Barnstable County, MA

Barnstable, MA short-term rental registration

In Barnstable, a short-term rental goes through the same Board of Health registration as any other rental. The town's page on short-term rentals also points owners to the state Department of Revenue. That page puts the total excise on a stay at 14.45%.[5]

Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified October 1, 2026.

Can you rent short term in Barnstable?

Register before you list

What you apply for: Rental property certificate of registration, Chapter 170

Seasonal homes
5,366
Housing units
27,656
Residents
49,568

U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates

  • City ruleRegistration required
  • City fee$250
  • Tax on each stay14.45%
  • Seasonal homes194 per 1,000

Barnstable short-term rental registration

Before a Barnstable dwelling is offered for rent, for any length of stay, the Board of Health must issue its certificate of registration. The certificate states how many bedrooms the home has and how many people it may lawfully hold. It must be posted conspicuously inside. Registration costs $250, plus $250 for each additional unit the same owner has at that address. The certificate runs to December 31 and may be renewed each year. Owners keep a register of current occupants for two years. Health officials and the police can ask to see it.[4]

What Barnstable asks of you

  • Chapter 170 bars renting any dwelling, or part of one, without first registering with the Board of Health. Offering it for rent is barred too.[4]

  • The Board of Health sets the number of bedrooms and of people the dwelling may lawfully accommodate. The certificate showing both is posted conspicuously inside.[4]

  • The certificate costs $250, plus $250 for each additional unit the same owner has at the same address.[4]

  • A certificate runs to December 31 and may be renewed each year.[4]

  • The owner keeps a register of the names of current occupants for two years. Health officials, police officers and the town's licensing agent may ask to see it.[4]

  • The town's short-term rental page sends owners to this Chapter 170 registration, and to the state Department of Revenue.[5]

  • On November 5, 2020, the Town Council withdrew a proposed short-term rental ordinance and its zoning companion, by 10 votes to 2.[6]

What Massachusetts asks wherever you host

These rules apply at this address whatever the city decides.

  • Every operator registers with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, including one who rents only through a platform. Each property then receives its own certificate, to be posted inside the home.[1]

  • State law asks for $1,000,000 of liability insurance on each rental. Coverage held by the booking platform counts when it is equal or greater.[2]

  • Under chapter 64G, the city or town decides the rest. It can license operators, cap how many it allows and limit rental days in a calendar year.[3]

Massachusetts short-term rental rules

What a guest pays on top of your nightly rate in Barnstable

Each layer is set by a different authority, and not all of them are collected by the platform.

Short-term rental tax layers in Barnstable
LayerRateRemitted to
Massachusetts room occupancy excise[1]5.7%The state revenue department
Barnstable local room occupancy excise[7]6%The city
Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund excise[7]2.75%The state revenue department
Total on a taxable stay14.45%

The state's local options data shows no community impact fee in Barnstable. The town's 6% excise dates from October 1, 2010, and the water protection excise from July 1, 2019.[7]

Airbnb taxes for hosts

What the census counts

How much of Barnstable is already a second home

The Census Bureau counts 5,366 of Barnstable's 27,656 homes as vacant for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. That is 194 out of every 1,000. It ranks Barnstable 1st of the 3 Massachusetts cities on this site for the share of its housing stock kept for part-year use.

Rank in the state
1st of 3
Share of housing
194 per 1,000
Median home value
$602,500

U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates, tables B25004, B25001, B01003 and B25077.

Nearby and comparable

Where Barnstable sits among its neighbors

Cambridge, MA

Registration required

1,271 seasonal homes, 23 per 1,000 housing units.

Cambridge short-term rental rules

Boston, MA

Registration required

4,589 seasonal homes, 15 per 1,000 housing units.

Boston short-term rental rules

Pinetop-Lakeside, AZ

Permit required

1,080 seasonal homes, 333 per 1,000 housing units.

Pinetop-Lakeside short-term rental rules

Big Bear Lake, CA

License required

7,101 seasonal homes, 730 per 1,000 housing units.

Big Bear Lake short-term rental rules
StatewideEvery Massachusetts city on this site, in one tableState law, the tax stack and every city we cover in Massachusetts, with what each one asks of a host.Massachusetts short-term rental rules

Keep exploring

FAQ

Barnstable short-term rental questions

Where do I register a short-term rental in Barnstable?

With the Board of Health, under the Chapter 170 registration that covers every rental. The town also directs owners to the state Department of Revenue.[5]

How much is Barnstable rental registration?

$250 for a certificate of registration. Each additional unit the same owner has at the same address costs another $250.[4]

What total tax does a Barnstable short-term rental charge?

14.45%, according to the town. That total combines the 5.7% state excise with the town's 6%. The last 2.75% goes to the Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund.[5]
Read nextHow to start an AirbnbThe six steps in order, starting with the permit check.Read the guide

Sources

  1. Room Occupancy Excise Tax, Massachusetts Department of Revenue, read on October 1, 2026
  2. Short-Term Rental Insurance, Massachusetts Division of Insurance, read on October 1, 2026
  3. General Laws chapter 64G, section 14, local regulation of operators, Massachusetts Legislature, read on October 1, 2026
  4. Code of the Town of Barnstable, Chapter 170, Rental Properties, Town of Barnstable (eCode360), read on October 1, 2026
  5. Short Term Rental Information, Planning and Development, Town of Barnstable, read on October 1, 2026
  6. Town Council minutes, November 5, 2020, Town of Barnstable, read on October 1, 2026
  7. Room Occupancy Tax and Short-term Rental Community Impact Fee, local options data, Massachusetts Department of Revenue, Division of Local Services, read on October 1, 2026

This page is not legal advice. It summarizes the official sources listed on this page as they read on October 1, 2026. Rules can change after that date, so check with the issuing office before you apply or publish a listing.

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