Chelsea's Short-Term Rental Application caps occupancy at two persons per bedroom (children under 12 related to or the legal ward of a bedroom occupant are not counted) and limits Limited-Share Units to a maximum of 3 bedrooms offered, with one bedroom reserved for the operator. Owner-Adjacent Units must be rented as a whole to a single party.
Chelsea regulates short-term rentals through its Short-Term Rental Application administered by Inspectional Services (ISD). Only two structural categories qualify: Limited-Share Units (a portion of an operator-occupied unit, rented only while the operator is present, with one bedroom reserved for the operator and no more than 3 bedrooms offered) and Owner-Adjacent Units (an additional unit in an owner-occupied 2- or 3-family residence; in 3-family dwellings, only one Owner-Adjacent Unit may be registered, and the entire unit must be rented as a whole to one party at a time). Under the application, total STR occupancy is capped at two persons per bedroom, with an exemption for children under 12 who are related to, or the legal ward of, either bedroom occupant. Standalone, absentee whole-unit rentals are not permitted. Operators must also be able to respond in person, or designate a contact who can respond in person, to emergencies. State law adds the MGL c. 64G short-term rental excise framework but does not preempt Chelsea's tighter local occupancy and owner-presence rules.
Offering a unit as an STR that is not an eligible Residential Unit, exceeding the per-bedroom occupancy cap, exceeding the 3-bedroom Limited-Share cap, or operating without ISD registration is fined $300 per violation per day under the STR Application/ordinance. Three or more noise, trash, or disorderly conduct violations within one year render the operator ineligible to register or re-register the unit.
Chelsea, MA
Construction noise regulated under Chelsea Code Ch. 16 and MassDEP 310 CMR 7.10. Standard hours are Mon–Fri 7 AM–6 PM, Sat 8 AM–5 PM; no construction on Sund...
Chelsea, MA
Barking dogs addressed under Chelsea Code Ch. 4 (Animals) and general nuisance provisions. Excessive barking is a civil nuisance complaint under MGL c. 140. ...
Chelsea, MA
Chelsea enforces noise complaints through Chapter 16 (Miscellaneous Offenses). No single statewide decibel limit applies; the city relies on MassDEP 310 CMR ...
Chelsea, MA
Chelsea is in the flight path of Boston Logan International Airport (about 1 mile west). Aircraft noise is governed by federal FAA regulations and Massport; ...
Chelsea, MA
Chelsea has a citywide residential parking sticker program under Code §13-4.2. The Chelsea Waterfront District requires sticker parking 8 AM–6 PM Mon–Fri. St...
Chelsea, MA
Abandoned vehicles on public ways subject to state law MGL c. 90 §22C (72-hour threshold). Chelsea enforces through its ISD and Police Department. Inoperable...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Suffolk County.
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