STR rules · verified 1mo ago
Short-term rental rules in Dukes, MA
Dukes County, Massachusetts (Martha's Vineyard, comprising the six island towns of Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, West Tisbury, Chilmark and Aquinnah, plus the Elizabeth Islands town of Gosnold) does NOT operate a county-wide short-term rental ordinance. The state Chapter 337 of the Acts of 2018 framework applies (MA DOR registration, $1M liability insurance, 14-day-per-year tax exemption with mandatory state registration), with 5.7% state room occupancy excise. Each town opts into the local option excise (Oak Bluffs, Tisbury and West Tisbury currently 6%; Aquinnah, Chilmark and Edgartown 4%) and may opt into the 2.75% Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund surcharge (Dukes towns are NOT automatically subject — they can opt in via Section 208 plan acceptance, none currently in 2024-2025 per public reporting). Town-level rules are in flux: Tisbury requires annual $115 town certificate of registration + biennial $75 inspection; West Tisbury finalized STR rules January 2025; Oak Bluffs, Chilmark and Tisbury hammered out additional regs at spring 2026 town meetings. Edgartown, the largest STR market on the island (1,420 registered units), still relies primarily on state framework + general bylaws.
What's behind the sign-in
- Registration fees — initial + annual renewal cost, per permit type
- Permit caps + waitlists — exact cap values, current waitlist counts
- Owner-occupancy rules — days/year requirement, permit-class splits
- Zoning carve-outs — which districts allow / disallow STR
- Tax stack — TOT, hotel, county + state layers
- Stay limits — min/max nightly, max nights/year
- Operational requirements — parking, insurance, fire inspection, neighbor notice
- Penalties — per-night fines, revocation thresholds
- City-specific gotchas — HOA carve-outs, pending legislation, recent court rulings
- Refresh on demand — re-run the agentic pipeline against the city's current ordinance
Frequently asked
Are short-term rentals legal in Dukes, MA?
Dukes is currently restricted for short-term rentals. Permitted but with material constraints — caps, owner-occupancy rules, zoning carve-outs, or active ordinance review. For the actual fees, caps, owner-occupancy rules, and city-specific gotchas, sign in.
Do I need a permit to run an Airbnb in Dukes?
Almost certainly yes — almost every U.S. city now requires a short-term rental permit, vacation rental permit, or transient lodging permit before you can legally list. The specifics for Dukes (cost, renewal cycle, required documents) are behind sign-in. You can also read the source ordinance directly: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/room-occupancy-excise-tax.
What happens if I rent without a permit in Dukes?
Most cities charge per-night fines (a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per violation), escalating to cease-and-desist letters and platform delisting on repeat. Airbnb and Vrbo now share permit-validation feeds with most major cities, so unpermitted listings get blocked at the platform level. Sign in to see the specific penalty schedule for Dukes.
How current is this data for Dukes?
This record was verified 1mo ago against the city's published ordinance (.gov or the city's official municipal-code publisher). Cached cities re-verify on a cadence — daily for cities under active legislation, weekly otherwise. Signed-in users can hit Refresh on any city to force a fresh pull. If you're underwriting a deal, always confirm against the city's code-enforcement office before closing.
Can my HOA or condo association ban STRs even if Dukes allows them?
Yes. City permits authorize you under municipal law, but your HOA, condo association, or co-op board sets contractual rules that override the city for your unit. Many HOAs adopted blanket STR bans between 2018 and 2024 in response to neighbor complaints. Read the CC&Rs, bylaws, and rental addendums before you buy with an STR plan — the city saying yes does not mean your building says yes.