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

Lincoln, Middlesex County · Bylaws checked 2026-10-03 · Reviewed · 5 cited sections

Restricted

Lincoln has no short-term rental bylaw or registration program, and its zoning bylaw doesn't directly address renting out a whole house on Airbnb or VRBO. A resident may take up to three paying lodgers who share the household's kitchen, and on a lot with an ADU or accessory apartment the bylaw sets a 7-day minimum rental term. Ask the Building Commissioner before listing.

Local STR license or registrationNone found in Lincoln's bylaws [1]
Paying guests allowed in a home (R-1)Up to 3 lodgers (rooming or boarding house) [2]
More than 3 paying guestsDefined as a hotel, motel or lodging house; not a listed residential use [3]
Minimum rental term, lots with an ADU7 days [4]
Minimum rental term, lots with an accessory apartment7 days [5]

No STR-specific rules

We found no short-term rental bylaw, license, fee or registration requirement in Lincoln's general or zoning bylaws. The zoning bylaw allows only the uses it lists in each district. Any use it doesn't list is prohibited, to the extent the law allows [1]. That means whether a short-term rental fits under one of the listed residential uses is up to the Building Commissioner, who enforces the bylaw.

What the zoning bylaw does say

  • Lodgers: in the R-1 district, a home may serve as a rooming or boarding house for up to three lodgers [2]. The bylaw defines a rooming or boarding house as a dwelling where the resident provides eating or sleeping space for up to three paying guests who share the family's kitchen.
  • More than three guests: a building where more than three people stay as paying guests, "regular or transient," is defined as a hotel, motel or lodging house [3]. That isn't a listed use in the residential districts.
  • Dwelling units: the definition of a dwelling unit excludes "commercial accommodations offered for periodic occupancy."

Homes with an ADU or accessory apartment

If a lot has a Section 14.4 ADU and either the ADU or the main house is rented, the minimum rental term is seven days [4]. The same seven-day minimum applies to lots with a Section 14.3 accessory apartment [5]. So on these lots, nightly rentals shorter than a week aren't allowed.

Practical upshot

Renting a room to one to three guests while you live in the home appears to fit the lodger provision. Renting the whole house to transient guests isn't clearly allowed or banned, so get the Building Commissioner's interpretation in writing first. State registration and tax rules (shown separately) apply either way.

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

Next steps

  1. Ask the Building Department / Zoning Enforcement Officer (781-259-2613) in writing whether your planned rental fits a permitted use under Section 6.1.
  2. If your lot has an ADU or accessory apartment, set a minimum stay of at least 7 days for either unit.
  3. Keep paying guests to no more than three at a time unless the town confirms otherwise.
  4. Complete the state Department of Revenue short-term rental registration (see state rules).

Common questions

Are short-term rentals allowed in Lincoln, Massachusetts?
It's unclear. Lincoln has no short-term rental bylaw or registration program, and zoning doesn't directly address renting out a whole house on Airbnb or VRBO. Ask the Building Commissioner before listing.
Can I take paying guests in my home in Lincoln, Massachusetts?
A resident may take up to three paying lodgers who share the household's kitchen.
What is the minimum rental term for an ADU in Lincoln, Massachusetts?
On a lot with an ADU or accessory apartment, the bylaw sets a 7-day minimum rental term.

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

  1. Section 5 New Construction and New Uses, Zoning By-laws (latest amendment September 22, 2025), p. 18
    Any use not specifically listed herein or otherwise permitted in a district shall, to the extent permitted by law, be prohibited, provided that:
  2. Sec. 6.1(b) Uses Permitted (R-1), Zoning By-laws (latest amendment September 22, 2025), p. 19
    (b) rooming or boarding house for not over three lodgers;
  3. Sec. 23 Definitions, Hotel, Motel or Lodging House, Zoning By-laws (latest amendment September 22, 2025), p. 111
    Hotel, Motel or Lodging House: A building, or part thereof, or a group of buildings on a single lot, where space is used for sleeping or eating by more than three (3) persons as paying guests, regular or transient.
  4. Sec. 14.4.2(i) Minimal Rental Period, Zoning By-laws (latest amendment September 22, 2025), p. 87
    (i) Minimal Rental Period: Where the ADU or the Principal Dwelling is occupied as a rental unit, the minimum occupancy or rental term shall be seven days.
  5. Sec. 14.3.2(k) Minimal Rental Period, Zoning By-laws (latest amendment September 22, 2025), p. 83
    (k) Minimal Rental Period: Where the Accessory Apartment or the principal dwelling is occupied as a rental unit, the minimum occupancy or rental term shall be seven days.
This page summarizes Lincoln'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 Officer) (781-259-2613) before you build. Spot an error?