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

Rockport, Essex County · Bylaws checked 2026-10-20 · Reviewed · 13 cited sections

Allowed with a permit

Yes, with an annual license from the Select Board. Rockport's Short Term Rentals bylaw, effective January 1, 2026 (or on Attorney General approval if later), requires a license to host guests staying less than 7 consecutive nights; it expires every December 31. A Protected Use ADU can never be rented short-term.

Who needs a licenseOwners renting to guests staying less than 7 consecutive nights [1]
License issued bySelect Board; valid for the calendar year, expires December 31 [2]
FeeSet annually by the Select Board (not posted) [5]
Local agentRequired: name, address, phone and email [4]
Effective dateJanuary 1, 2026 or AG approval, whichever is later [8]
Zoning definition of short-term rentalLess than 30 consecutive days for a fee [9]
Protected Use ADUsShort-term rentals prohibited [10]

License required

Chapter 14, Part G of Rockport's general bylaws (voted at the April 5, 2025 Annual Town Meeting, marked "Added 7/22/2025") allows renting residential premises to "short term paying guests" only with a license. Short-term paying guests are those staying less than seven consecutive nights [1]. Every owner offering such rentals must first get a license from the Select Board; licenses run for the calendar year and expire December 31 [2]. The bylaw takes effect January 1, 2026 or on Attorney General approval, whichever is later [8].

What the application covers

The Select Board's application form asks for the location, number of rooms rented and whether meals are served. By applying you confirm the property meets Board of Health and Fire Department safety requirements and will be open to Health, Fire and Inspectional Services inspections [3]. You must name a local agent who can act when you're away [4] and keep a guest registry. The Select Board sets the license fee each year, with a share going to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund [5], and may adopt regulations [6]. We found no regulations, fee or form posted online.

Enforcement

Violations bring a notice to stop, then daily fines under Chapter 16 of the bylaws, and the Select Board can hold a show-cause hearing and modify, suspend or revoke the license [7].

Two definitions

The zoning bylaw separately defines a short-term rental as occupancy for less than 30 consecutive days for a fee [9], and its ADU section uses the state rental-tax definition (see state rules below). Short-term rentals are banned in a Protected Use ADU, which can't be advertised on rental platforms [10]. So a stay of 7 to 29 nights doesn't need the Select Board license, but still can't happen in an ADU. The April 11, 2026 Town Meeting also voted a six-month minimum lease for Protected Use ADUs [11]; Attorney General approval wasn't verified and it isn't yet in the posted zoning bylaw.

Renting rooms in your home (our reading)

The zoning use table doesn't mention short-term rentals. It does list "the taking of boarders or the leasing of rooms" by the people living on the premises, which needs a Board of Appeals special permit in the SRAA, SR and RA districts and is allowed by right elsewhere [12], and guest houses, which aren't allowed in SRAA, SR and RA [13]. Whether the town applies these lines to short-term rentals is unclear; ask the Building Inspector.

Numbering

The posted Code of By-laws (updated December 16, 2025) uses the old chapter numbers; after the September 2025 renumbering the town may cite this bylaw under a new chapter number.

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

Next steps

  1. Contact the Select Board Office at Town Hall, 34 Broadway, for the short-term rental license application, current fee and any regulations.
  2. Make sure the property meets Board of Health and Fire Department safety rules and be ready for inspections.
  3. Name a local agent (name, address, phone, email) and set up a guest registry.
  4. Renew the license each year before it expires December 31.
  5. Register with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue for the state room occupancy excise (see state rules below).

Common questions

Do I need a permit for a short-term rental in Rockport, Massachusetts?
Yes. Rockport's Short Term Rentals bylaw requires an annual Select Board license to host guests staying less than 7 consecutive nights. Licenses run for the calendar year and expire every December 31. The bylaw takes effect January 1, 2026 or on Attorney General approval, whichever is later.
What is the Rockport, MA short-term rental bylaw?
It's Chapter 14, Part G of the general bylaws, voted at the April 5, 2025 Town Meeting. Applicants confirm Board of Health and Fire Department compliance, allow inspections, name a local agent, and keep a guest registry. The Select Board sets the fee each year; no regulations, fee or form were posted online.
Can I rent my ADU short term in Rockport, Massachusetts?
No. Short-term rentals are banned in a Protected Use ADU, including advertising on rental platforms. The zoning bylaw defines short-term rental more broadly (less than 30 consecutive days), so even a stay of 7 to 29 nights can't happen in an ADU. A six-month ADU minimum lease was also voted in 2026; Attorney General approval wasn't verified.
Can I rent rooms in my home in Rockport, MA?
It depends, and this is our reading. The zoning use table lists the taking of boarders or leasing of rooms by residents as needing a Board of Appeals special permit in the SRAA, SR and RA districts and allowed elsewhere. Whether the town applies this to short-term rentals is unclear, so ask the Building Inspector.
What happens if I rent short term without a license in Rockport, Massachusetts?
Violations bring a notice to stop, then daily fines under Chapter 16 of the bylaws, and the Select Board can hold a show-cause hearing and modify, suspend or revoke the license.

