City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Greenwich, CT
How Greenwich regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Short-term rentals here are subject to registration, a lodging tax, or a small number of operating rules.
- Short-term Residential Rental is a permitted principal use by-right in all residential zones (RA-4, RA-2, RA-1, R-20, R-12)
- Whole-home / absentee STR is allowed by-right — no primary-residence, host-present, night, or frequency cap
- STR-specific operating conditions exist (must be in a CO'd dwelling, egress per State Building Code, lodging-only use, no concurrent rooming/boarding house)
- No STR-specific licensing or registration process in force
- Narrow carve-out only: STR of accessory (ADU) units and Below-Market-Rate dwelling units is prohibited — not a device on the general housing stock
Based on: Greenwich Building Zone Regulations, Division 9, Sec. 6-93(a)(3) 'Short-term Residential Rental' (adopted/effective
Summary of the rule
Sec. 6-93. PERMITTED USES IN RA-4, RA-2, RA-1, R-20 AND R-12 Zones. (a) The following principal uses are permitted ... and all other principal uses are expressly excluded: ... (3) Short-term Residential Rental subject to the following (1/27/2022): a. A Short-term rental shall be permitted only in those portions of a structure covered by a Certificate of Occupancy for a dwelling unit. b. All rooms rented for the purposes of sleeping must have emergency [e]scape and rescue openings in conformance with the Connecticut State Building Code. c. The Short-term rental shall only be used for lodging-type uses. Nonlodging uses, including, but not limited to, parties, receptions, weddings, filming, photo shoots, corporate retreats and fundraisers, is prohibited. d. Short-term Residential Rental is considered separate and apart from a rooming house (Section 6-5(43)) or a boarding housing (Section 6-5(4)) and both are not permitted on a given property at the same time. e. Short-term Residential Rental of accessory units (Section 6-99) or of Below Market Rate Dwelling Units (6-110(b)(5)) is prohibited.
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Last reviewed Sep 14, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
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