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Vineyard Haven, MA

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STR Regulations for Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts

Overview and Direct Answer

Short-term rentals (STRs) are allowed in Vineyard Haven (Town of Tisbury), MA. State law regulates and taxes STRs island-wide, and towns may add local rules. As of 2025, Tisbury caps rentals to a maximum of 75 nights per calendar year and is implementing inspections tied to the state’s new building code. Other Martha’s Vineyard towns (e.g., West Tisbury, Chilmark, Edgartown, Oak Bluffs) are also moving forward with restrictions. Edgartown is forming a committee and plans to consider a zoning bylaw; Oak Bluffs is studying the market to inform future rules.

Bottom line: yes—STRs are permitted in Vineyard Haven, but they are subject to both state taxes and local constraints.

Source: Vineyard Gazette article summarizing island-wide STR regulatory efforts (Vineyard Haven/Tisbury caps; towns adopting rules). vineyardgazette.com/news/2025/01/09/vineyard-towns-begin-put-restrictions-short-term-rentals

What do Airbnb hosts actually earn in Vineyard Haven?

Vineyard Haven hosts earn a median $41,405/year with $619 ADR and 58% occupancy.

Top performers pull in $72,804+ per year.

See the full Vineyard Haven market breakdown

Market Context for STR Investors

  • The Vineyard has approximately 4,000 short-term rentals registered with the state.
  • STRs generated about $9.3 million in tax revenue across the six towns in FY2024.
  • Price trends: the average weekly price for a three-bedroom rental jumped about 52% between 2019 and 2024, then began to correct as travel patterns normalized.
  • Concern: year-round housing stock pressure is driving municipal regulation; the industry remains economically significant to island businesses.

Source: Vineyard Gazette reporting. vineyardgazette.com/news/2025/01/09/vineyard-towns-begin-put-restrictions-short-term-rentals

How to Start a Short-Term Rental Business in Vineyard Haven (Tisbury), MA

  1. Register with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR)
  • Obtain a Room Occupancy Excise Registration Certificate for each rental unit you operate as an STR operator.
  • Collect and remit state (5.7%) and local room occupancy excise taxes on all rentals 31 days or fewer.
  • You must collect taxes on the total consideration, including cleaning/service fees and other charges; refundable deposits are not taxed.

Source: DOR operator registration and guidance. www.mass.gov/info-details/room-occupancy-excise-tax#operator-registration-

  1. Register with the Town of Tisbury
  • Complete local STR registration via Tisbury’s online permitting portal under Building & Zoning → Short-Term Rental.
  • Anticipated fees (per unit): annual registration fee $115; inspection fee $75 (biannual).
  • You will be subject to health and safety inspections as required under the state’s new building code (town implementation is in process).

Source: Tisbury portal and fee instructions. tisburyma.portal.opengov.com/categories/1071/record-types/1006482

  1. Maintain Required Insurance
  • Maintain at least $1,000,000 in liability insurance covering short-term rental activity.
  • Provide required disclosures to renters if you or a platform list the property. Check whether your homeowners policy covers STR-related liability; many do not and may require endorsement or separate coverage.

Source: State and local guidance on STR insurance. www.marthasvineyardrentals.org/short-term-rental-tax; www.islandrealestatemv.com/ma-short-term-rental-tax

  1. Tax Compliance and Remittance
  • State tax: 5.7%.
  • Local excise tax: Tisbury/Vineyard Haven rate is 6% (applies to total consideration as defined by state law).
  • Plan for optional community impact fees of up to 3% that towns may adopt for professionally managed properties; no town on the island has adopted this yet.

Source: State statute (Chapter 337 of 2018); island tax rate summaries. malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2018/Chapter337; www.marthasvineyardrentals.org/short-term-rental-tax; www.islandrealestatemv.com/ma-short-term-rental-tax; www.tealaneassociates.com/blog/new-short-term-rental-law-massachusetts-chapter-337-explained

  1. Prepare for Inspections
  • Expect inspections under the state building code (effective July). Tisbury’s building inspector is adding capacity to handle the increased workload.
  • Budget inspection costs ($75 each as listed locally) and build a compliance schedule.

