RR
Rent Regulations

Cambridge, Mass., Zoning Ordinance art. 4.000, § 4.60 (2025) § 4.30

TABLE OF USE REGULATIONS

In Force
Verified 11/11/2026 · Next check 2/9/2027
CambridgeShort-Term Rentals

Operative Text

Cambridge, Mass., Zoning Ordinance art. 4.000, § 4.60 (2025) § 4.30
Open Space | Res C-1, C-1A, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B | Off 1, 2A, 2, 3, 3A | Bus A-1, A-2, A-3 1 A-5 | Bus A, A-4 | Bus B, B-1, B-2 | Bus C | Ind A-1, A-2 | Ind A | Ind B-1, B-2 | Ind B
4.31 | Residences
a. Dwelling, single-family | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
b. Dwelling, two-family | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
c. [Deleted]
d. Townhouse development or semi-detached dwelling | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
e. Elderly oriented congregate housing | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
f. [Deleted]
g. Dwelling, multifamily | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
h. [Deleted]
i. Lodging House | No | Yes 7 | Yes 6 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SP | PB | No | SP
j. Trailer Park or mobile home park | No | No | No | SP | SP | No | No | No | No | No | No
4.31.1 | Transient accommodations
a. Tourist house | No | Yes | Yes | No | SP | Yes | Yes | SP | PB | PB | PB
b. Hotel or motel | No | SP 7 | Yes 6 | No | SP | Yes | Yes 53 | No | SP | No | SP
4.32 | Transportation, Communication & Utility Uses
a. Bus or railroad passenger station | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SP | Yes | Yes | Yes
b. Automobile parking lot or parking garage for private passenger cars 18 | No 64, 65 | No 64, 65 | Yes | SP 64, 65 | SP 64, 65 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
c. Railroad freight terminal, railroad yard and shops | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes
d. Truck or bus terminal, yard or building for storage or servicing of trucks, trailers or buses, parking lot for trucks | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | SP | No | Yes
e. Radio and Television transmission station, including towers | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | SP8 | SP | No | SP
f. Radio and television studio | No | No 9 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes 10 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
g. Utilities
1. Telephone exchange (including switching, relay and transmission facilities serving mobile communications systems) and any towers or antennas accessory thereto 49 | No | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP
2. Transformer station, substation, gas regulator station, or pumping station | No | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP
3. Power Plant for the non-nuclear production, generation, and distribution of electricity or steam | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No
h. Helipad or Airport | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No
j. Wind Turbine Installation PB 57 | PB 57 | PB 57 | PB 57 | PB 57 | PB 57 | PB 57 | PB 57 | PB 57 | PB 57 | PB 57
k. Public Bicycle-Sharing Station | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
l. Cannabis Courier Establishment | No | No | Yes 58 | Yes 58 | Yes 58 | Yes 58 | Yes 58 | Yes 58 | Yes 58 | Yes 58 | Yes 58
m. Peer-to-Peer Carsharing | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
n. Publicly-accessible, Privately-owned Electric Vehicle Charging | No | Yes 63 | Yes 63 | Yes 63 | Yes 63 | Yes 63 | Yes 63 | Yes 63 | Yes 63 | Yes 63 | Yes 63
4.33 | Institutional Uses
a. Religious Purposes 19
1. Place of worship | Yes 11 | Yes 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
2. Rectory, parsonage | Yes 11 | Yes 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
3. Convent, monastery | Yes 11 | Yes 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
4. Social or recreation center | Yes 11 | Yes 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
5. Other use with religious purposes | Yes 11 | Yes 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
b. Educational Purposes
1. Use of land or structures for educational purposes on land owned or leased by the Commonwealth or any of its agencies, subdivisions or bodies politic - by a religious sect or denomination or by a nonprofit educational corporation 44 | Yes 11 | Yes 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
2. Preschool, day care center, kindergarten, not exempt by statute | No | Yes 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SP | Yes | SP | Yes
3. Primary school, not exempt by statute | No | No 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SP | Yes | SP | Yes
4. Secondary school, not exempt by statute | No | No 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SP | Yes | SP | Yes
5. College or university not exempt by statute 45 | No | No 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SP | Yes | SP | Yes
6. Vocational or other schools not exempted by statute | No | No 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SP | Yes | SP | Yes
7. Dormitory, resident fraternity or sorority | No | Yes 43 | Yes 46 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | SP | No | SP
c. Noncommercial Research Facility 20 | No | SP 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
