Cambridge, MA Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Operator-occupied cap
- 1 dwelling unit per operator
- Bedroom cap
- 3 individual bedrooms per unit
- Owner-adjacent cap
- 1 additional unit per operator
- Minimum stay
- 10 consecutive hours
- Bedroom ceiling
- Capped at lawful bedroom count
Summary
Cambridge caps each short-term rental operator at one operator-occupied unit, with no more than three individual bedrooms rented out, plus at most one separate owner-adjacent unit citywide.
A short-term rental operator may make available no more than one (1) dwelling unit for operator-occupied short-term rentals, which may include the separate short-term rental of no more than three (3) individual bedrooms, and one (1) dwelling unit for owner-adjacent short-term rentals.
Full Breakdown
64, item 3, which requires every rented unit or bedroom to comply with building code occupancy requirements. 64, item 4 layers on compliance with any additional standards the Commissioner of Inspectional Services promulgates. Together these provisions mean an operator cannot run a portfolio of Cambridge short-term rentals: the Ordinance limits participation to a single operator-occupied home (with up to three bedrooms let separately) plus, at most, one additional owner-adjacent unit in a building of four units or fewer that the operator wholly owns. 64, item 11 bars rentals of less than ten consecutive hours or at hourly rates, and commercial meetings and uses are barred outright under item 12.
Violations & Fines
Offering more than one operator-occupied unit, more than three bedrooms within it, more than one owner-adjacent unit, or more bedrooms than the dwelling lawfully contains violates Section 4.64, items 5 and 10; Inspectional Services can deny or revoke the certificate of registration issued under Section 4.67 for a unit found out of compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bedrooms can I rent out short-term in my Cambridge home?
Can I offer more than one short-term rental unit in Cambridge?
Is there a minimum rental length in Cambridge?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cambridge
Compare Cambridge to another location·View the Massachusetts short-term rentals overview
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Occupancy Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle occupancy limits.