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

Portland's short-term rental article treats 'owner-occupied' as a legal status, not a self-declared label. 1 defines it narrowly as a rental unit owned and occupied by the registrant as their primary residence, itself defined as the dwelling where a person lives more than half the year and lists as their address for tax and government ID purposes. The definition closes two loopholes: a unit in an owner-occupied multi-unit building isn't owner-occupied unless it's the owner's own primary residence, and an accessory dwelling unit is never counted as owner-occupied for short-term-rental purposes, no matter who lives in the main house.

Owners claiming the status must document it: § 6-151(c)(2)(a) requires a notarized primary residence affidavit on city forms plus a valid driver's license, state ID or passport and proof of the homestead exemption verified through the Assessor's records, or, for an owner ineligible for that exemption, a redacted tax return, with a one-time documentary waiver available at the Permitting and Inspections Director's discretion. The classification drives real consequences. Section 6-153(f) bars registering a short-term rental in any single-family home at all unless it is owner-occupied, tenant-occupied with the owner's permission, or located on Peaks Island or an outer island, a mainland single-family home that is neither is simply not eligible.

5% of the prior year's registered long-term rentals (400 units for 2025), while owner-occupied units face no citywide cap, and owner-occupied fees run half the non-owner-occupied rate at every tier, $100 versus $200 for a first unit, up to $2,000 versus $4,000 for a fifth.