d. Health Care Facilities
1. Hospital 21 | No | Yes 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes
2. Infirmary | No | Yes 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SP | Yes
3. Nursing or convalescent home | No | Yes 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes
4. Clinic not affiliated with any other institution | No | No 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SP | Yes | No | Yes
5. Clinic affiliated with a hospital or an accredited university medical school | No | Yes 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SP | Yes | No | Yes
6. Clinic connected to a community center | No | Yes 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SP | Yes | No | Yes
7. Other health care facility | No | No 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SP | Yes | No | Yes
e. Social Service Facilities
1. Social service center | No | Yes 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes
2. Community Center | No | Yes 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes
f. Local Government 47
1. Administrative Office | No | No 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
2. Fire or police station 55 | Yes 11 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
3. Museum | SP 11 | Yes 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes
4. Municipal service facility | SP 11 | No 43 | SP | No | SP | SP | SP | SP | Yes | Yes | Yes
5. Public park, playground or public recreation building | Yes | Yes 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
6. Municipal Library | Yes 54 | Yes 54 | Yes 54 | Yes 54 | Yes 54 | Yes 54 | Yes 54 | Yes 54 | Yes 54 | Yes 54 | Yes 54
g. Other Governmental Facility | Yes | Yes 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
h. Other Institutional Uses
1. Club, lodge or other fraternal or sororal meeting facility | No 11 | Yes 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes
2. Private library, museum or noncommercial gallery 48 | SP11 | Yes 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes
3. Cemetery | Yes 11 | Yes 43 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes
4. Institutional use not listed in any other category | No | No 43 | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP
4.34 | Office and Laboratory Use
a. Office of a physician, dentist or other medical practitioner not located in a clinic listed under Subsection 4.33(d) | No | No 9 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes 10 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
b. Office of an accountant, attorney, or other non-medical professional person (includes properly licensed massage therapists) | No | No 9 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes 10 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
c. Real Estate, insurance or other agency office | No | No 9 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes 10 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
d. General office use | No | No 9 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes 10 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
e. Bank, trust company or similar financial institution | No | No 9 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes 10 | Yes | Yes | Yes | SP | Yes
f. Technical office for research and development, laboratory & research facility subject to the restrictions in Section 4.21m | No | No 9 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes 10 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
4.35 | Retail or Consumer Service Establishments
Retail or Consumer Service Establishment, not otherwise defined | No | No | No | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP
a-1. Convenience Store | No | SP 59 | Yes 12 | Yes | Yes | Yes 10 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes 51 | Yes
a-2. Merchandise Store | No | No | Yes 12 | Yes | Yes | Yes 10 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes 51 | Yes
a-3. Grocery Store | No | SP 59 | Yes 12 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
b. Craft Retail and Production Shop | No | No | Yes 12 | SP 60 | SP 60 | Yes 10 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes 51 | Yes
c. Personal Services Establishment | No | SP 59 | Yes 12 | Yes | Yes | Yes 10 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes 51 | Yes
d. [Deleted]
e. [Deleted]
f-1. Restaurant | No | No | Yes 12 | Yes | Yes | Yes 10 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes 51 | Yes
f-2. Bar | No | No | Yes 12 | Yes | Yes | Yes 13 | Yes | SP | Yes | Yes 51 | Yes
f-3. Craft Beverage Establishment | No | No | SP 12 | SP | SP | SP | SP | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
f-4. Food Stand or Kiosk | No | No | Yes 12 | SP | SP | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
f-5. Food Hall | No | No | SP 12 | SP | SP | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
g. Dance Hall or Nightclub | No | No | Yes 12 | SP | SP | Yes 13 | Yes | SP | Yes | Yes 51 | Yes
h. Theater | No 11 | No | Yes 12 | SP | SP | Yes 10 | Yes | SP | Yes | Yes 51 | Yes
i-1. Commercial Recreation Establishment | No 11 | No | Yes 12 | SP | SP | Yes 10 | Yes | SP | Yes | Yes 51 | Yes
i-2. Fitness Center | No | SP 59 | Yes 12 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
