City of Cambridge

Inspectional Services

Short-Term Rental Guide Department

831 Massachusetts Ave.
617-349-6100

1 Understanding the Basics 2 Understanding the Terms *

Overview A residential dwelling unit is a house or an You are NOT eligible to register a short-term
Short-term rental (STR) refers to the rental of apartment in which a single household resides. rental if the unit is subject to the Inclusionary
any dwelling unit or bedroom as residential If you live in a multi-room house, that is one Housing Program, designated as below market
accommodation for a duration of less than 30 unit. If you live in an apartment, that is one unit. rate, or subject to income restrictions under any
consecutive days. Short-term rentals are allowed City, State, or Federal law.
within certain parameters, and there are rules
The short-term rental operator is the person(s)
and regulations you must follow to legally rent The residential short term rental unit must
offering a dwelling unit or bedroom for STR.
out your residence on a short-term basis. See be registered with the City’s Inspectional
Section 4.60 of the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance. Only operator-occupied and Services Department. Registration is contingent
First you must determine if you meet the eligibility owner-adjacent STR’s are allowed. upon successful inspection of the STR unit.
requirements.
Each STR operator may only register The dwelling unit or bedroom offered for STR
Are you eligible? one (1) operator-occupied, AND/OR must comply with State Building and Sanitary
one(1) owner-adjacent short-term rental unit. code requirements for occupancy. This
The operator of a short-term rental must meet includes ceiling height, adequate ventilation,
ALL of the following criteria in order to be eligible: room size and light requirements, life safety
If you have an operator-occupied short term devices and egress from the dwelling unit and
• The operator must be an owner of the rental, you can rent out no more than three building, and other applicable codes.
dwelling unit, or a tenant of the dwelling unit (3) individual bedrooms in your unit. The
(with permission of the owner) to offer a unit or unit can be in any size multi-family building. The
room for short-term rental. bedrooms can be rented to different parties if For Tenants: The Short-Term Rental
the operator is not absent for more than seven Ordinance does not override any lease or rental
• The operator must live in the STR unit as (7) consecutive days. agreements, condominium bylaws, or any
a primary residence and may rent out up other regulations to which you may be subject
to a maximum of three legal bedrooms, called as a tenant. Please read your lease carefully
If you have an owner-adjacent short term
operator-occupied short-term rental; before submitting an application. The City of
rental, you must rent out the whole dwelling Cambridge does not enforce lease or other
AND/OR, the operator must live in a unit unit to one party. You cannot rent out individual private agreements.
adjacent to the STR unit as a primary rooms to different people.
residence and own all the other units in a You must obtain written permission from
building which can only contain a maximum of the property owner and, if applicable, the
four (4) residential dwelling units or To qualify a unit as a primary residence, condominium association. You will need
less. An owner-adjacent short-term rental you must reside in the unit for the minimum to provide a copy of your lease or rental
may only be rented as a whole unit, not as time period established by the Commissioner of agreement. Note that City staff may contact
individual bedrooms. Inspectional Services. the owner(s) of the STR unit for verification.

* A short-term rental must comply with all the applicable provisions of the City of Cambridge Zoning ordinance, including but not limited to all conditions Publication of the City of Cambridge | v. 11/09/2017
set forth in Zoning Ordinance Section 4.60 – Short-Term Rentals.
 City of Cambridge
Inspectional Services

Short-Term Rental Guide Department

831 Massachusetts Ave.
617-349-6100

3 Getting Started 4 Inspections 5 Ongoing

Application Scheduling an Inspection

The Certificate of Registration is valid for
Submit a Short-Term Rental Registration Once your application has been approved, you five (5) years, and will terminate upon
Application online through the ISD website, along will receive email notification and instructions for change of unit ownership or change of operator.
with the requisite supporting documents. scheduling an inspection with a housing inspector. Inspections will also be conducted every five
A sample Inspection Checklist is available on years, or upon change of ownership.
Supporting Documents ISD’s website.

• Proof of liability insurance in an amount The following information must be posted in An owner-adjacent short-term rental operator
approved by the Commissioner of Inspectional owner-adjacent short-term rental units, and this must keep accurate books and records of
Services or provide proof that liability coverage information must be provided to all short-term their business, and make them available to the
in an equal or higher amount is being provided renters: Inspectional Services Department upon request.
by any and all hosting platforms you use. • Instructions for disposal of waste per
• Written approval from condominium Cambridge recycling & composting programs;
association and/or building owner. • Emergency exit diagram must be posted All short-term renters are subject to the City of
Cambridge parking regulations. It is the
• Floor plan of the dwelling unit indicating in each bedroom used as short-term rental and
responsibility of the STR operator to inform their
bedrooms to be offered for short-term rental. on all egresses from the dwelling unit;
guests of the parking regulations.
The plan may be sketched by hand but should • Local contact information in the event of
be labelled, neat and legible. temporary absence of the owner or operator
must be made available to renters;
• Proof of the operator’s primary Code violations or any violations of the
residence with either: • Certificate of Registration must be Short-Term Rental Ordinance will be subject to
posted in the STR unit. fines of up to $300/day.
1) Documented enrollment in Cambridge
residential tax exemption program, or
2) Signed affidavit along with photo ID and Certificate of Registration Complaints about occupancy conditions or other
current government or utility correspondence Upon satisfactory inspection of the short-term violations regarding the short-term rental ordinance
with the operator’s name and address issued. rental, you will receive a Certificate of Registration. will be investigated by the Inspectional Services
• Other documents listed in the application. You may now advertise and offer the unit for short- Department.
term rental.
Application Fee
The fee to obtain a certificate of registration is $500. You may pay the $500 fee at the time the application is filed with ISD, or you may agree to a payment plan
that allows you to pay $100 towards the fee on an annual basis over five years. If you select the payment plan option, the initial payment of $100 is due at the time
the application is filed with ISD, and the certificate of registration will be issued subject to the annual payment. Failure to pay will result in the immediate revocation
of the certificate of registration.

Publication of the City of Cambridge | v. 11/09/2017