Occupancy Limits: East Providence vs Pawtucket

How many guests can stay in an East Providence short-term rental?

East Providence has not adopted a per-bedroom occupancy formula in Chapter 19. The enforceable cap is the maximum occupancy declared on the Section 19-103 Temporary Use Permit application, subject to the Sec. 19-1 household definition limiting unrelated occupants to four and the Rhode Island State Building Code sleeping-room standards.

Do I need to live in my East Providence Airbnb full time?

Yes. The May 2020 amendment to Section 19-103 requires owner-occupancy for any rental of less than 28 days. The owner must live in the property full time and obtain an annual Temporary Use Permit that automatically expires January 1 each year.

How many guests can stay in a Pawtucket short-term rental?

Pawtucket's Code of Ordinances does not set a per-bedroom STR occupancy formula. The practical cap is the room count and intended use (entire space, private room, or shared space) you declare on the Rhode Island DBR Short-Term Rental registration under R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-63.1-14, subject to the minimum sleeping-room sizes and egress requirements in the Rhode Island State Building Code (SBC-1) and Housing Maintenance and Occupancy Code (R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 45-24.3).

Do I need to register a Pawtucket Airbnb with anyone?

Yes. Even though Pawtucket does not have a local STR licensing ordinance, R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-63.1-14 requires every property listed for 30 nights or fewer on a third-party platform like Airbnb or Vrbo to be registered with the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation. The fee is $25 per calendar year, and operators that fail to register face $250 to $1,000 in escalating civil fines.