental Property Regulation (effective July 1, 2023), p. 3
    This person must be able to respond to any emergencies that arise during occupancy within two (2) hours of contact by the TOWN’s Health Division or Police or Fire Department to complaints regarding the condition or operation of the SHORT-TERM RENTAL.
  8. BOH Short-Term Rental Regulation, Parking, Board of Health Short-Term Rental Property Regulation (effective July 1, 2023), p. 3
    Adequate on-site parking shall be provided, and occupants/guests will be made aware that, per town of Chatham Traffic Rules and Orders, there is no overnight street parking on public roads, and no street parking on public or private roads that may impede traffic or traffic safety.
  9. BOH Short-Term Rental Regulation, Penalties, Board of Health Short-Term Rental Property Regulation (effective July 1, 2023), p. 4
    Any owner found in violation of any provision of this Regulation may be punished by a fine of two hundred dollars ($200.00) per day.
  10. BOH Short-Term Rental Regulation, Registration E. Non-Transferability, Board of Health Short-Term Rental Property Regulation (effective July 1, 2023), p. 2
    SHORT-TERM RENTAL registrations shall be granted solely to an OWNER and shall not be transferable or assigned to any other person, legal entity, or address.
  11. Zoning Bylaw Sec. VII.B.19.4.h Accessory Dwelling Unit, Protective Zoning Bylaw, as amended through May 2025 (attested 09/03/2025), p. 94
    Either the ADU or the principal dwelling shall be leased for a minimum of a twelve (12) consecutive months, with no subletting to occur. Both units are prohibited from any use as rental units on a monthly, weekly or daily basis including, but not limited to, seasonal rental and rental through vacation rental services and websites.
This page summarizes Chatham'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 Community Development - Building Division (Building Commissioner) (508-945-5168) before you build. Spot an error?