Amesbury, Mass., Code of Bylaws ch 376 § 376-10
Compliance with other laws required (Amesbury Rental Property)
Operative Text
Property owners who obtain a short-term rental license shall comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, ordinances, rules and regulations, including, but not limited to, the Fair Housing Act, state and local equivalents and regulations related to fire codes, health codes, zoning ordinances, and all other regulations applicable to dwellings, including MGL c. 64G.
Section 376-10 of Amesbury's short-term rental bylaw establishes that holding a short-term rental license does not exempt a property owner from any other legal obligations that would otherwise apply. The provision requires compliance with a broad range of laws, spanning federal anti-discrimination statutes like the Fair Housing Act, Massachusetts General Laws (including MGL c. 64G on room occupancy excise), and local fire, health, and zoning requirements. In effect, the short-term rental license is one layer of a larger compliance framework, not a standalone authorization.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under CH. 376 § 376-10, operators who hold an Amesbury short-term rental license are expected to maintain compliance across all applicable regulatory layers simultaneously. Compliant operators typically keep current with fire and health code inspections, adhere to Fair Housing Act obligations in how they market and screen guests, and remit the room occupancy excise tax required under MGL c. 64G. Staying organized around each of these distinct requirements—federal, state, and local—is a hallmark of how licensed short-term rental operators generally manage their properties.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 376-10 makes clear that short-term rental guests and prospective guests retain all protections afforded by the Fair Housing Act and its state and local equivalents, even within the context of a licensed short-term rental. If a guest or applicant believes a licensed operator has violated anti-discrimination rules, fire codes, or health standards, those concerns can be raised with the relevant enforcement body—such as a state or local housing or health authority—or with a tenant-rights organization familiar with Massachusetts law. The broad compliance mandate in CH. 376 § 376-10 means that a short-term rental license does not shield a property owner from accountability under any of those overlapping legal frameworks.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.