Short-Term Rental Regulations
in Barnstable County, MA

Airbnb listings are allowed in Barnstable County, MA, but with restrictions. Massachusetts law requires operators to register with the Department of Revenue and collect room occupancy excise taxes (totaling 14.45% in Barnstable County). Many municipalities impose additional requirements, such as the Town of Barnstable's annual health registration and Provincetown's mandatory inspections and $1,000,000 liability insurance. These rules apply to all short-term rental platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, etc.) — not just Airbnb specifically. See the official source linked on this page for full requirements. Last verified 2026-05-14.

Massachusetts law requires operators to register with the Department of Revenue and collect room occupancy excise taxes (totaling 14.45% in Barnstable County). Many municipalities impose additional requirements, such as the Town of Barnstable's annual health registration and Provincetown's mandatory inspections and $1,000,000 liability insurance.

Vrbo is permitted in Barnstable County, MA under the same restrictions that apply to Airbnb — local rules govern the rental itself, not the specific platform. Last verified 2026-05-14.

Short-term rental hosts in Barnstable County are typically responsible for lodging, occupancy, and applicable sales taxes — these usually apply even where hosting is allowed without a permit. Rates and remittance rules vary by jurisdiction (state, county, and city can each levy a share); confirm the current rates with the official source linked on this page. Platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo collect some taxes automatically, but the host remains liable for any not collected on their behalf.

We are not currently tracking any recent short-term rental ordinance changes for Barnstable County. STR rules change frequently — verify the current requirements with the city or county before listing, using the official source linked on this page.