February 8, 2019
Legislation was recently signed into law aimed at regulating short-term rentals such as Airbnb and HomeAway. The bill’s regulations go into effect this year, and will require certain hosts to register with the state, obtain insurance, and pay the same 5.7 percent state tax as hotels for rental contracts entered on or after January 1, 2019.
The regulation will allow cities and towns to levy additional taxes up to 6 percent (up to 6.5 percent in Boston) on properties renting for more than 14 nights per year. Properties renting for no more than 14 nights per year are exempt from the hotel tax, registry, and insurance requirements. Check your rental unit’s eligibility here.
For Boston properties:
For other cities and towns:
If you are seeking legal advice or need representation, you can call the Boston Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral Service at 617-742-0625, connect with an area online 24/7 by clicking “Get Started” here, or by submitting an email request online today.
