Maine Short-Term Rental Rules by Town: Portland, Bar Harbor, Kennebunkport, Rockland and More, Fees $100 to $4,000 and Caps

Maine does not issue a state short-term rental license. Each town decides whether to regulate short-term rentals (STRs), what they cost, and whether a cap applies. State law at 30-A MRSA 4364-C(2) lets towns regulate STRs, and the state lodging tax of 9% under 36 MRSA 1811 applies on top of any local rules. In practice, the answer to what you need to rent a property in Maine depends almost entirely on the town where it sits.

This guide shows you how to find your town's rules, what the current figures look like, and what to do before your first booking. Maine short-term rental rules by town change often, so treat the figures below as a starting point and confirm them with the town before you pay anything. This is informational content, not legal or tax advice.

What You Need Before You Start

• The property address and parcel number, plus the deed or lease showing who owns or controls the unit
• Your unit count, because some towns, including Portland, set fees by how many units a property has
• A clear answer on whether you will live on site (owner-occupied or hosted) or not (non-owner-occupied or non-hosted)
• The name, phone number and email of the town clerk or code office that handles STR permits
• A written list of questions: current fee, cap status, waitlist status, and registration deadline
• If you plan to use an LLC, the Certificate of Formation and a registered agent with a Maine street address
• A login or contact with Maine Revenue Services for tax registration

Step 1: Confirm Your Property Is in an Organized Municipality

Maine has 482 organized municipalities: 23 cities, 430 towns and 29 plantations. Its 16 counties do not license ordinary businesses, so the town is the only local government you need to deal with. If your property is in the unorganized territory, the Land Use Planning Commission has required operators of short-term rentals there to file a notice since January 12, 2026. Contact the commission directly to learn which rules apply to your parcel.

Step 2: Pull the Current Ordinance and Fee Schedule

Every town sets its own STR ordinance, fee schedule and deadlines, and many change them every year. Ask the clerk or code office for three things in writing: the current ordinance, the current fee for your property type, and whether your category is capped or has a waitlist. Do not rely on a figure from a blog post, a forum or last year's schedule, including the figures in this guide.

Step 3: Compare Your Town's Current Figures

The table below lists verified figures as of 2026. Where a town uses a range, the range depends on the category, unit count or permit type that applies to your property.

Town	Current figures	Caps, deadlines and notes
Portland	$100 to $2,000 owner-occupied; $200 to $4,000 non-owner-occupied, by unit count (first to fifth unit)	Registration due January 1, per the 2026 city form
South Portland	$200 hosted; $400 non-hosted, plus a $100 fire inspection	Confirm the inspection requirement with the city
Scarborough	$200	Register by December 31, 2026
Bar Harbor	$275	The VR-2 category is capped and has a waitlist; effective December 18, 2025
Kennebunkport	$325 or $575	A cap formula and a waitlist apply; confirm which fee tier fits your property
Kennebunk	$250 for a new registration; $150 for renewal	Confirm whether any cap applies
Kittery	$100, or $750 for non-owner-occupied	Capped; confirm current availability
Rockland	$250 to $325 initial	No more than 45 non-owner-occupied permits a year (Land Use fee schedule, July 13, 2026)
Camden	$350 to $1,000	Confirm which fee applies to your property
Freeport	$100	Limited to 300 registrations per cycle, with a lottery
Bangor	Confirm the fee with the city	Non-hosted rentals are capped at 1% of dwelling units

Towns With No Reported STR Ordinance

Lewiston, Auburn and Augusta have no STR ordinance reported. York voters rejected an STR ordinance in May 2024. Other towns may be studying rules now. No ordinance does not mean no rules, because zoning, the 9% lodging tax and state business filings still apply. Ask the code office whether your property's zone allows short-term rental use.

