Do I need a permit for short-term rentals in Bar Harbor?

**Yes**, Bar Harbor requires a Short-Term Rental Registration. The fee for this registration is $250. There are two types of registrations: VR-1 for primary residences and VR-2 for investment properties. The VR-2 permits are capped at 9% of total housing units, making them difficult to obtain.

What is the TOT tax rate in Bar Harbor?

**9% TOT** is the current transient occupancy tax rate for short-term rentals in Bar Harbor, Maine. Hosts are responsible for collecting this tax from guests and remitting it to the town. Check with the town's finance department for details on how to properly collect and remit these taxes to ensure compliance.

Are short-term rentals allowed in Bar Harbor?

**Yes**, short-term rentals are allowed in Bar Harbor, ME, but they are strictly regulated. The town operates a two-tiered registration system. Non-primary residence rentals (VR-2) are subject to a town-wide cap of 9% of total housing units, so obtaining a permit for this category can be challenging due to the cap.

Do I need to live in my property to rent it on Airbnb in Bar Harbor?

**No**, you do not necessarily need to live in the property to rent it on Airbnb in Bar Harbor. However, the town has two different registration types. If the property is not your primary residence, it falls under the VR-2 registration, which is subject to a town-wide cap limiting the number of permits available.

Can renters host on Airbnb in Bar Harbor?

**No**, tenants are not permitted to host on Airbnb or other short-term rental platforms in Bar Harbor. The short-term rental regulations are designed for property owners who have the right to rent out their property. Renters need to secure explicit written permission from the property owner before listing any rental unit.

Bar Harbor

Moderate

MaineUpdated Apr 17, 2026

Gold-standard verification1% sourced

Cross-referenced against 3 official sources — municipal codes, planning-department pages, and government registries.

Verified Jan 30, 2026Sources 3

Summary

Plain-english overview

Bar Harbor strictly regulates short-term rentals through a two-tiered registration system (VR-1 for primary residences and VR-2 for investment properties). Non-primary residence rentals (VR-2) are subject to a town-wide cap of 9% of total housing units, and permits for this category are currently difficult to obtain due to the cap.

Restriction level

Severity 33

Classification

Moderate

Severity

Why this classification

Standard permit fee: $250
Limited to 1 property per owner
Tenants cannot host
Permit required
No night cap
No primary residence requirement

In plain English

What this means for you

To host an Airbnb in Bar Harbor, you must register your property with the Town and pay a $250 annual fee. If the home you are renting is not your primary residence (where you live for 7 months of the year), you fall into the 'VR-2' category, which is currently capped; you may need to join a waitlist if the cap has been reached. All hosts must provide proof of $1 million in liability insurance and pass a safety inspection. You also need a Maine state tax ID to collect the mandatory 9% lodging tax.

At a glance

Key numbers

Permit requiredYes

Night limitNone

Primary residenceNot required

Total tax rate0.1%

Permit fee$250

Processing time2-4 weeks

7 things hosts often miss

Common compliance gaps

1Bar Harbor caps VR-2 (non-primary residence) rentals at 9% of total housing units.
2A VR-2 permit cannot be transferred to a new owner upon sale of the property.
3You must reside in a VR-1 property for at least 7 months of the year to qualify for that category.
4Minimum stay in Bar Harbor is 2 nights; 1-night stays are prohibited.
5The 9% state lodging tax must be paid, but there is no additional local town tax.
6Failure to register can result in daily fines of up to $2,500.
7VR-2 permits must be renewed annually by May 31st or they are forfeited back to the town pool.

Regulation details

Sourced from official code

Eligibility11 rules

Bar Harbor limits hosts to a maximum of 1 STR properties per owner.
Bar Harbor, ME: Your HOA can prohibit short-term rentals even if the city allows them. Check your CC&Rs before applying.
Bar Harbor, ME: You can have a co-host or property manager help manage your listing.
Bar Harbor: Your HOA can prohibit short-term rentals even if the city allows them. Check your CC&Rs before applying.

Requirements18 rules

Bar Harbor: You must reside in a VR-1 property for at least 7 months of the year to qualify for that category.
Bar Harbor: VR-2 permits must be renewed annually by May 31st or they are forfeited back to the town pool.
Bar Harbor requires liability insurance for STR hosts. Minimum coverage: 1,000,000. Proof of liability insurance specifically covering short-term rentals is required.

Application process11 rules

Bar Harbor, ME extended permit requirement: Fees are $250 for VR-1 and $250 for VR-2, plus inspection fees if applicable.
Bar Harbor STR permit - Step 4: Schedule Inspection. Schedule a safety inspection with the Fire Department or Code Enforcement. Time: 7 days.

Fees & costs1 rule

Bar Harbor charges a registration fee of $250 (annual).

Taxes3 rules

Bar Harbor: The 9% state lodging tax must be paid, but there is no additional local town tax.
Maine has a state sales tax of 5.5% that applies to STR rentals.
Bar Harbor charges a Maine Lodging Tax of 9%. This applies to stays under 28 days. Platforms like Airbnb collect and remit this tax. Note: Airbnb and VRBO generally collect and remit the 9% Maine State Lodging Tax directly.

Limits & restrictions9 rules

Bar Harbor limits stays to a maximum of 29 nights.
Bar Harbor: Each person can only register ONE property for short-term rental. You cannot legally operate multiple STRs.
Bar Harbor limits STRs to a maximum of 2 guests. Formula: 2 persons per bedroom plus 2 additional persons

Safety requirements1 rule

Bar Harbor requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, fire inspection, posted maximum occupancy, posted emergency contact, Egress windows must meet code, Annual fire inspection for VR-2 properties.

