Stratford, CT Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)

The Zoning Commission placed short-term rentals inside Section 4.4.9 of the Stratford Zoning Regulations, headed Boarding, boarding houses, and short-term rentals. Subsection E is a single sentence and it names the platforms: VRBO, Airbnb or similar rentals. They are not a regulated activity in the Town of Stratford. Section 4.4.9(E) attaches no special permit under Section 7.3.4, no registration and no licence to a short-term rental.

The neighboring subsections draw the line between that open treatment and regulated lodging. Under Section 4.4.9(B), boarding of rooms within a single-family structure is permitted where boarding is permitted in the underlying district, and no more than two persons, in addition to the family of the occupant, can rent a room. Under 4.4.9(C), a boarding house for 3-5 unrelated occupants needs a special permit from the Zoning Commission with the approval of the health officer. Under Section 4.4.8, a bed and breakfast establishment needs a special permit, must be accessory to an owner-occupied single-family residence, must be licensed by the Health Department annually, and is limited to no more than three guest rooms rented to no more than six guests, with a maximum stay of seven days and a guest register available to Town officials at any time.

Two other sections close off specific setups. Section 4.4.2(9) provides that no dwelling containing an accessory residential apartment can have short- or long-term rooms for rent or a bed-and-breakfast establishment. Section 4.4.11(C)(5) provides that the short-term renting of personal vehicles, pools, or other similar personal property does not constitute a permitted home-based business.