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Norfolk County, MA Short-Term Rentals: Insurance Requirements (2026)

Heavy Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified April 2026

Key Facts

State Mandate
$1M minimum (MGL c. 64G §68)
Platform Coverage
Airbnb/Vrbo $1M satisfies
Direct Bookings
Separate policy needed
Homeowner Policy
HO-3 excludes STR
Proof
Required at registration

Summary

Massachusetts requires $1M liability insurance for all short-term rentals statewide under MGL c. 64G §68. Hosts in Norfolk County must carry this coverage regardless of town.

City-specific rules exist: Brookline, and Weymouth have their own insurance requirements rules that differ from Norfolk County's county-level regulations. If you live in one of those cities, check the city-specific page instead.

Section 14. A city or town, by ordinance or by-law, may regulate operators registered pursuant to section 67 of chapter 62C and impose penalties for the violation of such an ordinance or by-law. A city or town, by ordinance or by-law, may: (i) regulate the existence or location of operators under this section within the city or town, including regulating the class of operators and number of local licenses or permits issued to operators under this section and the number of days a person may operate and rent out an accommodation in a calendar year; (ii) require the licensing or registration of operators within the city or town [...]; (iii) require operators to demonstrate that any properties or premises controlled, occupied, operated, managed or used as accommodations subject to the excise under this chapter are not subject to any outstanding building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire, health, housing or zoning code enforcement [...]; (iv) require properties or premises controlled, occupied, operated, managed or used by operators as an accommodation subject to the excise under this chapter to undergo health and safety inspections [...]. Notwithstanding any ordinance or by-law adopted by a city or town pursuant to this section, an operator of a short-term rental shall post inside the short-term rental unit information regarding the location of any fire extinguishers, gas shut off valves, fire exits and fire alarms in the unit and building.

Source: MGL c. 64G, §14View official code

Full Breakdown

MGL c. 64G §68 (added by the 2018 STR Act) mandates that every STR operator in Massachusetts maintain liability insurance of not less than $1,000,000 covering each stay, unless the hosting platform provides equal-or-greater coverage. Airbnb Host Liability Insurance ($1M) and Vrbo Liability Insurance generally satisfy this for stays booked on those platforms; direct bookings or off-platform stays require a separate commercial STR policy. Standard homeowner policies (HO-3) exclude transient commercial lodging. Quincy's STR ordinance (Ch. 11.60) and Brookline Art. 5.10 both require proof of insurance at registration. Weymouth STR hosts must comply with state insurance mandate. Certificate of insurance must be on file with the town and the MA DOR STR Registry.

Violations & Fines

Operating without required insurance: state-level denial of DOR registry, local permit revocation. Civil liability uncovered for guest injury claims, can exceed property value.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are typical penalties for violating insurance requirements rules?
Most Norfolk County short term-rentals violations start with a written warning followed by escalating civil fines for repeat offenses. Specific dollar amounts and any criminal-misdemeanor exposure depend on the section of code; consult Norfolk County's municipal code or staff for the current penalty schedule.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Norfolk County

All Norfolk County rules

Compare Norfolk County to another location·View the Massachusetts short-term rentals overview

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