Newton, Mass., City Ordinances §§ 20-160–20-168 (2020) § 20-165
Enforcement, Violations and Penalties
Operative Text
(a) Enforcement. The Inspectional Services Department and the Newton Police Department or their designees
shall be responsible for enforcement of this ordinance, including any rule or regulation promulgated
hereunder, and shall institute all necessary administrative or legal action to assure compliance.
(b) Notice of violation. The Commissioner or designee shall issue a written notice of any violation of this
article. Said notice shall describe the prohibited condition and order that it be remedied within thirty (30)
days of receipt of the notice.
(c) Penalties. Any Operator who violates any provision of this article shall be subject to suspension or
termination of the certificate to operate a Short Term Rental and a fine of not more than three hundred
dollars ($300.00) for each violation. Each day a violation occurs shall be a separate offense. The
Commissioner shall notify the Massachusetts Commissioner of the Department of Revenue of all such
suspensions or terminations. Where non-criminal disposition of this section by civil fine has been provided
for in sections 17-22 and 17-23 of these revised ordinances, as amended, pursuant to the authority granted
by G.L. c. 40, section 21D, said violation may be enforced in the manner provided in such statute. The civil
penalty for each such violation is set forth in section 17-23(c).
(d) Violations of building, health, or fire code. Any action by the Commissioner to suspend, terminate or issue
fines under this section shall not bar any other separate action by any other City Department for health, fire
safety, building code or any other violations.
(e) Failure to Register. Any person who offers or operates a Short Term Rental without a valid and current
certificate of registration from the Inspectional Services Department pursuant to this article, and the record
owner of the property offered or operated as a Short Term Rental, shall be fined three hundred dollars
($300.00) per violation. Each day’s failure to comply with a notice of violation or any other order shall
constitute a separate violation. Where non-criminal disposition of this section by civil fine has been
provided for in sections 17-22 and 17-23 of these revised ordinances, as amended, pursuant to the authority
granted by G.L. c. 40, section 21D, said violation may be enforced in the manner provided in such statute.
The civil penalty for each such violation is set forth in section 17-23(c).Newton, Mass., City Ordinances § 20-165 establishes a framework for enforcing the city's short-term rental rules. Operators who violate the article's requirements can face fines of up to $300 per violation, with each day of ongoing non-compliance counted as a separate offense, and may also have their short-term rental certificate suspended or revoked. Anyone who offers or operates a short-term rental without a valid registration certificate faces a flat $300 fine per violation, again on a per-day basis, and the property's record owner shares that liability.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 20-165, compliant short-term rental operators in Newton maintain a current certificate of registration issued by the Inspectional Services Department and promptly address any written notice of violation within the 30-day remedy window. Operators who receive a notice should be aware that each day a violation persists is treated as a separate offense, meaning fines of up to $300 can accumulate daily. Certificate suspensions or terminations are reported by the Commissioner to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, and separate enforcement actions by other city departments for building, health, or fire code issues remain possible regardless of any action taken under this section.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 20-165 of Newton's city ordinances gives tenants and the public a basis for understanding what accountability mechanisms apply to short-term rental operators in the city. If a property is being operated as a short-term rental without a valid registration certificate, both the operator and the record owner of the property are subject to fines, which may be relevant context when evaluating a rental arrangement. Individuals who believe a short-term rental is operating in violation of Newton's rules may contact the Inspectional Services Department or the Newton Police Department, which are the bodies designated to receive complaints and initiate enforcement action under this provision.
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.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.