Penalties4 rules

Bar Harbor, ME: Repeated violations can result in permanent permit revocation. You would lose the ability to operate any STR.
Bar Harbor enforces the following penalties for STR violations: First offense: $100 - $2,500 per day. Second offense: $2,500 - $5,000 per day. Third offense: Permit Revocation. Daily fine: Each day of violation is a separate offense. Permit may be revoked for violations.

Exemptions3 rules

Bar Harbor exempts the following from STR regulations: long-term rentals (30+ days).
Bar Harbor, ME: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).
Bar Harbor: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).

Frequently asked questions

5 answered

Disclaimer

Regulatory information is AI-researched from public city/county codes for educational purposes. Details may be outdated or incomplete. Always verify requirements directly with your city/county planning department before operating a short-term rental.

Researched & verified by Learn STR at GoStudioM

Bar Harbor

Moderate

MaineUpdated Apr 17, 2026

Gold-standard verification1% sourced

Cross-referenced against 3 official sources — municipal codes, planning-department pages, and government registries.

Verified Jan 30, 2026Sources 3

Summary

Plain-english overview

Restriction level

Severity 33

Classification

Moderate

Severity

Why this classification

Standard permit fee: $250
Limited to 1 property per owner
Tenants cannot host
Permit required
No night cap
No primary residence requirement

In plain English

What this means for you

At a glance

Key numbers

Permit requiredYes

Night limitNone

Primary residenceNot required

Total tax rate0.1%

Permit fee$250

Processing time2-4 weeks

7 things hosts often miss

Common compliance gaps

1Bar Harbor caps VR-2 (non-primary residence) rentals at 9% of total housing units.
2A VR-2 permit cannot be transferred to a new owner upon sale of the property.
3You must reside in a VR-1 property for at least 7 months of the year to qualify for that category.
4Minimum stay in Bar Harbor is 2 nights; 1-night stays are prohibited.
5The 9% state lodging tax must be paid, but there is no additional local town tax.
6Failure to register can result in daily fines of up to $2,500.
7VR-2 permits must be renewed annually by May 31st or they are forfeited back to the town pool.

Regulation details

Sourced from official code

Eligibility11 rules

Bar Harbor limits hosts to a maximum of 1 STR properties per owner.
Bar Harbor, ME: Your HOA can prohibit short-term rentals even if the city allows them. Check your CC&Rs before applying.
Bar Harbor, ME: You can have a co-host or property manager help manage your listing.
Bar Harbor: Your HOA can prohibit short-term rentals even if the city allows them. Check your CC&Rs before applying.

Requirements18 rules

Bar Harbor: You must reside in a VR-1 property for at least 7 months of the year to qualify for that category.
Bar Harbor: VR-2 permits must be renewed annually by May 31st or they are forfeited back to the town pool.
Bar Harbor requires liability insurance for STR hosts. Minimum coverage: 1,000,000. Proof of liability insurance specifically covering short-term rentals is required.

Application process11 rules

Bar Harbor, ME extended permit requirement: Fees are $250 for VR-1 and $250 for VR-2, plus inspection fees if applicable.
Bar Harbor STR permit - Step 4: Schedule Inspection. Schedule a safety inspection with the Fire Department or Code Enforcement. Time: 7 days.

Fees & costs1 rule

Bar Harbor charges a registration fee of $250 (annual).

Taxes3 rules

Bar Harbor: The 9% state lodging tax must be paid, but there is no additional local town tax.
Maine has a state sales tax of 5.5% that applies to STR rentals.
Bar Harbor charges a Maine Lodging Tax of 9%. This applies to stays under 28 days. Platforms like Airbnb collect and remit this tax. Note: Airbnb and VRBO generally collect and remit the 9% Maine State Lodging Tax directly.

Limits & restrictions9 rules

Bar Harbor limits stays to a maximum of 29 nights.
Bar Harbor: Each person can only register ONE property for short-term rental. You cannot legally operate multiple STRs.
Bar Harbor limits STRs to a maximum of 2 guests. Formula: 2 persons per bedroom plus 2 additional persons

Safety requirements1 rule

Bar Harbor requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, fire inspection, posted maximum occupancy, posted emergency contact, Egress windows must meet code, Annual fire inspection for VR-2 properties.

Penalties4 rules

Bar Harbor, ME: Repeated violations can result in permanent permit revocation. You would lose the ability to operate any STR.
Bar Harbor enforces the following penalties for STR violations: First offense: $100 - $2,500 per day. Second offense: $2,500 - $5,000 per day. Third offense: Permit Revocation. Daily fine: Each day of violation is a separate offense. Permit may be revoked for violations.

Exemptions3 rules

Bar Harbor exempts the following from STR regulations: long-term rentals (30+ days).
Bar Harbor, ME: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).
Bar Harbor: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).

Frequently asked questions

5 answered

Disclaimer

Researched & verified by Learn STR at GoStudioM

Summary

Restriction level

Why this classification

In plain English

At a glance

7 things hosts often miss

Regulation details

Frequently asked questions

1Do I need a permit for short-term rentals in Bar Harbor?

2What is the TOT tax rate in Bar Harbor?

3Are short-term rentals allowed in Bar Harbor?

4Do I need to live in my property to rent it on Airbnb in Bar Harbor?

5Can renters host on Airbnb in Bar Harbor?

Disclaimer

Summary

Restriction level

Why this classification

In plain English

At a glance

7 things hosts often miss

Regulation details

Frequently asked questions

1Do I need a permit for short-term rentals in Bar Harbor?

2What is the TOT tax rate in Bar Harbor?

3Are short-term rentals allowed in Bar Harbor?

4Do I need to live in my property to rent it on Airbnb in Bar Harbor?

5Can renters host on Airbnb in Bar Harbor?

Disclaimer