Short-Term Rental Laws in Bar Harbor, Maine

Bar Harbor (Acadia National Park gateway) operates a cap-based STR framework: VR-1 (Owner-Occupied) allowed in residential zones with permit + safety inspection; VR-2 (Non-Owner-Occupied / Investor) restricted to designated commercial zones AND capped at approximately 240 town-wide permits. The cap was tightened in 2023 (from prior ~300) to balance tourism economy against year-round housing supply. Existing VR-2 permits transfer with property but new permits issue only when existing ones lapse.

VR-1 (Owner-Occupied): allowed in all residential zones provided primary-residence test met + safety inspection passed. VR-2 (Non-Owner-Occupied): restricted to Village Residential, Downtown Village, and certain commercial zones; capped at ~240 permits town-wide. Hancock County (Mount Desert Island unincorporated) has its own framework for properties outside Bar Harbor town limits. Most properties in the Acadia adjacent areas fall under Bar Harbor town jurisdiction.

Operators must hold a short-term rental permit before listing. See the official permit portal.

Bar Harbor Town Planning + Code Enforcement administer. Annual permit renewal with safety re-inspection. Operating without permit: $500+ administrative penalty + back-tax to Maine Revenue Service. Cap waitlist for new VR-2 permits is published quarterly; secondary-market value of existing VR-2 permits is embedded in property pricing.

Combined short-term lodging tax in Bar Harbor is approximately 9.000% of gross nightly revenue (state sales + state TRT + local TRT + applicable resort/city options).

Maine State Lodging Tax 9% + small local options — combined ~9% on transient lodging (Maine has unified state lodging tax)

Verify the current combined rate via the Utah State Tax Commission before remitting — rates drift quarterly.