Town by town
| Town | Where things stand (2026) |
|---|---|
| West Tisbury | Town registration required (renewed every two years, with a fee and an inspection), plus a two-night minimum stay, owner occupancy of at least 30 days a year, and one short-term rental per owner. Read the town’s rules. |
| Tisbury | Town registration and inspection required, with a 75-night annual cap, which voters upheld at the April 2026 town meeting. |
| Oak Bluffs | A proposed short-term rental bylaw was tabled at the spring 2026 town meeting and is expected back at a special town meeting in December 2026, likely with a town registration requirement. Since October 1, 2026, Oak Bluffs stays also carry the 2.75% Water Protection Fund excise (see the tax guide). |
| Chilmark | A proposed short-term rental bylaw was tabled at the 2026 town meeting and remains under discussion by the Planning Board. |
| Edgartown | No local short-term rental registration requirement today. |
| Aquinnah | No local short-term rental registration requirement today. |
Building inspections are expanding as well. The current Massachusetts building code, fully in effect since July 2025, calls for periodic certificates of inspection for rental homes that are not owner-occupied, and towns are working out how to carry it out. Before the season, call your town’s building or health department, or ask us and we will check for you.
Town offices
On top of the town rules
- State registration with the Department of Revenue, for every rental.
- The occupancy tax on every booking: 11.7%, or 14.45% in Oak Bluffs.
- $1,000,000 of liability coverage.
Questions we hear
Does Tisbury’s 75-night cap apply to Vineyard Haven?
Yes. Vineyard Haven is the main village of the town of Tisbury.
Will these rules change?
Almost certainly. Several towns are actively rewriting their bylaws. We follow every town meeting and tell our owners what changes.
Updated October 2026. General information, not tax or legal advice: rules and rates change, so confirm with the Department of Revenue, your town and your own advisor before acting.