j. Funeral Home | No | No | SP | Yes | Yes | Yes 10 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes 51 | Yes
k. [Deleted]
l. Animal Services Facility | No | No | SP 12,29 | SP 29 | SP 29 | SP 10,29 | SP | SP | SP | Yes 51 | SP
m. Indoor Auto Sales Facility | No | No | Yes 12 | Yes | Yes | Yes 10 | Yes | SP | Yes | Yes 51 | Yes
n. [Deleted]
o. Fast Order or Quick-Service Food Establishment | No | SP 59 | Yes 12 | SP | SP | Yes 10 | Yes | SP | SP | Yes 51 | Yes
p. Deleted
q-1. Art/Craft Studio | No | SP 50 | SP 50 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes 51 | Yes
q-2. Performing Arts Studio | No | SP 50 | SP 50 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes 51 | Yes
r. Bakery, Retail | No | No | Yes 12 | Yes | Yes | Yes 10 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes 51 | Yes
s. Cannabis Retail Store | No | No | No | Yes 58 | Yes 58 | Yes 58 | Yes 58 | Yes 58 | No | Yes 58 | Yes 58
4.36 | Outdoor Retail or Consumer Service Establishments
Outdoor Retail or Consumer Service Establishment, not otherwise defined | No 11 | No | No | SP | SP | SP 62 | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP
a. Open-Lot Retail Sales Establishment | No | No | Yes 12 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
b. Drive-In Food Service Establishment | No | No | No | SP | SP | No | SP | No | SP | No | SP
c. Drive-In Consumer Service Establishment | No | No | No | No | SP | SP 13 | SP | SP | SP | No | SP
d. Outdoor Entertainment and Recreation Facility | No 11 | No | Yes 12 | No | No | SP 62 | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP
e. Drive-In Theater | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes
f. Outdoor Auto Sales Facility | No | No | No | No | SP | No | No | No | SP | No | SP
g. Auto Service Station | No | No | No | SP | SP | SP 13 | SP | No | Yes | SP | Yes
h. Auto Wash | No | No | No | No | SP | No | No | No | SP | SP | SP
i. [Deleted]
j. Temporary Outdoor Retail or Consumer Service Use | Yes | SP 61 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
4.37 | Light Industry, Wholesale Business and Storage
a. Assembly or packaging of articles 33 | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes 14 | Yes
b. Manufacturing, processing, assembly and packaging the following: 34
1. Clothing, but not the manufacture of the cloth or other material of which the clothing is made | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
2. Food products, including bakery, confectionery and dairy products | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
3. Drugs | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
4. Electrical, electronic and communication instruments | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
5. Engineering, laboratory and scientific instruments, temperature controls | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
6. Jewelry, insignia, emblems and badge, lapidary, scale models, dolls, costume jewelry and costume novelties | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
7. Lamp shades except of glass or metal | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
8. Leather goods, excluding footwear and saddlery | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
9. Medical and dental instruments and supplies, optical instruments and lenses | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
10. Paper and paperboard products 35 | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
11. Pens and mechanical pencils | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
12. Plaster of Paris or papier mache products | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
13. Office machines, including cash registers, computing machines and typewriters, scales and balances | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
14. Umbrellas, parasols and canes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
15. Watches, clocks, watchcases, clockwork mechanisms | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
c. Bottling of beverages | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes
d. Distribution center, parcel delivery center, delivery warehouse | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes
e. Laundry, dry cleaning plant | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | SP | Yes | SP | Yes
f. Printing, binding, publishing and related arts and trades | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
g. Auto body or paint shop 36 | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | SP | Yes | SP | Yes
h. Automotive repair garage not including auto body or paint shop 37 | No | No | No | SP | SP | SP 13 | SP | SP | Yes | SP | Yes
i. Food Commissary | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | SP | Yes | Yes | Yes
j. Wholesale business and storage in roofed structure, but not including wholesale storage of flammable liquids, gas or explosives | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | SP | Yes | Yes 14 | Yes
k. Storage warehouse, cold storage plant, storage building, but not including storage or bailing of junk, scrap metal, rags, waste paper or used rubber | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes 14 | Yes
l. Open lot storage of new building materials, machinery, and new metals, but not including junk, scrap metal, rags, waste paper and similar materials 38 | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | SP | SP | SP | Yes
