Cumberland County, ME Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)

There is no Cumberland County Code restriction on non-primary-residence STRs. Maine state law similarly does not condition STR operation on owner-occupancy: 30-A MRS § 3001 grants home-rule power to municipalities to set such conditions if they choose, and the LD 2003 housing-reform package (PL 2021 ch. 672, codified at 30-A § 4364 and § 4364-A) addresses ADUs and affordable-housing density but does not regulate STR primary-residence status. At the municipal level within Cumberland County, the rules diverge sharply: Portland's STR ordinance (Code of Ordinances Ch. 6 Art. IX, adopted by Order 145-17/18 and amended repeatedly through 2023) distinguishes 'owner-occupied' from 'non-owner-occupied' STRs, caps total non-owner-occupied units at 400 on the mainland (with island-specific caps), and applies higher annual fees ($1,000+ per non-owner-occupied unit vs. ~$100 for owner-occupied). South Portland (Ord. 4-20/21) similarly differentiates between 'Tier 1' resident-host STRs and 'Tier 2' non-resident STRs with stricter Tier 2 limits. Bridgton, Brunswick, Freeport, Scarborough, Falmouth, Cape Elizabeth, Yarmouth, Cumberland, Standish, Gorham, Windham, and other Cumberland County towns set their own approach — many impose no primary-residence rule. Always check the specific municipal code before buying an investment STR property in Cumberland County.