Everett, MA Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)

Division 12 of Chapter 12 of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Everett, Massachusetts, passed by the Everett City Council and amended in its entirety 12-11-2023 by Ord. No. C0268-23, requires every short-term rental to be registered. A short-term rental is the use of a residential unit for a period fewer than thirty-one (31) consecutive calendar days for a fee. Section 12-1015(a) puts the application in the hands of the building commissioner, the director of the Inspectional Services Department, and it can be filed online or on paper.

Each application, initial or renewal, must come with the extra materials listed in Section 12-1015(c): a certificate of good standing recording the current local tax status of the property; a REAP attestation from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue declaring that all state tax returns are filed and state taxes paid; ISD approval recording the zoning district and the results of a current building inspection; and fire approval recording a current fire safety code inspection by the city's fire prevention bureau. Liability insurance is required by Section 12-1015(b), and Section 12-1014 requires the owner's express permission and, for a condo or building association unit, written approval of the association.

Only one owner or one tenant can be the registered operator for a residential unit. Registration is tied to both the unit and the operator and does not transfer automatically on a sale, so a new operator must re-register to obtain a new registration number (Section 12-1015(e)). An operator who ceases to be a primary resident must immediately notify the building commissioner to remove the unit from the registry (Section 12-1015(f)).

Some units cannot register. Section 12-1013 bars units in properties designated a problem property under Chapter 13A, units with three (3) or more findings of violations within a six-month period, and units in a property with outstanding building, sanitary, zoning or fire code violations, stop work orders, unpaid taxes or liens. New construction for the sole purpose of short-term rentals is not allowed, with a 20% maximum of condos or rental units in a large scale residential building.