m. Open lot storage of coal, coke, sand, or other similar material, or such storage in silos or hoppers 39 | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | SP | No | Yes
n. Cannabis Production Facility | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | PB 58 | No
o. Cannabis Delivery Operator Establishment | No | No | Yes 58 | Yes 58 | Yes 58 | Yes 58 | Yes 58 | Yes 58 | Yes 58 | Yes 58 | Yes 58
4.38 | Heavy Industry
a. Dismantling or wrecking of used motor vehicles and storage or sale of dismantled, inoperative or wrecked vehicles or their parts 38 | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | SP
b. Rendering or preparation of grease, tallow, fats and oils, manufacture of shortening, table oil, margarine and other food oils, but not including garbage, dead animals, offal or refuse reduction | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes
c. Stone cutting, shaping, and finishing, in completely enclosed buildings | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | SP | Yes
d. Textile mill, except mill for processing of jute, burlap or sisal | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | SP | Yes
e. Manufacturing, processing, assembly, packaging or other industrial operation without limit as to category or product, but the following are expressly prohibited 40 | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | SP | SP 52 | Yes 14 | Yes
1. Acid Manufacture | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No
2. Cement, lime or gypsum manufacture | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No
3. Explosives or fireworks manufacture | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No
4. Glue manufacture | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No
5. Incineration or reduction of garbage, offal or dead animals 41 | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No
6. Petroleum refining | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No
7. Smelting of zinc, copper, tin or iron ores | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No
8. Stockyard or abattoir | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No
f. Open lot storage of second hand lumber or other used building material 38, 42 | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes
g. Open lot storage of junk, scrap, paper, rags, unrepaired or unclean containers, or other salvage articles 38 | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Cambridge Zoning Ordinance art. 4.000, §§ 4.30–4.60 establishes a comprehensive Table of Use Regulations that determines which land uses are permitted, prohibited, or subject to special approval across Cambridge's various zoning districts. Each use category—ranging from residential dwellings and transient accommodations to heavy industry and cannabis-related establishments—is assigned a status of 'Yes' (allowed by right), 'No' (prohibited), 'SP' (special permit required), or 'PB' (Planning Board approval required) for each district. The table functions as the primary reference for determining whether a given activity may legally occur on a particular parcel in Cambridge.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on November 11, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Property owners and managers in Cambridge should consult the Table of Use Regulations under art. 4.000, §§ 4.30–4.60 before leasing or converting space to any new use, since the permissibility of a use depends entirely on the zoning district in which the property sits. Compliant operators typically verify the applicable district designation for their parcel, identify the use category that matches the intended activity, and confirm whether that use is allowed by right, requires a special permit, or is prohibited outright. Uses marked 'SP' or 'PB' generally require a formal application and approval process before the use may lawfully commence.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Tenants in Cambridge can reference art. 4.000, §§ 4.30–4.60 to understand what types of uses—including residential uses such as single-family dwellings, multifamily housing, lodging houses, and dormitories—are permitted in their building's zoning district. If a landlord appears to be operating a use that is prohibited or lacks required special permit approval in that district, tenants may raise this as a concern with the Cambridge Inspectional Services Department or consult a local tenant-rights organization for guidance on available options. Understanding the table can also help tenants assess whether proposed changes to a building's use are consistent with what the zoning ordinance allows in their neighborhood.

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

Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.

References In

No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.

Related Rules

§ 50
Application of article four
§ 64
One story transient dwellings
§ 244.1030
"Regulatory authority" defined for the code

Source Information

Source:https://api.municode.com/CodesContent?jobId=474987&nodeId=ZOOR_ART4.000USRE&productId=15643
Snapshot SHA:
Fetched:Nov 11, 2026, 02:08 AM UTC
Raw bytes:Download from R2 →