Several Middlesex County cities require rental unit registration and inspection. Cambridge, Somerville, Everett, Malden, and Lowell operate active rental inspection programs.
While Massachusetts has no statewide rental registration requirement, many Middlesex County cities have adopted local ordinances to track rental housing and enforce the State Sanitary Code 105 CMR 410. Cambridge Rental Housing Registration under Municipal Code Chapter 8.68 requires owners of rental units to register annually with Inspectional Services and pay a per-unit fee. Somerville has a similar rental registration and inspection program. Everett, Malden, and Lowell require inspection at each change of tenancy with certificates of fitness issued before re-rental. Annual fees range from 25 to 100 dollars per unit. Short-term rentals under 31 days are separately regulated under the Massachusetts Room Occupancy Tax (MGL c.64G) requiring state registration with DOR. Failure to register can result in fines starting at 100 dollars and barring the use of summary process eviction until registration is complete.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
Middlesex County, MA
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See how Middlesex County's rental registration rules stack up against other locations.
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