Short-Term Rentals in Salem

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In 2018 the Salem City Council adopted new Ordinances regulating short-term rentals in Salem. If you list your property on a short-term rental homesharing platform like Airbnb, VRBO, or similar websites, you should be aware of these new regulations. In addition to registering your short-term rental annually with the City of Salem, you are required to receive a Certificate of Fitness and, if it is not your primary residence, you will also need a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) and to register for the non-owner-occupied trash fee. Applications for the special permit from the ZBA must be received no later than June 15, 2019. Zoning regulations also restrict this use to certain neighborhoods in the City. New non-owner occupied short-term rentals are not permitted. The special permit process is available to you if your non-owner occupied property was engaged in short-term rental use before July 16, 2018. Pursuant to state law, all short-term rental providers are also required to collect state/local room occupancy excise tax effective July 1, 2019. This page provides all of the information you need to know about offering a short-term rental in Salem.

What regulations impact me if I want to offer a short-term rental in Salem?

Click this link to go through a "dynamic" FAQ about short-term rentals in Salem. The answers you provide to each question in the FAQ will determine the types of regulations and the steps you must take. Code limits prohibiting more than three unrelated persons in a dwelling unit apply to short-term rentals.

How does the City define short-term rental?

All definitions are contained in the City's Code of Ordinances section pertaining to short-term rentals. It is recommended that property owners making short-term rentals available in Salem familiarize themselves with the applicable section of the Code, as it also includes a description of what kinds of issues that might render a particular property ineligible for use as a short-term rentals, the kinds of information that must be provided in online listings and to tenants when they arrive, and other important factors.

How do I register my short-term rental with the City of Salem?

There is a $50 annual registration fee. Unregistered short-term rentals may be subject to fines and penalties, including prohibitions on registering the property in the future, so it is strongly advised that property owners take a few minutes each year to register their short-term rentals. You may register your short-term rental by following this link. 

How do I get a Certificate of Fitness?

The Certificate of Fitness is issued annually to short-term rentals by the Salem Health Department depending on the satisfactory completion of an inspection by the department, which evaluates the property's compliance with the state and local sanitary codes and its fitness for human habitation. There is a $50 fee for the inspection and certificate, which is required for all residential rental properties in the City, whether they are short-term or otherwise. More information about the Certificate of Fitness can be found at this link and by calling the Health Department at 978-741-1800. The registration form to apply for a Certificate of Fitness can be accessed here. Once you have completed the application online, you must call the Health Department at 978-741-1800 to schedule the required appointment for your Certificate of Fitness inspection. A certificate cannot be issued without the inspection.

How do I register with Mass DOR for my room occupancy excise tax payments?

The room occupancy excise tax is overseen entirely by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. The City has no role in collecting the tax and any inquiries about it should be directed to MassDOR at 1-800-392-6089. More information about the room occupancy excise tax, including links to register with MassDOR and an FAQ, can be found at this link.

My short-term rental is not my primary residence, what do I need to know?

Salem does not permit any new non-owner occupied short-term rentals.