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

  1. Chapter 14, G. Short Term Rentals, Section 1, Town of Rockport Code of By-laws (general bylaws, 'Updated 12/16/2025', amended through FTM September 8, 2025), p. 104
    Short term paying guests are those who are staying in a dwelling unit for less than seven (7) consecutive nights.
  2. Chapter 14, G. Short Term Rentals, Section 2.a, Town of Rockport Code of By-laws (general bylaws, 'Updated 12/16/2025', amended through FTM September 8, 2025), p. 104
    Every owner of residential premises who offers rentals to short term paying guests must first obtain a license to do so from the Select Board. Licenses are valid for a calendar year and must be renewed annually. Application for a license can be made at any time but the license shall expire December 31 of the subject year.
  3. Chapter 14, G. Short Term Rentals, Section 2.b.i, Town of Rockport Code of By-laws (general bylaws, 'Updated 12/16/2025', amended through FTM September 8, 2025), p. 104
    i. The property complies with applicable Board of Health regulations and Fire Department safety measures and that the property shall be made available for inspections by the Health, Fire, and Inspectional Services departments at intervals determined by the Select Board through regulations.
  4. Chapter 14, G. Short Term Rentals, Section 2.b.ii, Town of Rockport Code of By-laws (general bylaws, 'Updated 12/16/2025', amended through FTM September 8, 2025), p. 104
    A name, address, functioning phone number, and email address shall be required.
  5. Chapter 14, G. Short Term Rentals, Section 2.c, Town of Rockport Code of By-laws (general bylaws, 'Updated 12/16/2025', amended through FTM September 8, 2025), p. 104
    c. Application Fee: The Select Board shall annually determine the license fee. Further, once the fee is determined, the Select Board shall determine which percentage of the license fee shall be deposited into the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
  6. Chapter 14, G. Short Term Rentals, Section 2.e, Town of Rockport Code of By-laws (general bylaws, 'Updated 12/16/2025', amended through FTM September 8, 2025), p. 104
    e. Regulations. Owners shall be required to adhere to regulations for the short-term rental of homes that the Select Board shall promulgate from time to time.
  7. Chapter 14, G. Short Term Rentals, Section 3.f, Town of Rockport Code of By-laws (general bylaws, 'Updated 12/16/2025', amended through FTM September 8, 2025), p. 105
    f. Remedies. The Select Board may, after hearing, mandate licensure, or modify, revoke or suspend a license issued hereunder.
  8. Chapter 14, G. Short Term Rentals (effective date), Town of Rockport Code of By-laws (general bylaws, 'Updated 12/16/2025', amended through FTM September 8, 2025), p. 105
    This bylaw shall go into effect January 1, 2026 or upon approval of the by-law by the Attorney General’s Office, whichever is later.
  9. Section II Definitions, SHORT-TERM RENTAL, Town of Rockport Zoning By-Law (2025 edition, 'Updated: December 16, 2025'; linked as 'Updated 12-4-2025'), p. 14
    SHORT-TERM RENTAL: Use of a dwelling unit for residential occupancy for a period of less than thirty (30) consecutive calendar days for a fee.
  10. Section V.C.2(2)(i)1, Town of Rockport Zoning By-Law (2025 edition, 'Updated: December 16, 2025'; linked as 'Updated 12-4-2025'), p. 29
    1. Short-term rentals are prohibited in Protected Use ADUs and may not be advertised or promoted on any internet platforms typically associated with short term rentals;
  11. April 11, 2026 ATM Warrant, Article M (amending Section 400-16(i)[1]), Annual Town Meeting Warrant, April 11, 2026 (True Copy) - Art. M amending Zoning §400-16 Protected Use ADUs, p. 9
    The minimum length of a lease for a Protected Use ADU shall be six months.
  12. Section V.B Table of Permitted Uses, IV. Retail Business and Consumer Service Uses, line C, Town of Rockport Zoning By-Law (2025 edition, 'Updated: December 16, 2025'; linked as 'Updated 12-4-2025'), p. 23
    C. The taking of boarders or the leasing of rooms by SP SP Y Y Y Y the person or persons residing on the premises, provided that there is no sign or display to advertise such use.
  13. Section V.B Table of Permitted Uses, IV. Retail Business and Consumer Service Uses, line D, Town of Rockport Zoning By-Law (2025 edition, 'Updated: December 16, 2025'; linked as 'Updated 12-4-2025'), p. 23
    D. Guest houses, provided that there is no sign or N N Y Y Y Y display to advertise such use, except that one sign of not more than three square feet may be used.
This page summarizes Rockport'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 Inspectional Services Department (Inspector of Buildings Paul Orlando, also zoning enforcement), Town Hall, 34 Broadway (office at 26 Broadway), Rockport MA 01966 (978-546-9218) before you build. Spot an error?