Portland, ME Short-Term Rentals: Night Caps (2026)
Key Facts
- 2025 mainland cap
- 400 non-owner-occupied units citywide
- 2026-onward cap
- 1.5% of prior year's long-term registrations
- Peaks Island cap
- 40 non-owner-occupied units per year
- Tenant-occupied freeze
- No new tenant-occupied STRs after Jan. 1, 2026
- Allocation method
- First-come, first-registered, with a waitlist
Summary
Portland limits, not nightly stays, but the number of non-owner-occupied short-term rentals it will register. Sec. 6-153(b) capped mainland units at 400 in 2025 and now allows only 1.5% of prior-year long-term registrations annually, while Sec. 6-153(c) caps Peaks Island at 40 non-owner-occupied units.
For calendar year 2025, no more than 400 non-owner occupied mainland short term rental units shall be registered. Beginning in calendar year 2026 and for each year thereafter, non-owner occupied mainland short term rental units shall be limited to no more than 1.5% of the total number of registered long-term rental units in the prior year. This limit shall be set annually on September 1 beginning in 2025. ... Beginning in 2026 no more than forty (40) non-owner occupied Peaks Island short term rentals will be allowed in any calendar year.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 6-153(b) sets the mainland limit: "For calendar year 2025, no more than 400 non-owner occupied mainland short term rental units shall be registered. 5% of the total number of registered long-term rental units in the prior year," reset every September 1 starting in 2025. 5% cap, and new accessory dwelling units registered as non-owner-occupied short-term rentals within five years of their certificate of occupancy are excluded from the cap. Sec. 6-153(c) sets a separate Peaks Island limit of no more than 40 non-owner-occupied short-term rentals per year beginning in 2026, with no limit on seasonal or owner-occupied Peaks Island units, only one short-term unit allowed per single-family home or multi-unit property there, and none allowed in buildings with three or more units.
Sec. 6-153(d) freezes new tenant-occupied short-term rentals citywide starting January 1, 2026 - only tenants already validly registered as of December 31, 2025 may keep renewing. Sec. 6-154 allocates capped mainland units first-come, first-registered, with a waitlist once the cap is reached.
Violations & Fines
Registering a non-owner-occupied unit beyond the Sec. 6-153(b) or (c) cap, or a new tenant-occupied unit after the Sec. 6-153(d) freeze, means the application cannot be accepted as registered under Article VI, and renting an unregistered unit is a violation under Sec. 6-155(e), subject to the Sec. 6-1(a)(3) per-day penalties of $100 to $2,500.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a cap on short-term rentals in Portland, Maine?
How many short-term rentals are allowed on Peaks Island?
Can I register a new tenant-occupied short-term rental in Portland?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Portland
Compare Portland to another location·View the Maine short-term rentals overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.