City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Dennis, MA
How Dennis regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Short-term rentals here operate under a registration or permit system with ongoing operating rules.
- Registration required
- Inspection required
- Active enforcement
Based on: Town Code Ch.113 (Housing Space and Use) — Board of Health Rental Occupancy Certificate / Short-Term Rental
Summary of the rule
Town of Dennis Code Ch. 113 (Housing Space and Use), adopted 1978, amended in entirety 1993: §113-1 any owner/agent offering any building or portion for rent/lease for habitation must first register with the Health Department, which determines legal occupancy and issues a posted certificate of registration in accordance with the MA Sanitary Code and Dennis Zoning Bylaws; §113-3 annual fee per dwelling. Registration + occupancy-determination PROCESS only — NO cap, per-owner/per-parcel limit, primary-residence requirement, night-cap, or residential-zoning exclusion in the chapter.
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 9, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Dennis · system last checked Oct 24, 2026
Owners in Dennis
Following Dennis adds it to the Followed cities list on your ASTRO dashboard, linked to its city page.
Add a home to the ASTRO registry and confirm ownership of it.
City Watch tracks changes from public sources — council agendas, state bills, local news — not a complete legal compendium.
A city permit is not the whole picture — HOA, condominium, deed, or lease rules may be stricter.
City Watch provides good-faith summaries of publicly available information as of the review date shown. Rules, enforcement, and permit availability can change, and summaries may contain errors or omissions. Ratings describe the general regulatory environment; they do not establish whether a particular property or stay is permitted. This is general information, not legal advice. Before buying, listing, or hosting, verify applicable requirements with the responsible authorities and review any HOA, condominium, deed, or lease restrictions.