Source: Vineyard Gazette (state building code inspection changes). vineyardgazette.com/news/2025/01/09/vineyard-towns-begin-put-restrictions-short-term-rentals

Required Documents, Permits, Licenses, and Guidelines

  • Room Occupancy Excise Registration Certificate (state, per unit)
  • Local Tisbury STR registration via online portal (per unit)
  • Liability insurance certificate ($1 million minimum)
  • Tax registration and remittance setup (state and local)
  • Compliance with state building code and local inspection requirements
  • Required insurance and rental disclosures to guests (as applicable)

Registration portal and links:

Specific Regulations: Vineyard Haven/Tisbury (City-Level)

  • Maximum rental nights: 75 nights per calendar year per STR unit (Tisbury limit).
  • Inspections: Required under the state building code; Tisbury implementing inspection capacity and fees.
  • Tax obligations: 5.7% state + 6% local excise; apply to total consideration (rent plus cleaning/fees).
  • Registration: Required with both state and town; fees apply.
  • Enforcement: Building inspections and local registration enforcement are active/partly in rollout.

Sources: Vineyard Gazette (75-night cap; inspections); Tisbury portal (registration/fees); state/local tax rate summaries. vineyardgazette.com/news/2025/01/09/vineyard-towns-begin-put-restrictions-short-term-rentals; tisburyma.portal.opengov.com/categories/1071/record-types/1006482; www.marthasvineyardrentals.org/short-term-rental-tax; www.islandrealestatemv.com/ma-short-term-rental-tax

County and State-Level Context (Martha’s Vineyard and Massachusetts)

  • State statute: Massachusetts Chapter 337 (2018) regulates and taxes STRs. Key features:
    • Applies to rentals of 31 days or fewer; requires state registration and local registration.
    • Exemptions: rentals for 14 days or fewer per calendar year are exempt from the excise tax; however, registration and insurance requirements still apply.
    • Insurance: $1 million liability coverage required.
    • State building code inspections: in effect by July (state-level), with local inspectors responsible.

Source: Full text of Chapter 337. malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2018/Chapter337

  • County/municipal notes:
    • The Cape Cod & Islands Water Protection Fund (CCIWP) is not yet active on Martha’s Vineyard because DEP has not published the “suitable equivalent plan” criteria that towns must meet to opt in. No town is automatically in CCIWP.
    • A community impact fee of up to 3% for professionally managed properties (e.g., multiple units) is optional and not adopted island-wide to date.

Sources: Island REIT summary (CCIWP status, impact fee); DOR registration guidance. www.islandrealestatemv.com/ma-short-term-rental-tax; www.mass.gov/info-details/room-occupancy-excise-tax#operator-registration-

Other Vineyard Towns’ Evolving Rules (For Context)

  • West Tisbury: Rules finalized—minimum two-night stay; owners may rent only one property; owner must reside in the property at least 30 days annually.
  • Tisbury: 75-night cap; inspections under new building code.
  • Chilmark: Considering bylaw at 95 nights/year with exemptions for existing rentals.
  • Edgartown: Highest number of rentals (~1,400); formed committee and plans to consider a zoning bylaw allowing rentals while evaluating additional restrictions.
  • Oak Bluffs: Undertaking a study on vacation rentals to inform future rules.

