Barnstable County, MA Short-Term Rentals: Permit Requirements (2026)

Barnstable County's STR landscape has three layers: (1) state operator registration and excise, (2) the regional Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund excise, and (3) town-level rental certificates and zoning. The County government does not run a county-wide STR registry; instead, hosts must register with the Massachusetts DOR and comply with the rental ordinance of the specific Cape town where the property is located.

(1) STATE-LEVEL OPERATOR REGISTRATION (mandatory countywide). Under Chapter 337 of the Acts of 2018, effective July 1, 2019, the Massachusetts room occupancy excise (MGL c.64G) was extended to short-term rentals, defined as occupied stays of 31 consecutive days or less. Every operator must register with the DOR before listing or accepting bookings, regardless of how many days the property is rented per year. Registration is completed online through MassTaxConnect (mass.gov/masstaxconnect). The registration produces a Certificate of Registration as required by MGL c.62C s.67, and the operator's name and listing address are published in a public registry maintained by the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development (formerly Housing and Livable Communities) under MGL c.64G s.14. Operators must collect and remit the 5.7% state room occupancy excise (5% statutory rate plus a 0.7% uncodified surtax) on every taxable booking. Hosting platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com) are 'intermediaries' and remit the tax on the operator's behalf for marketplace bookings; the operator remains liable for direct bookings. Returns are filed monthly through MassTaxConnect.

INSURANCE REQUIREMENT (statewide). Under MGL c.64G s.14(a), every operator must maintain liability insurance of not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence to cover the operator and any tenants or owners of the building for bodily injury and property damage arising from the rental. If the hosting platform provides equal or greater coverage, the platform's coverage satisfies the requirement. The insurance certificate must be available on request.

(2) CAPE COD AND ISLANDS WATER PROTECTION FUND EXCISE (countywide). Under MGL c.64G s.3C and 830 CMR 64G.1.1, every Cape Cod STR booking is subject to an additional 2.75% excise that funds the Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund (the Fund), which provides grants and subsidies to Cape towns for wastewater treatment, septic upgrades, and water-quality improvements. All 15 Barnstable County cities and towns are members of the Fund; the towns of Nantucket and Dukes County are NOT members and the 2.75% does not apply there. The 2.75% is collected by DOR alongside the state excise and remitted to the Fund automatically.

(3) TOWN-LEVEL RENTAL CERTIFICATE / PERMIT (varies by town). Under MGL c.64G s.3A and the Home Rule Amendment, each Cape town may adopt a local option room occupancy excise of up to 6% (Boston is 6.5%; not applicable on Cape) and may regulate STR operators by local bylaw or ordinance. As of the most recent DOR Local Options report, all 15 Cape towns have adopted the 6% local excise, producing a typical Cape STR tax of 14.45% (5.7% state + 6% local + 2.75% Water Protection Fund). The town-level rules differ:

- TOWN OF BARNSTABLE (Hyannis, Centerville, Osterville, Cotuit, Marstons Mills, West Barnstable, Barnstable Village, Hyannis Port): Annual rental property registration required by the Public Health Division under Town of Barnstable Code Chapter 170 (Rental Properties). Registration fee: $90 per parcel plus $25 for each additional unit on the same parcel. Apply online through Town of Barnstable Online Permitting or by mail to Public Health Division, 200 Main Street, Hyannis, MA 02601. Phone: 508-862-4644. The Town also operates a 24/7 STR complaint hotline. Failure to register is enforceable by a non-criminal citation in the amount of $100 per violation under MGL c.40 s.21D.

- PROVINCETOWN: Rental Certificate from the Board of Health required for any rented dwelling unit. STR Rental Certificate fee (rentals under 31 days): $750 per year (raised in 2022). Long-term rental certificate (31+ days): $300 for three years. Provincetown is the only Cape town that has adopted the 3% community impact fee under MGL c.64G s.3D on professionally-managed units (operator has 2+ rental properties in town), bringing the combined tax to 17.45%.

- TRURO: 2025 Short-Term Rental Season Permit fee: $450. Permit issued by the Licensing Department under the Truro Board of Health regulations.

- FALMOUTH: STR Working Group convened in 2024 to draft a town STR bylaw; as of late 2025 a final town bylaw was still under review, but Falmouth has adopted the 6% local excise and the 3% community impact fee on professionally-managed units.

- WELLFLEET: As of December 2025, Wellfleet had not yet adopted a local STR registration/certificate program, but was actively considering rental inspections and registration for spring 2026.

- BREWSTER, CHATHAM, DENNIS, EASTHAM, HARWICH, MASHPEE, ORLEANS, SANDWICH, YARMOUTH, BOURNE: Each town independently administers any local STR rental certificate, Board of Health registration, or zoning permit. Most have adopted the 6% local option excise; some have adopted the 3% community impact fee. Contact the relevant town clerk, Board of Health, or Building Department before listing.

COMMUNITY IMPACT FEE (optional, town-by-town). Under MGL c.64G s.3D, a city or town that has adopted the local room occupancy excise may also adopt a community impact fee of up to 3% on transfers of occupancy of (a) a 'professionally managed unit' (operator has 2 or more units in the same town) or (b) a short-term rental that is not the operator's primary residence and is in a 2- or 3-family building also owned by the operator. Up to 35% of the community impact fee receipts may be dedicated to affordable housing or local infrastructure under the statute. Provincetown, Falmouth, Truro, and Wellfleet are among the Cape towns that have adopted the community impact fee.