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7/1/2024
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LaMountain, Vella-Wilkinson legislation on short-term rental disclosures becomes law
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STATE HOUSE — A new law introduced by Sen. Matthew L. LaMountain and Rep. Camille F.J. Vella-Wilkinson requires the disclosure of certain information on short-term rental listings.
The law (2024-S 2410Aaa, 2024-H 7465Aaa) requires hosting platforms offering short-term rental of residential property for tourist or transient use to disclose on their listings the current, valid registration number and its expiration date.
“Not only does this tighten the regulations to make the Department of Business Regulation registry function more efficiently,” said Senator LaMountain (D-Dist. 31, Warwick, Cranston). “it will also prevent legitimate short-term rental owners from being undercut by an unregistered competitor.”
Under the law, any hosting platform that offers short-term rentals without requiring the owner to display the registration number will be subject to a civil fine of $250 per day per violation, with each property listing constituting a separate violation.
“This is also legislation that will greatly help municipalities that have borne the brunt of less-than-legitimate short-term rentals,” said Representative Vella-Wilkinson (D-Dist. 21, Warwick). “When the owners of these short-term rentals go rogue and don’t register the properties, it also means that municipalities are missing out on any taxes that should be paid.”
The law also requires a hosting platform to provide to the Department of Business Regulation, on a quarterly basis, an electronic report of the listings maintained, authorized, facilitated or advertised by the hosting platform within the state for the applicable reporting period.
The measure will take effect on Jan. 30, 2025.
For more information, contact:
Daniel Trafford, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401)222-1922
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