As another busy year draws to a close, there are a few changes to short-term rentals on Nantucket, as the Town has begun implementing previously approved warrant articles. While no new restrictions were approved at September’s Special Town Meeting, the Town has instated a 3 percent community impact fee, which was approved at the November 2023 Special Town Meeting. Additionally, the Health Department has been working to streamline its local STR registration process, which has been in the works for the past few years.

The Community Impact Fee is a mechanism adopted by some cities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to address the impact of STRs on a community. In our case it was locally adopted at 3 percent which is the maximum charged in the state. The fee applies to properties whose owners have two or more short-term rentals on Nantucket that are not owner-occupied, and applies to any rental commencing on or after October 1, 2024 regardless of when the lease was signed. Fisher will continue to work with property owners to ensure compliance with this new fee and will continue to collect and remit to the DOR on their behalf.

Also new for this year is the Short-Term Rental Registry that the Town has been developing since the 2022 Annual Town Meeting. This registry is officially online and is designed to track the number of short-term rentals on the island as well as maintain a standard of health and safety for both guests and the community. Any property that meets the definition of short-term rental must register with the Town and pay the annual $250 fee to receive a certificate. Owners (operators) must comply with state and local regulations such as parking, noise, and occupancy limits. Please note, this local certificate is separate from the state’s certificate.