Does Boston, MA have its own extended home share ordinance?

No. Boston, MA does not appear to have a local extended home share ordinance, Massachusetts state law applies instead. The rules summarized on this page come from MA General Laws.

Key Facts Ordinance Text Full Breakdown Violations FAQ Sources More in Boston

Boston, MA Short-Term Rentals: Extended Home Share (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Home share max days/year: 365 days
Owner-adjacent max days/year: 365 consecutive days
Owner-adjacent building types: 2- or 3-family dwellings only
Owner-adjacent units per operator: 1, plus the primary unit
Annual fee (each category): $200

Summary

Boston lets two categories of short-term rental run with no day-count ceiling: the operator's own primary-residence Home Share Unit, and a second Owner-Adjacent Unit in the same two- or three-family building. Both can be listed up to 365 days a year once registered with ISD under § 9-14.5(C)-(D).

OWNER-ADJACENT UNIT. A residential unit offered as a short-term rental that is not the owner's primary residence but that is located within the same dwelling as the primary residence of, and is owned by, said owner; provided that, OWNER-ADJACENT UNITS used as short-term rentals shall only be allowed in two-family or three-family dwellings where all units are owned by the same unique owner-occupant who serves as the operator ... (C) Short-term rental of a home share unit. An operator may offer his or her home share unit as a short-term rental for up 365 days per year. (D) Short-term rental of an owner-adjacent unit. An operator may offer his or her owner-adjacent unit as a short-term rental for 365 consecutive days per year.

Source: MA General LawsView official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-2: Current through Ordinance 2025 C. 14, passed 11-5-2025).

Full Breakdown

2 defines an OWNER-ADJACENT UNIT as 'a residential unit offered as a short-term rental that is not the owner's primary residence but that is located within the same dwelling as the primary residence of, and is owned by, said owner,' restricted to two-family or three-family dwellings where every unit is owned by the same owner-occupant who serves as the operator. An operator of an owner-adjacent unit may register only one such unit in addition to the primary-residence unit they use as a home share or limited share unit. 4A(C)-(D).

Violations & Fines

A unit loses eligibility for 365-day home share or owner-adjacent status if it accrues three violation findings within six months (§ 9-14.4A(D)) or is designated a problem property (§ 9-14.4A(C)). Renting an ineligible unit draws a $300-per-day fine, and renting an unregistered unit draws $100 per day, both under § 9-14.9.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a day limit on renting my Boston primary residence as a short-term rental?

No fixed cap short of the full year, § 9-14.5(C) allows a Home Share Unit, the operator's own primary residence, to be offered for up to 365 days per year once registered with ISD.

Can I rent a second unit in my Boston building as a short-term rental?

Only if it's an Owner-Adjacent Unit: the building must be two- or three-family, you must own and occupy every unit, and you may register just one additional unit beyond your own primary residence, per § 9-14.2 and § 9-14.5(D).

What does an owner-adjacent short-term rental registration cost in Boston?

The annual fee is $200 under § 9-14.6(B)(3), the same rate charged for a Home Share Unit under § 9-14.6(B)(2), separate from the $25 fee for a Limited Share Unit.

Can my Boston home-share listing lose its 365-day eligibility?

Yes. A unit tied to three violation findings within six months, or designated a problem property, becomes ineligible for any short-term rental use under § 9-14.4A, regardless of category.

Sources & Official References

[1]Boston Code of Ordinances § 9-14.2, 9-14.5(C)-(D), 9-14.6 (amlegal)

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Extended Home Share in Nearby Cities

How other cities in this county handle extended home share.

Revere, MA

Few Restrictions