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Boston, MA Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)

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

Key Facts

Max occupancy
3 bedrooms or 6 guests, whichever less
Bedrooms reserved for operator
1 bedroom minimum
Annual registration fee
$25 (limited share unit)
Max rental days/year
365 days, if presence maintained
Enforcing agency
Inspectional Services Department (ISD)

Summary

Boston's short-term rental ordinance defines a Limited Share Unit as the operator's primary residence rented out only while the operator is physically present. Occupancy caps at three bedrooms or six guests, whichever is fewer, and one bedroom must stay reserved for the operator at all times.

LIMITED SHARE UNIT. A residential unit that is the operator's primary residence, a portion of which is offered as a short-term rental while the operator is present. Occupancy shall be limited to three bedrooms or six guests in a LIMITED SHARE UNIT, whichever is less. One bedroom must be reserved for the operator. ... (B) Short-term rental of a limited share unit. An operator may offer his or her limited share unit as a short-term rental for 365 days per year.

Source: City of Boston ISDView 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

' That presence requirement is what separates it from a HOME SHARE UNIT (whole primary residence, no presence requirement, up to five bedrooms or ten guests) and an OWNER-ADJACENT UNIT (a separate unit in the same two- or three-family building, also no presence requirement). 5(B) lets an operator offer a limited share unit for up to 365 days a year, but only if the operator keeps meeting the presence and one-bedroom-reserved conditions. 6(B)(1). 5(I)), and if the unit later fails to meet the presence or bedroom-reservation terms, it no longer qualifies as a limited share unit and must instead meet the stricter eligibility rules for the other unit types or be pulled from the Short-Term Rental Registry.

Violations & Fines

Offering a unit as a short-term rental without valid registration draws a $100-per-day fine under § 9-14.9(B), with each day of noncompliance a separate violation. Listing a unit that is ineligible, including one falsely claimed as a Limited Share Unit without a present operator, carries a $300-per-day fine under § 9-14.9(A) and can draw an injunction from ISD.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the host have to be home during a Boston Limited Share rental?
Yes. Boston's ordinance defines a Limited Share Unit as one where the operator's primary residence is partly rented out 'while the operator is present,' per § 9-14.2. If the operator is absent, the unit no longer qualifies for this registration category.
How many guests can a Boston Limited Share Unit host?
Occupancy is capped at three bedrooms or six guests, whichever is fewer, and one bedroom in the unit must be reserved exclusively for the operator at all times under § 9-14.2.
What does it cost to register a Limited Share Unit in Boston?
The annual registration fee is $25, set by § 9-14.6(B)(1), valid January 1 through December 31 and tied to both the specific unit and the registered operator.
Can a Limited Share Unit be rented all year in Boston?
Yes, up to 365 days per year under § 9-14.5(B), but only as long as the unit continues meeting the operator-present and one-bedroom-reserved conditions that define the category.

Sources & Official References

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