City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Springfield, MA
How Springfield regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Rules here limit which homes may operate as short-term rentals, how many, where, or for how many nights a year.
- Every permitted STR category requires owner-occupancy of the dwelling
- Whole-home / absentee STR has no category and is foreclosed
- Owner-adjacent units allowed only in owner-occupied 2- or 3-family dwellings
- City operator permit, registration, and annual safety inspection required
- Guest and bedroom caps (max 8 guests, max 4 bedrooms offered)
Based on: Springfield Revised Ordinances Chapter 238 (Short-Term Rentals), enacted by the City Council 2020 (introduced/adopted
Summary of the rule
Residential units offered as a short-term rental in Springfield shall either be home share units, limited share units, or owner-adjacent units.
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 14, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Springfield · system last checked Oct 24, 2026
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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.