City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Rockland, ME
How Rockland 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.
- Hard citywide cap of 45 non-owner-occupied short-term rental permits, in force since March 15, 2018
- City Council in July 2024 considered and rejected a phase-out of non-owner-occupied permits, leaving the 45-unit cap as the operative status quo (no expansion, no repeal)
- Cap represents just over 1% of housing stock per council reporting
Based on: Rockland Code of Ordinances Ch. 19 (Zoning), §19-302 (definitions) and §19-309 (Short Term Rental standards), STR
Summary of the rule
Rockland Code of Ordinances Ch. 11 §11-210: "No more than 45 non-owner occupied short-term rental permits shall be issued annually... New applications... may be issued after March 15, in the order in which they are received until the number reaches 45." A maxed/foreclosing citywide cap on non-owner-occupied whole-home STR entry (in force since 2018; July 2024 phase-out proposal rejected 3-2, leaving the cap regime intact).
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 15, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
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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.