Town Permit Guide

Home › Massachusetts › Hingham › Short-Term Rentals (Airbnb / VRBO)

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

Hingham, Plymouth County · Bylaws checked 2026-10-03 · Reviewed · 6 cited sections

Not allowed

Generally no. Hingham's Zoning By-Law says no dwelling unit may be leased or rented for less than 30 consecutive days, and accessory dwelling units can't be used as short-term rentals. The only route to nightly guests is a Bed & Breakfast in an owner-occupied single-family home, which needs a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Minimum rental term30 consecutive days for any dwelling unit [1]
Applies toAll residential uses in the Schedule of Uses (Special Condition 4) [2]
ADUs30-day minimum; no short-term rental of the ADU or main house [3]
Bed & BreakfastSpecial Permit A2 (Zoning Board of Appeals, with site plan review) [5]
B&B limitsOwner-occupied home; up to 3 rooms; max 6 guests; stays of 14 days or less [6]
Local STR registrationNone found in the by-laws we reviewed [1]

The 30-day rule

Hingham's Schedule of Uses applies Special Condition 4 to every residential use [2], and Special Condition 4 says no dwelling unit shall be leased or rented for a period of less than 30 consecutive days [1]. That rules out typical Airbnb or VRBO stays of a few nights or weeks in a house, condo or apartment. We didn't find a separate short-term rental registration or licensing by-law; the zoning rule is the main restriction.

Accessory dwelling units

The ADU section repeats the rule: both the main house and the ADU must have a minimum occupancy or rental term of 30 days and can't be used as a short-term rental, using the state definition in M.G.L. c. 64G [3].

The Bed & Breakfast exception

A Bed & Breakfast is a single-family home used as the owner's residence with guest lodging as an accessory use, and the home must be the owner's primary, legal residence [4]. It needs a Special Permit A2 from the Zoning Board of Appeals, with site plan information [5]. The by-law limits a B&B to an existing owner-occupied single-family home that had at least four bedrooms as of March 10, 1941. Up to three rooms (no more than half the bedrooms) may be used, with no more than six guests at a time and stays of no more than 14 days [6]. The permit belongs to the owner and doesn't transfer with a sale. Under the Schedule of Uses, B&Bs are possible only in the residence districts and Business A and B; they're prohibited in all other districts.

Monthly rentals

Renting your home for 30 consecutive days or more is not restricted by this rule. State registration and tax rules for stays of 31 days or less are described separately below.

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

Next steps

  1. Plan any rental for at least 30 consecutive days; shorter rentals of a dwelling unit aren't allowed under the Zoning By-Law.
  2. If you live in an older single-family home with four or more bedrooms (as of 1941) and want to host overnight guests, ask the Building Department (781-741-1420) about a Bed & Breakfast Special Permit A2 from the Zoning Board of Appeals.
  3. For any rental of 31 days or less that is allowed, register with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue as state law requires.

Common questions

Is Airbnb allowed in Hingham, Massachusetts?
Generally no. The Zoning By-Law says no dwelling unit may be leased or rented for less than 30 consecutive days.
Can I run a bed and breakfast in Hingham, Massachusetts?
It is the only route to nightly guests: a Bed & Breakfast in an owner-occupied single-family home, which needs a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Can I rent my ADU short term in Hingham, Massachusetts?
No. ADUs can't be used as short-term rentals.

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

  1. Section III-B, Special Conditions to Schedule of Uses, 4, Zoning By-Law (revised through April 28, 2026), p. 24
    4. No dwelling unit shall be leased or rented for a period of less than 30 consecutive days.
  2. Section III-A, Schedule of Uses, 1. Residential, Zoning By-Law (revised through April 28, 2026), p. 26
    1. RESIDENTIAL, subject to Special Condition 4 of Section III-B
  3. Section V-K, 4.b (Accessory Dwelling Units, General Conditions), Zoning By-Law (revised through April 28, 2026), p. 139
    The Principal Dwelling and Accessory Dwelling Unit shall have a minimum occupancy or rental term of 30 days and shall not be used as a Short-term Rental.
  4. Section V-G, Bed & Breakfast Establishment, 2. Description, Zoning By-Law (revised through April 28, 2026), p. 131
    A Bed & Breakfast is a Single-Family Dwelling having a mixed use as a home for the residential owner and as an accessory use for guest lodging. The home is to be the primary and legal residence of the owner.
  5. Section V-G, Bed & Breakfast Establishment, 3. Submittal and Review Requirements, Zoning By-Law (revised through April 28, 2026), p. 131
    A Special Permit A2 shall be required to operate a Bed & Breakfast establishment. As a part of any application for said Special Permit, applicants shall submit, at a minimum, the information required for Site Plan Approval.
  6. Section V-G, Bed & Breakfast Establishment, 4(ii), Zoning By-Law (revised through April 28, 2026), p. 131
    Up to three (3) rooms, but not more than one-half (1/2) of the bedrooms as of March 10, 1941, may be dedicated to the Bed & Breakfast establishment. Additionally, not more than forty-five (45%) percent of the entire habitable living space shall be allocated for Bed & Breakfast establishment purposes, and there shall be no more than six (6) guests lodging at the establishment at any one time, and the term of any guest’s residence shall not exceed fourteen days.
This page summarizes Hingham'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 Department (Building Commissioner / zoning enforcement) (781-741-1420) before you build. Spot an error?