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

Yarmouth, Barnstable County · Bylaws checked 2026-10-15 · Reviewed · 13 cited sections

Allowed with a permit

Yes, for now: Yarmouth's zoning bylaw (Section 418) allows short-term rentals by right in the residential district if you register the rental each year with the Health Department, pass inspection, provide at least one parking space per bedroom and rent for at least 2 nights. But Section 418 expires at 11:59 PM on November 30, 2026, and the November 16, 2026 Special Town Meeting will vote on a new STR bylaw (Chapter 110) that would limit owners to one STR, so check the outcome before taking bookings for dates after November 30, 2026.

Allowed in residential districtYes, by right if Section 418 criteria are met [1]
What counts as an STRRentals of 1-31 consecutive days [2]
Not eligibleIncome-restricted units, accessory apartments, properties with outstanding code violations [3]
RegistrationAnnual registration with the Health Department under General Bylaw Ch. 108 [4]
ParkingMinimum 1 on-site space per bedroom; no lawn or overnight street parking [5]
Minimum stay2 consecutive nights [6]
EventsNo weddings, corporate events, reunions, photo shoots, tents or amplified music [7]
Current rules expire11:59 PM, November 30, 2026 (unless Town Meeting acts) [8]
Proposed (not yet adopted)One STR per owner under new General Bylaw Ch. 110 [9]
Proposed fines (not yet adopted)$300 per offense after a warning; civil penalty up to $5,000 [11]

Current rules (Zoning Bylaw Section 418)

Short-term rentals are allowed by right in the zoning districts marked "yes" in the Use Table, including the residential (Res. and RS-40) districts, if they meet Section 418 [1]. An STR is any rental of a room or unit for 1-31 consecutive days, booked in advance [2]. Income-restricted dwellings, accessory apartments, and dwellings with outstanding code violations cannot be STRs [3].

Every STR must be registered each year with the Health Department under General Bylaw Chapter 108, which sets occupancy limits based on inspection; the rental certificate must be posted with a 24-hour local contact [4]. The Health Department's rental page says all rentals must be registered yearly [10]; we did not find the fee amount in the sources we reviewed. You must provide at least one on-site parking space per bedroom, with no lawn or overnight street parking [5], and stays must be at least 2 nights [6]. Large events, tents, amplified music, and RVs or campers are prohibited [7]. Trash must be removed after each stay and at least weekly.

The current rules expire November 30, 2026

Section 418 has a sunset clause: it expires at 11:59 PM on November 30, 2026 [8]. The town says the November 16, 2026 Special Town Meeting will vote on these proposals (none adopted yet):

  • New General Bylaw Chapter 110 replacing Section 418. As drafted, an owner could register only one STR in Yarmouth (owners with multiple 2025 or 2026 certificates would be grandfathered until sale) [9]. It would also bar STRs in ADUs and in houses on lots with an ADU [12], require listings to show the town certificate number, state DOR certificate ID, parking and occupancy limits, and allow fines of $300 per offense after a warning and civil penalties up to $5,000 [11].
  • A zoning article (STR Article 2) extending the sunset until Chapter 110 is approved by the Attorney General and posted; it would also switch the MU and MOD districts to "no" for STRs. A fallback article (STR Article 3) would instead extend the current Section 418 to 11:59 PM, December 31, 2029 if Chapter 110 fails [13].

If no article passes, the Section 418 allowance lapses after November 30, 2026. Check with the Planning or Health Department after the vote.

State rules also apply

You must also register with the Massachusetts DOR and handle the room occupancy excise (see the state section).

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

Next steps

  1. Register the rental each year with the Yarmouth Health Department (online or with the 2026 paper application) and schedule the inspection; questions: 508-398-2231 ext. 1241.
  2. Confirm your property is eligible (not an accessory apartment or income-restricted unit, no open code violations) and that you have one on-site parking space per bedroom.
  3. Post the rental certificate with a 24-hour local contact in a prominent spot, and set a 2-night minimum on your listings.
  4. After the November 16, 2026 Special Town Meeting, check whether Chapter 110 or a sunset extension passed before taking bookings past November 30, 2026.

Common questions

Are short-term rentals allowed in Yarmouth, Massachusetts?
Yes, for now. Zoning Bylaw Section 418 allows short-term rentals by right in the residential districts if you register each year with the Health Department, pass inspection, provide one on-site parking space per bedroom and rent for at least 2 nights. But Section 418 expires at 11:59 PM on November 30, 2026, and replacement rules go to the November 16, 2026 Special Town Meeting.
What is the short term rental bylaw in Yarmouth, Massachusetts after November 30, 2026?
It depends on the November 16, 2026 Special Town Meeting. Proposals, none adopted yet, include a new General Bylaw Chapter 110 limiting owners to one STR, an article extending the sunset until Chapter 110 is approved by the Attorney General, and a fallback extending Section 418 to December 31, 2029. If no article passes, the current allowance lapses after November 30, 2026.
Do I need to register my short-term rental in Yarmouth, Massachusetts?
Yes. Every STR must be registered each year with the Health Department under General Bylaw Chapter 108, which sets occupancy limits based on inspection, and the rental certificate must be posted with a 24-hour local contact. You must also register with the Massachusetts DOR. We did not find the registration fee in the sources reviewed.
Can I Airbnb an accessory apartment in Yarmouth, Massachusetts?
No. Under current Section 418, accessory apartments, income-restricted units and properties with outstanding code violations cannot be short-term rentals. The proposed Chapter 110, which goes to the November 16, 2026 Special Town Meeting and is not yet adopted, would also bar STRs in houses on lots with an ADU.

