New Britain, CT Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)

New Britain's short-term rental rules require every zoning permit application to establish a responsible local contact under Section 270-40-40.300.10.40 of the Zoning Ordinance, adopted December 18, 2024 (Item #36551-3). The applicant must supply one of two things: the name of the property owner if that owner actually resides on the premises, or, where the owner does not live there, the name and contact information of a property manager who must live or work within ten miles of the site, along with the property owner's express written consent authorizing that manager to act for the short-term rental.

This dual-track requirement means an absentee owner cannot simply list a rental without designating someone who can respond locally. The host-presence rule works together with the rest of Section 270-40-40.300: a change in the named owner or property manager counts as a significant change under Section 270-40-40.300.10.30, which forces a new special exception hearing before the Zoning Board of Appeals rather than a routine annual renewal. The ordinance also forecloses one obvious workaround, barring accessory dwelling units from being used as short-term rentals under Section 270-40-40.300.60, and it separates short-term rentals from bed and breakfasts, rooming houses, hotels and motels under Section 270-40-40.300.50, so a property cannot operate as both categories at once. Short-term rentals are limited to lodging uses only; Section 270-40-40.300.70 bars parties, receptions, weddings, filming, corporate retreats and fundraisers on the premises.