Sandwich, Mass., Gen. Bylaws ch. 12 (2025) § 12.01
Definitions
Operative Text
SHORT-TERM RENTALS (STR) - defined as owner-occupied, tenant-occupied or non- owner-occupied property including, but not limited to, an apartment, house, cottage, condominium or a furnished accommodation that is not a hotel, motel, boarding or lodging house, or guesthouse, inn or bed and breakfast establishment, where at least one room or unit is rented to an occupant or occupants for 2-30 consecutive days at a time; and all accommodations are reserved in advance. All STRs shall be transient in nature and not rented to the same occupant(s) month to month.
Section 12.01 of Sandwich's Short-Term Rental bylaw establishes what qualifies as a short-term rental (STR) within the town. The definition covers a broad range of residential property types—whether owner-occupied or not—where at least one room or unit is rented for 2 to 30 consecutive days, booked in advance, and not repeatedly rented to the same occupant on a month-to-month basis. Hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and similar lodging establishments are explicitly excluded from this classification.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners operating or considering a rental in Sandwich should understand that § 12.01 sets the threshold for what the town considers an STR: advance-reserved stays of 2 to 30 consecutive days in a non-hotel residential property. Compliant operators generally ensure their rentals are transient in nature and avoid arrangements where the same guest occupies the unit on a recurring monthly basis, which would take the rental outside the STR definition. Understanding this boundary helps operators determine whether their property falls under the STR regulatory framework established by ch. 12.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants and guests staying in Sandwich residential properties should be aware that § 12.01 defines the type of arrangement that qualifies as a short-term rental under town bylaws. If a stay is 2 to 30 consecutive days, booked in advance, and not a recurring month-to-month arrangement, it likely falls under the STR definition and the associated regulations of ch. 12. Tenants who believe their housing situation is being misclassified under this definition may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or review the full bylaw for further guidance.
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.