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

  1. §202.5 Use Table, Note 54, Town of Yarmouth Zoning Bylaw (amended through April 28, 2026), p. 33
    Short-Term Rentals may be allowed by-right if they meet the criteria outlined in Section 418.
  2. §418.2 Definitions, Town of Yarmouth Zoning Bylaw (amended through April 28, 2026), p. 161
    SHORT-TERM RENTALS (STR) - defined as owner-occupied, tenant-occupied or non-owner occupied property including, but not limited to, an apartment, house, cottage, condominium or a furnished accommodation that is not a hotel, motel, boarding or lodging house, or guesthouse, inn or bed and breakfast establishment, where at least one room or unit is rented to an occupant or occupants for 1-31 consecutive days at a time; and all accommodations are reserved in advance.
  3. §418.3 Ineligible Units, Short-Term Rental Zoning Bylaw excerpt (Use Table A13 + Section 418; effective 4/30/24, note sunset clause), p. 1
    418.3 Ineligible Units: The following are not eligible to be rented as STRs. 1. Dwellings designated as income restricted or are subject to affordability covenants. 2. Accessory apartments. 3. Dwellings subject to any outstanding building, sanitary, zoning or fire code violations.
  4. §418.4(1) Registration & Inspections, Town of Yarmouth Zoning Bylaw (amended through April 28, 2026), p. 162
    All short-term rentals shall be registered annually through the Yarmouth Health Department in accordance with General Bylaw Chapter 108 – Occupancy of Buildings, and shall adhere to all their health and safety requirements, including occupancy limitations based on inspections.
  5. §418.5(2) Parking, Town of Yarmouth Zoning Bylaw (amended through April 28, 2026), p. 162
    Parking: Adequate on-site parking shall be provided, with a minimum of one space/bedroom. There shall be no parking on lawns, no overnight street parking, and no street parking that impedes traffic or traffic safety at any time.
  6. §418.5(3) Duration, Town of Yarmouth Zoning Bylaw (amended through April 28, 2026), p. 162
    Duration: Renting for less than two (2) consecutive nights is prohibited.
  7. §418.5(4) Type of Rentals, Town of Yarmouth Zoning Bylaw (amended through April 28, 2026), p. 162
    STRs are for Residential uses only. No large scale events including but not limited to weddings, corporate events, class/family reunions, and photo shoots. b. No events that include tents or amplified music.
  8. §418.6 Sunset Clause, Town of Yarmouth Zoning Bylaw (amended through April 28, 2026), p. 162
    418.6 Sunset Clause: Section 418 – allowing Short Term Rentals, along with corresponding provisions of A13 of Section 202.5 – Use Regulation Table, shall expire, and its terms shall no longer remain in effect as of 11:59 PM, November 30, 2026.
  9. Proposed General Bylaw §110-5(1)(a) (STR Article 1, Draft #3), Zoning Amendments and General Bylaw for November 16, 2026 Special Town Meeting (STR General Bylaw Ch. 110, STR zoning/sunset articles, ADU article) - Planning Board articles and summary, p. 4
    No Owner shall register more than one (1) dwelling unit as a Short-Term Rental in the Town of Yarmouth.
  10. Rental Registration Program, Health Department - Rental Housing Program (annual rental registration, inspections, Rental Occupancy Certificate), p. 1
    All rentals must be registered yearly with the Yarmouth Health Department per local town bylaw, Chapter 108 Occupancy of Buildings.
  11. Proposed General Bylaw §110-8(2)-(3) (STR Article 1, Draft #3), Zoning Amendments and General Bylaw for November 16, 2026 Special Town Meeting (STR General Bylaw Ch. 110, STR zoning/sunset articles, ADU article) - Planning Board articles and summary, p. 6
    If not promptly resolved after the warning, they may be fined three hundred dollars ($300.00) for each offense. Each day that such violation continues shall constitute a separate offense. 3. Civil Penalty: In accordance with MGL CH 64G, §14(v), the Town may assess a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000, or as determined by the Select Board, for any violation of this bylaw.
  12. Proposed General Bylaw §110-3(2)-(3) (STR Article 1, Draft #3), Zoning Amendments and General Bylaw for November 16, 2026 Special Town Meeting (STR General Bylaw Ch. 110, STR zoning/sunset articles, ADU article) - Planning Board articles and summary, p. 4
    2. Approved Accessory Apartments, Accessory Dwelling Units, and Protected Use Accessory Dwelling Units, as defined in, and approved under, the Zoning Bylaw. 3. Dwelling units on a property containing an Accessory Apartment, Accessory Dwelling Unit or Protected Use Accessory Dwelling Unit.
  13. Proposed Zoning §418.6 (STR Article 3, Draft #2), Zoning Amendments and General Bylaw for November 16, 2026 Special Town Meeting (STR General Bylaw Ch. 110, STR zoning/sunset articles, ADU article) - Planning Board articles and summary, p. 9
    418.6 Sunset Clause: Section 418 – allowing Short Term Rentals, along with corresponding provisions of A13 of Section 202.5 – Use Regulation Table, shall expire, and its terms shall no longer remain in effect as of 11:59 PM, December 31, 2029.
This page summarizes Yarmouth's posted bylaws as of 2026-10-15. Bylaws are amended, and individual lots can have overlays, subdivision covenants, or HOA rules that are stricter. Confirm with Building Department (Inspectional Services) (508-398-2231 ext. 1261) before you build. Spot an error?