City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Camden, ME
How Camden 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.
- Annual STR license required (Town Code Ch. 215)
- Residential (owner-primary-residence) STR vs Commercial (absentee) STR classes; commercial whole-home permitted and uncapped
- 24/7 responsive operator required for commercial STRs
Based on: Town of Camden Code Ch. 215 (Rentals, Short-Term) + Ch. 290 (Zoning) district regs; voter-approved, effective January
Summary of the rule
All Short-Term Rentals shall be licensed with the Town of Camden annually (Ch. 215). The codified §215-9 Eligibility has only: (A) record owners may apply; (B) a Residential Short-Term Rental must be the owner's primary residence; (C) a Commercial Short-Term Rental (absentee/whole-home, owner does not claim primary residency) requires a 24/7 responsive operator. Commercial/absentee whole-home STR is PERMITTED and UNCAPPED — there is no license cap, lottery, one-per-lot, or residential-zone exclusion in the enacted code. A real STR-specific licensing process with whole-home permitted = Regulated.
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 14, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Camden · system last checked Oct 25, 2026
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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.