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Short-Term Rentals in Medford, MA (2026)

9 verified short-term rentals rules for Medford, Massachusetts, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.

Verified from official government sources

Short-Term Rental Permits

No Medford residential unit may operate as a short-term rental without registering with the building department first. Section 94-8.4.13 requires an owner or primary-resident tenant to certify permission and list the unit in the city's registry.

Medford Short-Term Rental Registration Requirement

Significant Restrictions

Medford Revised Ordinances § 94-8.4.13

94-8.4.13 Registration Process. An operator who wishes to offer his or her residential unit as a short term rental shall register with the building department, online or in a paper form prescribed by the building department, to be listed on a database maintained by the city that includes information on operators who are permitted to offer their residential units as short term rentals. 1.Permiss...
Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Short-Term Rental Parking Rules

Medford does not set special off-street parking spaces for short-term rentals, but every operator must post in-unit signage on city parking rules, including visitor passes, street sweeping, and snow emergencies, under § 94-8.4.10.

Medford STR Guest Parking Disclosure Rule

Light Restrictions

Medford Revised Ordinances §§ 94-8.4.10-94-8.4.11

94-8.4.10 Notifications. The operator shall post and maintain a sign on the inside of the short term rental on the entry level, visible to and reasonably likely to be readily accessed by individuals utilizing the short term rental, with the following information: 1.Instructions for the disposal of waste per the city's recycling and trash programs.2.Information regarding the city's parking regul...
Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Occupancy Limits

Medford caps short-term rentals at six guests, or two guests per bedroom, whichever is fewer, under Section 94-8.4.4(3). Each unit can only be booked to one party at a time under the same section, and every operator must comply with standards set by the building commissioner.

Medford Short-Term Rental Guest Limit

Some Restrictions

Medford Revised Ordinances § 94-8.4.4(3)

94-8.4.4 Requirements for the Operation of Short Term Rentals. A residential unit offered as a short term rental shall comply with all standards and regulations promulgated by the commissioner. The following additional requirements shall apply to all short term rentals: ... 3.Number of short term renters. A residential unit offered as a short term rental shall be limited to six guests, or two g...
Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Night Caps

The City of Medford caps whole-unit short-term rentals at 90 days a year when the operator is not living in the unit. Renting spare bedrooms in an owner-occupied home carries no day limit, but one bedroom must stay reserved for the operator the entire term.

Medford Short-Term Rental Night Caps

Some Restrictions

Medford Revised Ordinances § 94-8.4.5

94-8.4.5 Rental Availability. 1.Short term rental of a shared residential unit. An operator may offer bedrooms within their residential unit as a short term rental 365 days per year. One bedroom in the unit shall be reserved for, and occupied by, the operator during the entire term of the rental.2.Short term rental of an unoccupied residential unit. Short term rentals shall not exceed, in the a...
Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Host Presence Rule

When a Medford resident rents out spare bedrooms as a short-term rental, Section 94-8.4.5(1) requires one bedroom in the unit be reserved for and occupied by the operator for the entire stay, keeping a host on site.

Medford Short-Term Rentals Require Host Presence

Some Restrictions

Medford Revised Ordinances § 94-8.4.5(1)

94-8.4.5 Rental Availability. 1.Short term rental of a shared residential unit. ... One bedroom in the unit shall be reserved for, and occupied by, the operator during the entire term of the rental.
Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Primary-Residence-Only Rule

A Medford short-term rental has to be the operator's primary residence under Section 94-8.4.4(1). If the operator is absent for the whole stay, Section 94-8.4.5(2) caps that unoccupied rental at 90 days a year, consecutive or not.

Medford Short-Term Rentals Must Be Primary Residence

Some Restrictions

Medford Revised Ordinances § 94-8.4.4(1); § 94-8.4.5(2)

1.Operator's primary residence. A residential unit offered as a short term rental shall be the operator's primary residence. ... 94-8.4.5 Rental Availability. ... 2.Short term rental of an unoccupied residential unit. Short term rentals shall not exceed, in the aggregate, 90 consecutive or nonconsecutive calendar days per year, when the operator is not occupying the residential unit during the ...
Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Extended Home Share

Medford lets residents rent out spare bedrooms in their own home as a short-term rental 365 days a year under Section 94-8.4.5(1), so long as the operator keeps one bedroom reserved and occupied throughout each stay.

Medford Shared-Room Short-Term Rentals Year-Round

Light Restrictions

Medford Revised Ordinances § 94-8.4.5(1)

94-8.4.5 Rental Availability. 1.Short term rental of a shared residential unit. An operator may offer bedrooms within their residential unit as a short term rental 365 days per year.
Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Repeat Violator Strikes

Medford disqualifies a short-term rental property for six months after its third code or ordinance violation in six months. Any single outstanding violation also immediately halts rental use under § 94-8.4.7 until it is resolved.

Medford STR Three-Strikes Suspension Rule

Significant Restrictions

Medford Revised Ordinances § 94-8.4.7

94-8.4.7 No Outstanding Violations. The residential unit offered as a short term rental shall not have any outstanding building, sanitary, zoning, or fire code violations, orders of abatement, or stop work orders, unpaid taxes, water/sewer or tax liens, any other judgements or penalties imposed by the city that remain unresolved, or other requirements, laws, or regulations that prohibit the ope...
Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Host Platform Liability

Booking agents listing Medford short-term rentals must file a quarterly report on every listing and are barred from collecting a booking fee for a unit the city has flagged as violating the ordinance, under §§ 94-8.4.12 and 94-8.4.14.

Medford Booking Agent Reporting and Liability

Some Restrictions

Medford Revised Ordinances §§ 94-8.4.12, 94-8.4.14

94-8.4.12 Booking Agent Report. All booking agents with any listings in the city shall provide to the city on a quarterly basis an electronic report, in a format to be determined by the city. The report shall include a breakdown of where the listings are located, whether the listing is for a room or a whole unit, the number of nights each unit was reported as occupied during the applicable repo...
Full ordinance details →Official source ↗