Eastham, Mass., Code of Bylaws ch 305 § 305-1

General provisions (Eastham Rental of Premises to Be Used for Human Habitation)

In Force
Verified 11/11/2026 · Next check 12/11/2026
EasthamRental Registration

Operative Text

Eastham, Mass., Code of Bylaws ch 305 § 305-1
In order to protect the health, safety and well being of the occupants of the housing and the general public the Eastham Board of Health adopts the following regulations. A. No person shall rent or lease, or offer to rent or lease, any building or any portion of a building to be used for human habitation without first registering with the Board of Health, which shall determine the number of persons such building or portion of a building may lawfully accommodate under the provisions of the Massachusetts State Sanitary Code, and without first also conspicuously posting within such building or portion of a building a certificate of registration provided by the Board of Health specifying the number of persons such building or portion of a building may lawfully accommodate. B. No tenant shall lease, rent or occupy any building or any portion of a building subject to the provision of this chapter if, at the time of such lease, rental or occupancy, the number of persons occupying such building or portion of a building exceeds the number of persons authorized to occupy such building or portion of a building, by a certificate of registration if issued and posted, or, if no certificate of registration is issued or posted, the number of persons that may be lawfully accommodated as determined by the Board of Health, under the Massachusetts State Sanitary Code. C. There shall be a fee to be set by Board of Selectmen to procure a certificate of registration which shall be valid until December 31 of each year. The landlord may apply annually for a certificate of registration conditional on Board of Health receipt of acceptable, current potable water test results tested by certified laboratory. D. Any certificate of registration issued under this chapter shall be revoked if, at any time, the granting authorities are satisfied that the building or portion of the building does not meet the requirements of 105 CMR 410.000 : State Sanitary Code, Chapter II, Minimum Standards of Fitness for Human Habitation, and relevant Town of Eastham bylaws and regulations as to the building structure itself and those persons residing therein or staying overnight. The granting authority may suspend and make inoperative, for such period of time as they may deem proper, the certificate mentioned herein for any cause deemed satisfactory to them. The revocation and suspension shall not be made until after investigation and a hearing or after giving the certificate holder an opportunity to be heard. Notice of the hearing shall be delivered to the holder not less than three days before the time of said hearing. E. Any violation of any provision of this regulation shall be punishable by a fine consisting of no more than $300 for each day existing. F. This regulation shall not apply to boarding and lodging houses or motels licensed under Chapter 140 , Section 23 of the General Laws or establishments licensed under Chapter 140 , Section 2 of the General Laws. G. This may be enforced by an Eastham police officer, Health Agent, or other designee.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Eastham, Mass., Code of Bylaws CH. 305 § 305-1 establishes a registration system for rental housing in Eastham, Massachusetts, administered by the Eastham Board of Health. Before any building or portion of a building may be rented for human habitation, it must be registered with the Board of Health, which sets the maximum lawful occupancy based on the Massachusetts State Sanitary Code, and a certificate of registration must be visibly posted on the premises. Tenants may not occupy a unit if the number of occupants exceeds the authorized limit shown on the posted certificate, or the Board's determination if no certificate exists. Certificates are annual, require an approved potable water test, and can be suspended or revoked after a hearing if the property fails to meet applicable health and safety standards.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on November 11, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under CH. 305 § 305-1, property owners and managers in Eastham who rent or offer to rent residential space are generally expected to register with the Eastham Board of Health before any tenancy begins, obtain a certificate of registration that reflects the Board-determined occupancy limit, and post that certificate conspicuously within the rental unit. Compliant operators renew this certificate annually, submitting current potable water test results from a certified laboratory and paying the fee set by the Board of Selectmen. Operators also take care to ensure that the number of occupants never exceeds the limit stated on the certificate, since violations can result in fines of up to $300 per day and potential revocation of the certificate following a hearing.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

CH. 305 § 305-1 gives tenants in Eastham a right to know the lawful occupancy limit for their unit, which should be reflected on a certificate of registration posted visibly within the building. If no certificate is posted, or if the number of people in the unit exceeds the authorized limit at the time of occupancy, the tenancy may be in violation of this provision. Tenants who have concerns about missing or inaccurate registration certificates, or about overcrowding conditions, can contact the Eastham Board of Health or reach out to a tenant-rights organization for general guidance on available options.

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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Related Rules

§ 244.210
Manner of registering
§ 244.230
Posting
§ 165.10
JUST CAUSE ENFORCEMENT FEE

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