Step 4: Choose the Right Business Structure

How you own the rental affects which filing you make. Sole proprietors and general partners file a sworn assumed-name certificate with the municipal clerk where the business is carried on, under 31 MRSA 1. The clerk sets that fee. An LLC or corporation files with the Maine Secretary of State instead:

• Certificate of Formation (Form MLLC-6): $175 filing fee under 31 MRSA 1531. Maine does not accept online formation filings, so print the fillable PDF and mail or deliver it with payment.
• Name reservation (Form MLLC-1): $20, which holds the name for 120 days. Your name must include words such as limited liability company, or an abbreviation such as LLC.
• Expedited service: $50 for 24 Hour Service or $100 for Immediate Service, subject to staffing and high volume.
• Annual Report (Form MLLC-13): $85, due June 1 each year. The first report is due between January 1 and June 1 of the year after formation.
• Assumed name for an LLC or corporation (Form ASUM-5): $125 at the Secretary of State, if you operate under a name other than the entity name.

Every Maine LLC must keep a registered agent. A noncommercial agent needs a physical street address in Maine, not a P.O. Box. Changing an agent is filed on Form CLKRA-3 for $35. Maine has no LLC franchise tax, so the $85 annual report is the only recurring state filing charge. Maine taxes LLCs as pass-throughs by default, so members report income on their individual returns. Confirm your structure with a CPA or attorney before you file.

Step 5: Apply for Your Town Registration

Submit the town application with the required fee and documents, including proof of ownership or lease authority and your unit count. If your town is capped, ask where you stand on the waitlist and whether the cap is set per property, per unit or per zone. Get the approval or waitlist position in writing before you list the property. A town may not approve your application in the current cycle, so plan for a delay before you buy or move in.

Step 6: Register for State Taxes

The state lodging tax of 9% applies to short-term stays under 36 MRSA 1811. Maine's general sales tax rate is 5.5%. Before your first booking, use the Maine Revenue Services site at https://www.maine.gov/revenue/ and its sales tax permit page at https://revenue.maine.gov/_/ to confirm which registration you need and how to report and remit the tax. Ask a CPA how the tax applies to your specific income and rental arrangement.

Step 7: Keep Your Permit and Filings Current

Put every deadline on a calendar: the town registration date (such as Portland's January 1 date or Scarborough's December 31, 2026 date), your LLC annual report due June 1, any inspection, and each renewal. Check the town's fee schedule again before each renewal, because figures change yearly.

Tips and Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming there is a state license. Maine has no state STR license. Your filings are with the town and, for an entity, with the Secretary of State.
• Quoting old fees. Always confirm with the clerk or code office before you budget.
• Buying into a capped town without a permit. In capped towns such as Bar Harbor, Kennebunkport, Kittery and Rockland, a permit may not be available when you need it.
• Treating no ordinance as no rules. Zoning, the lodging tax and your business filings still apply.
• Missing a deadline. A late registration can cost you a booking season even if the fee is small.
• Using a P.O. Box as the registered agent address. A noncommercial agent needs a physical Maine street address.
• Forgetting the fire inspection. South Portland adds a $100 fire inspection to its fee. Ask other towns whether they require one.

Expected Results

A complete, on-time filing may help you operate under your town's current rules without interruption. Owners who confirm figures in writing before they apply may avoid paying for a permit that has changed. In capped or waitlisted towns, the timeline is harder to predict, so you may need to wait before you can accept guests. Results depend on your town, your property and the rules in effect when you apply.

Get Professional Advice for Complex Situations

If you own several units, plan to rent in a capped or waitlisted town, or hold the property in an entity, speak with a qualified Maine attorney and a CPA before you file. This article is informational content only. It is not legal or tax advice, and it does not replace the written rules of your town or the Maine Revised Statutes.

Official resources: Maine Secretary of State, Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions, https://www.maine.gov/sos/corporations-commissions. Maine Revenue Services, https://www.maine.gov/revenue/. Maine Small Business Development Centers, https://www.mainesbdc.org/.