Newton, MA Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)

5 treats a short-term rental as an accessory use of a residential dwelling, permitted in any residential use except associations of persons living together in a common dwelling, congregate living, elderly housing, lodging houses, dorms, and accessory apartments. 6 caps that accessory use numerically: the maximum number of bedrooms on the site that can be rented to overnight or short-term guests is three, and the maximum number of guests is nine. 1). 8, the same date the companion Code of Ordinances Article IX took effect under Section 20-166.

7 lets buildings with 10 or more units in a business or mixed-use district occupy vacant, for-rent units as temporary short-term rentals for up to six months by special permit, but affordable units are barred from short-term rental use entirely. 5 is a zoning standard rather than a licensing rule, the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Inspectional Services Department, acting as zoning enforcement officer under Section 5-16(b)(2), can treat an over-occupancy short-term rental as a zoning violation independent of any Article IX registration penalty.