Verify current registration and taxes, prepare for the January 1, 2027 Town license, and complete parcel, safety, records, flood, and insurance checks before purchase.
Start an Eastham Short-Term Rental Market Search CallVerify that the parcel lies within Eastham, identify its zoning district, and review its current use and building record before relying on the Town rental rules. Use Eastham assessment data, GIS maps, and Building Department records to document the parcel.
Chapter 116 defines a short-term rental as paid use of all or part of a residential or secondary dwelling for no more than 30 consecutive days. Chapter 116 excludes affordable or income-restricted housing and prohibited fractional, interval, and timeshare units from eligibility. Confirm the property falls outside those categories.
An owner generally may register no more than two Eastham dwelling units as short-term rentals. Chapter 116 contains a specific exception for a cottage colony that meets its definition and conditions. Confirm qualification with the Eastham Health Department. Existing operators with more than two valid certificates may retain limited renewal rights for the same units until transfer or a lapse in renewal.
Review Chapter 116’s exact ownership rules for the proposed entity. Obtain governing and beneficial-ownership documents showing that the entity and all relevant owners satisfy the ordinance, and confirm eligibility with the Health Department before applying.
Register the property annually with the Eastham Health Department through OpenGov and obtain the Massachusetts state registration number. Chapter 116 requires both Board of Health registration and applicable Department of Revenue registration before offering the dwelling.
Eastham requires rental inspection before issuing a certificate. Town guidance checks smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms, hot water, the electrical panel, doors, windows, locks, sanitation, egress, and trash storage. Town guidance may allow an inspection to remain valid for up to three consecutive rental years, subject to current program conditions, continuous registration, ownership status, and any reinspection requirement. Confirm the applicable inspection cycle with the Health Department.
For a private-well property, obtain the water testing required by current Town guidance. Review contaminant-specific thresholds and any bottled-water, retesting, treatment, or connection requirements with the Health Department. Review Health Department files and septic records for the parcel.
Register with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Covered stays in Eastham are subject to the Massachusetts room-occupancy excise, Eastham local-option room-occupancy excise, and Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund assessment. Confirm current rates and any exemption for the stay. Budget for registration, inspection, water testing, insurance, utilities, cleaning, maintenance, and platform obligations.
Match the seller and parcel through Eastham assessment data and Barnstable County Registry of Deeds records. Review Eastham and FEMA flood maps, title exceptions, condominium or association rules, insurance terms, mortgages, and other private restrictions before closing.
Contact the Eastham Health Department for rental registration, inspection, water testing, complaints, and Chapter 116 administration at 508-240-5900 ext. 3230; the Health Department page; the OpenGov application portal.
Contact the Eastham Building Department for permits and property records at 774-801-3231; the Building Department page.
Property selection and setup support: Plan a Eastham Property Strategy Call
Verify current requirements against the official sources before acquisition or operation.
Official materials verified October 9, 2026. Chapter 116 was adopted May 4, 2024 and took effect January 1, 2025. Chapter 116 governs Eastham short-term-rental definitions, eligibility, registration, ownership limits, legacy-renewal provisions, fees, and enforcement. The Town Rental Certificate Program page and Health Rental Registration FAQs describe the current application process and the Town’s inspection, safety, and water-testing requirements.
Confirm Town jurisdiction and parcel use, screen Chapter 116 ownership and property eligibility, register annually with the Eastham Health Department, complete any required inspection and, for a private-well property, required water testing, and obtain the Massachusetts registration number before offering stays.
Match the parcel through Eastham assessment data and GIS maps. Review zoning, current use, building and Health records, bedroom count, water and septic systems, flood exposure, title, insurance, and private restrictions before selecting a property.
Apply annually through the Eastham Health Department’s OpenGov process, provide the Massachusetts registration number and required documents, pay the applicable fee, complete required water testing for a private-well property, and pass any required inspection before the certificate issues.
Chapter 116 generally limits an owner to two units, subject to its defined cottage-colony exception and legacy provisions. It excludes affordable or income-restricted housing and prohibited fractional, interval, and timeshare units. Review the ordinance’s exact ownership rules for the proposed person or entity and confirm eligibility with the Health Department.
Evaluate each parcel through verified facts rather than neighborhood-wide performance claims. Compare lawful use, access, parking, septic capacity, private-well conditions, flood exposure, insurance availability, title restrictions, and proximity to the operating services the property requires.
Covered stays are subject to the Massachusetts room-occupancy excise, Eastham local-option room-occupancy excise, and Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund assessment. Register with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue and confirm current rates and any exemption for the stay.
Budget from property-specific quotes and records for acquisition, title work, inspections, registration, water testing, septic work, insurance, utilities, cleaning, maintenance, furnishings, safety equipment, taxes, and platform obligations.
Build a property-level operating model from documented acquisition and setup costs, realistic booked-night and rate assumptions, taxes, platform charges, management, cleaning, utilities, insurance, maintenance, reserves, and financing. Test conservative occupancy and repair scenarios.
Divide annual cash flow by total cash invested for cash-on-cash return. Calculate cap rate from net operating income and purchase basis before financing. Keep appreciation separate and test changes in revenue, insurance, maintenance, taxes, and major capital work.
The Eastham Health Department administers registration and inspections at 508-240-5900 ext. 3230. The Building Department handles permits and property records at 774-801-3231. Use qualified local legal, tax, title, insurance, septic, and inspection professionals, and use the labeled STR Search booking link for property identification, selection, and setup support.
