Springfield, MA Short-Term Rentals: Noise Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- 3+ noise violations in 6 months
- Consequence
- unit ineligible for 6 months
- Disclosure
- must post noise ordinance in-unit
- Enforced by
- Code Enforcement Department
Summary
Springfield short-term rental operators must post the city's noise ordinance inside every unit, and a property with three or more excessive-noise violations in six months becomes ineligible to operate as a short-term rental for that period.
Residential units that are the subject of three or more findings of violations of this section within a six-month period, or three or more violations of any municipal ordinance or state law or code relating to excessive noise, improper disposal of trash, disorderly conduct, or other similar conduct within a six-month period;
B. The following residential units are not subject to certain provisions of this chapter:
(1) Currently licensed lodging houses.
(2) Existing bed-and-breakfasts.
(3) Residential units contracted for hospital stays (i.e., where the use of a dwelling unit or portion thereof is under an existing contract between the owner of the dwelling unit and a health-care facility or government entity or nonprofit organization registered as a charitable organization with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or classified by the Internal Revenue Service as a public charity or private foundation that provides for the temporary housing in such unit of individuals who are being treated for trauma, injury, or disease, or their family members) shall not be considered a short-term rental.
§ 238-5. Requirements for the operation of short-term rentals.
A. Residential units offered as a short-term rental shall either be home share units, limited share units, or owner-adjacent units, as defined within this chapter.
B.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4680006; v21 updated 2025-12-15; through 12-15-2025).
Full Breakdown
Under Springfield City Code § 238-4A(4), a residential unit is disqualified from short-term rental use if it racks up three or more violations of any municipal ordinance, state law, or code relating to excessive noise within a six-month period, the same trigger applies to trash-disposal and disorderly-conduct violations. Separately, § 238-5L(3) requires every operator to post an in-unit sign disclosing the City's local noise ordinances alongside parking, trash, and emergency-contact information. The rules apply citywide in Hampden County, Massachusetts, and are enforced by the Code Enforcement Department and Building Commissioner, Hampden County government was abolished in 1998, so no county office is involved.
Violations & Fines
Three or more noise violations within six months makes the unit ineligible for short-term rental use for six months from the latest violation; failing to post the required noise-ordinance notice is a separate compliance violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Springfield ban my short-term rental for noise complaints?
Do short-term rental hosts have to tell guests about noise rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Springfield
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