Many towns on the Cape and Islands require vacation rental owners to register their homes and pay a fee. Listed below are the towns' required fees as of October 2024.
In most cases, you can download the registration application from the town’s website. Note that we are simply passing along this information. We are not involved in this process in any way.
- Town of Barnstable: $90; additional units are $25 ea.
- Chatham: $50
- Dennis: $250 ($500 effective 1/1/2025)
- Eastham: $75; $55-$60 water test; inspection completed the first year and every 3 - 5 years after ($350 effective 1/1/2025)
- Falmouth: $300; additional units are $25 ea.
- Harwich: $50 (expires 90 days after issuance)
- Mashpee: $100 ($25 registration fee and $75 inspection fee)
- Nantucket: $250
- Orleans: no fee
- Plymouth: $50
- Provincetown: $750
- Truro: $450
- Wareham and Onset: $100 (includes registration and inspection fees)
- West Tisbury: $190 ($115 registration fee and $75 inspection fee)
- Yarmouth: $80 via check or $70 via credit card/online
Community Impact Fee
Some towns have imposed a 3% Community Impact Fee on any homes whose owners rent more than one home in the town. This fee is in addition to the lodging tax. Be sure to check the Massachusetts DOR website to see if your town has imposed this fee. If your rentals are affected by this fee, please contact our office and we will assist you in adjusting the lodging tax on your listings.
Some people are questioning why towns require registration when they never did before. One reason is that the growing numbers and increasing rental rates of vacation rental homes on the Cape and Islands are coinciding with exploding market prices, creating a short supply of housing for year-round families and the local workforce. As a result, town officials feel the need to document the homes that are rented on a short-term basis and to ensure that these homes have safety protocols in place. Some towns are defining the occupancy as well. (In most areas, occupancy is restricted to two people per bedroom plus two additional people.)
Note: The fees above are subject to change, so you will want to confirm with your town. It is the responsibility of every vacation rental owner to verify the registration fee of their town and to comply with all local and state laws, regulations, required fees, applications, and inspections.