Amesbury, Mass., Code of Bylaws ch 376 § 376-8
Violations and penalties; actions for noncompliance (Amesbury Rental Property)
Operative Text
A. Complaints shall be made to the Inspectional Services Department, and investigation shall commence within 30 days. Violations may, at the compliance officer's discretion, result in a warning or the maximum appropriate fine. Three or more complaints within a six-month period will result in the dwelling or bedrooms in the dwelling no longer being eligible to that property owner for use as a short-term rental for a period of six months following the most recent violation. B. Violations may include but are not limited to: (1) Offering an ineligible dwelling or bedroom for lease. (2) Violation of any applicable law, ordinance, rule, or regulation. (3) Failure to observe the limitation of days per year. (4) Failure to include required parking information. (5) Violation of parking requirements. (6) Noise complaints. (7) Trash complaints. (8) Failure to furnish a community information card to guests or furnishing one without the required minimum information. (9) Failure to remit any required excise tax or surcharge as required by law. (10) Failure to pay property taxes or surcharges on the property. C. Property owners who are found to be out of compliance with the requirements of this licensing article and/or its related Short-Term Rental Bylaw by the enforcement agent or their designee are subject to fines and penalties, including immediate revocation of their short-term rental license, and one or more of the following: (1) A fine of $250 per day for each individual day that is out of compliance to be levied by the City of Amesbury against the property owner. (2) Immediate revocation of the property owner's short-term rental license by the enforcement agent (Inspectional Services Department as warranted). D. Should the short-term rental license be revoked, the property may not be in any way used as a short-term rental until a new license is applied for and granted by the licensing board. No such license shall be granted so long as the property is in violation of any requirement of this article or any applicable law, ordinance, rule, or regulation.
Amesbury, Mass., Code of Bylaws CH. 376 § 376-8 establishes a complaint-driven enforcement process for short-term rental violations in the city. Complaints are directed to the Inspectional Services Department, which must begin an investigation within 30 days; outcomes can range from a warning to a fine of $250 per day for each day of noncompliance. Accumulating three or more complaints within a six-month window can strip a property owner of short-term rental eligibility for six months, and repeated or serious violations can trigger immediate license revocation, after which the property cannot operate as a short-term rental until a new license is applied for and granted.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of short-term rentals in Amesbury should be aware that CH. 376 § 376-8 gives the Inspectional Services Department broad authority to investigate complaints and impose escalating consequences. Compliant operators generally keep their listings current and eligible, meet all parking and noise requirements, provide guests with a complete community information card, and stay current on excise taxes and property surcharges. Because three complaints within six months can result in a six-month loss of eligibility—and serious violations can trigger immediate license revocation at $250 per day—maintaining ongoing compliance with every requirement of the licensing article is a standard practice among responsible short-term rental operators.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Neighbors and guests affected by a short-term rental operating in violation of Amesbury's rules can file a complaint with the Inspectional Services Department under CH. 376 § 376-8, which requires an investigation to begin within 30 days. The provision covers a wide range of potential violations, including noise, trash, parking, and failure to provide required guest information, giving complainants multiple grounds on which to raise concerns. Those who believe a short-term rental is operating unlawfully may also consult a local tenant-rights organization or housing attorney to understand what remedies or enforcement paths may be available to them.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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