Source: Vineyard Gazette town-by-town overview. vineyardgazette.com/news/2025/01/09/vineyard-towns-begin-put-restrictions-short-term-rentals

Contact Information

Sources: Tisbury portal, DOR registration, local phone numbers. tisburyma.portal.opengov.com/categories/1071/record-types/1006482; www.mass.gov/info-details/room-occupancy-excise-tax#operator-registration-; www.marthasvineyardrentals.org/short-term-rental-tax

Important Notes for Investors

  • Market dynamics: Strong 2024 tax revenue, rising prices, and signs of normalization. Be prepared for price sensitivity and competition as caps and inspections roll out.
  • Operational readiness: Because Tisbury caps nights and inspections are coming, treat compliance and scheduling as core operations—not an afterthought.
  • Registration sequence: Secure state DOR registration first, then complete local Tisbury registration, and implement insurance and inspection workflows early.
  • Local variability: Other towns are still formalizing their rules; monitor West Tisbury, Chilmark, Edgartown, and Oak Bluffs for bylaw changes that may influence investor strategy.

Sources: Market trends and town actions. vineyardgazette.com/news/2025/01/09/vineyard-towns-begin-put-restrictions-short-term-rentals

Links to Source Pages (for full text and updates)

This guide is current as of 2025 and focuses specifically on Vineyard Haven/Tisbury and the applicable state framework. Always confirm the latest town bylaw updates and inspection schedules before making investment or operating decisions.

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Vineyard Haven

Market Saturation Score

036912
Mild Saturation
3/ 12
months with declining YoY revenue
2–4 declining months: early saturation pressure - watch for trend persistence.
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Photos of Vineyard Haven

Overview of Vineyard Haven

Vineyard Haven is a small harbor village and the principal ferry port of Martha's Vineyard, the well-known island off the southeastern coast of Massachusetts. It forms part of the town of Tisbury in Dukes County, where the combined year-round population sits in the low thousands, swelling considerably in summer. The village has a working, lived-in quality that sets it apart from the more overtly polished corners of the island, with shingled storefronts, a deep natural harbor, and a steady rhythm shaped by the arrival and departure of boats. It is best known as the gateway to Martha's Vineyard for visitors arriving by ferry from the mainland, and it sits roughly seventy miles south-southeast of Boston, reached by a drive of about an hour and a half to Woods Hole followed by a forty-five-minute ferry crossing.

A short drive east of Vineyard Haven, the neighboring town of Oak Bluffs draws visitors with its celebrated cluster of nineteenth-century Carpenter Gothic cottages, the brightly painted "gingerbread" houses ringing Trinity Park. The town also claims the Flying Horses, the oldest continuously operating platform carousel in the United States, and a lively harborfront with restaurants and a town beach. Oak Bluffs is roughly ten to fifteen minutes from Vineyard Haven by car, making it an easy day trip for renters who want variety without a long drive.

To the southeast, about fifteen minutes away, lies Edgartown, once a prominent whaling port and now the island's most architecturally polished town. Its streets of white-clapboard captains' houses, the old whaling church at the head of the harbor, and the adjacent Chappaquiddick ferry slip give it a distinctly New England character. Edgartown is also the jumping-off point for South Beach, a broad, often-surfed barrier beach on the island's south side.

At the western tip of the island, roughly forty minutes from Vineyard Haven, the small community of Aquinnah is home to the dramatic multicolored clay cliffs of Gay Head, a striking geological formation that overlooks the Elizabeth Islands and the open Atlantic. The surrounding clay plains and ocean overlooks make it one of the most photographed spots on the island. Back in the village itself, the Martha's Vineyard Museum, housed in a historic building near the harbor, offers exhibits on the island's maritime, Native American, and whaling history.

Vineyard Haven makes a compelling base for short-term rentals precisely because it offers a balanced version of the island experience: a genuine, year-round harbor village rather than a purely seasonal resort, walkable access to ferries and basic services, and a central location from which guests can reach Oak Bluffs, Edgartown, Aquinnah, and the island's many beaches with relatively short drives. That combination of convenience, authenticity, and proximity to the Vineyard's marquee sights continues to draw a steady stream of visitors throughout the warmer months and into the shoulder seasons.

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