Canton, Mass., Gen. By-Laws art. XXVI3 (2024 ed.) § 3
Registration
Operative Text
A. No person shall operate a Short term rental without having first
obtained a Certificate of Registration from the Town Clerk. An
application for a Certificate of Registration shall be on a form provided
by the Town and shall contain the Department of Revenue
identification number or proof of exemption under G.L. c.64G. The
Operator shall provide with the application a certificate of registration
issued by the Department of Revenue in accordance with section 67 of
Chapter 62C of the General Laws.
B. The annual fee for such Certificate of Registration shall be set forth in
the regulations issued pursuant to Section 4 of this Short Term Rentals
by-law.
C. The application for the Certificate of Registration shall include an
attestation that the owner and/or operator is in compliance with all
applicable federal, state and local laws, including but not limited to G.L.
c.64G and the Fair Housing Act , G.L. c.151B and local equivalents
and regulations related thereto and all other regulations applicable to
residential dwellings and that the owner and/or operator of the property
is current with all Town taxes, water and sewage charges and other
fees. Any property offered for a Short term rental shall not have any
outstanding building, sanitary, zoning, or fire code violations, orders of
abatement, or stop work orders. Nothing contained herein shall relieve
the owner or operator from complying with all local permits, rules and
regulations issued by any Town boards or officials generally applicable
to residential dwelling units.
D. The Town Clerk shall not issue any Certificate of Registration unless
the operator has (1) submitted a complete application and paid all
associated fees; (2) provided contact information for the operator and
persons designated to address any issues at the Short term rental
within two hours’ notice; (3) provided the Town with a certificate of
insurance evidencing liability insurance coverage for the Short term
rental in an amount to be determined in the regulations issued
pursuant to Section 4 of this Short Term Rentals by-law; and (4)
provided an approved Certificate of Inspection completed by the
Building and Fire Departments .
E. Short term rentals are subject to inspection by the Board of Health
upon reasonable notice via consent or administrative warrant, or
without such notice in the event of an imminent threat to public health
or safety.
F. A Certificate of Registration is valid for one year and may be renewed
at the discretion of the Town, provided that the operator has complied
with the provisions of this Short Term Rentals by-law and any
associated regulations during the preceding year. An application for
renewal of a Certificate of Registration shall be submitted along with
the annual fee no later than November 1 of the next year.
G. The Certificate of Registration is issued to the Operator and does not
run with the land. If the Short Term Rental is sold or transferred out of
ownership, a new application for a Certificate of Registration must be
issued before Short Term Rentals can continue or resume.
H. The Operator must notify all abutters to a Short term rental that it has
been registered as a Short-term rental unit within 30 days of being
issued a Certificate of Registration. An abutter is defined as the owner
of any residential dwelling within 300 feet of the Short-term rental.
I. Short term rentals are only allowed in owner-occupied condominiums,
single-family, two-family, and three-family buildings. For two-family and
three-family buildings, the owner-occupant must own all the units.Canton, Mass., Gen. By-Laws Art. XXVI3 (2024 ed.) establishes a mandatory registration framework for short-term rentals (STRs) in Canton, Massachusetts. Before any STR may operate, the operator must obtain a Certificate of Registration from the Town Clerk by submitting a complete application, paying an annual fee, demonstrating state tax compliance, carrying adequate liability insurance, and passing inspections by the Building and Fire Departments. The certificate is personal to the operator, expires annually, and must be renewed by November 1 each year; it does not transfer automatically when a property changes hands. STRs are also limited to owner-occupied single-, two-, and three-family buildings and condominiums, with additional restrictions for multi-unit properties.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Canton, Mass., Gen. By-Laws Art. XXVI3 (2024 ed.), compliant STR operators secure a Certificate of Registration from the Town Clerk before listing or renting any unit, ensuring the application includes a Department of Revenue registration certificate, proof of current tax and fee payments, and an attestation of compliance with fair housing and other applicable laws. Operators also arrange a Building and Fire Department inspection, obtain liability insurance in the amount specified by Section 4 regulations, and designate a contact person reachable within two hours. After registration is granted, operators notify all residential property owners within 300 feet within 30 days, and they track the November 1 annual renewal deadline — remembering that any sale or transfer of the property requires a brand-new application before STR activity can resume.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Canton, Mass., Gen. By-Laws Art. XXVI3 (2024 ed.) gives tenants and neighbors a basis for verifying whether a short-term rental is lawfully operating: every STR must hold a valid Certificate of Registration issued by the Town Clerk, and the property must be free of outstanding building, sanitary, zoning, or fire code violations. Abutters — residential property owners within 300 feet — are entitled to receive notice of a registered STR within 30 days of its certification. Anyone who believes an STR is operating without proper registration or in violation of this by-law may contact the Canton Town Clerk's office or relevant Town departments, or consult a tenant-rights organization to understand available complaint and enforcement options.
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.
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