Rental Rules by City / Free checklist / Block Island

Is my Block Island rental legal? Checklist

Washington County, Rhode Island · Based on our Block Island page, last verified Oct 24, 2026 · Print

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📋 The Basics

Can I rent my place short-term here?: Yes, with a license or tax registration
Do I need a permit?: Yes, with annual town registration.
What taxes do I pay?: Total about 8%. Check your Airbnb payout report to see which ones Airbnb collects; you pay the rest yourself.

Your 3 steps to be legal

Register by Dec 31.
Name an island representative.
Show the number in listings.

⚠️ Biggest risk: Over-occupying beyond septic capacity.

Words confusing? See the glossary. Details and official sources are below.

This is the general rule for Block Island. Does your address qualify?

The free info covers the city as a whole. Your property can still be different: zoning can change from one street to the next, and an HOA or condo ban can stop rentals even where the city allows them. The penalties Block Island lists are on the Block Island page.

Your $49 Compliance Check looks at your exact property:

Whether your exact address and zone allow short-term rentals
A check of HOA / condo rental restrictions to look for
Which permits and tax accounts you personally need
What you're missing right now
A personal report with clear next steps and official sources, by email
A refund if we report a rule in error (refund policy)

🔎 How we check: official city, county and state sources, a last-verified date on every page, and nothing guessed. Learn more

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Rules don't change every week, but they do change, and nobody emails you when they do. We'll alert you when city rules, tourist taxes, HOA-related laws, or Airbnb/Vrbo policies change in Block Island. Cancel anytime.

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Permit / license / registration

Registration: Town registration before guests, $200/yr, due Dec 31; number on every listing.

Zoning, where allowed & definitions

Limits: 2 people per bedroom, capped by septic capacity; island representative answers within 2 hours. Fines up to $200/day.

Night limits, minimum stays & occupancy

Not listed on our page: Verify with the city/county before renting.

Fees, penalties & pending changes

Not listed on our page: Verify with the city/county before renting.

Taxes & who collects them

Register / account for Rhode Island sales tax (7%)
Register / account for RI hotel tax (whole-house rentals) (1%)
What Airbnb collects: Verify in payouts which taxes your platform remits.
Vrbo and direct bookings: check which taxes Vrbo collects in your area; for direct bookings you collect and remit all of them yourself.

Total rate: 8%. 8% for whole-house rentals (7% sales tax + 1% hotel tax). Renting a room, not the whole house: the hotel tax is 7% instead of 1%. Source: RI Division of Taxation hotel tax page. Calculate.

HOA / condo check

Read your declaration, bylaws and rules for rental bans, minimum terms, caps and approval requirements.
Get any association sign-off or approval letter your city or association requires.
See our HOA & condo guide.

Insurance

Confirm your homeowner/condo policy covers short-term rental use, or add a short-term rental policy. Platform host protection is not a substitute for insurance.
Ask your association whether it requires specific liability coverage.

Deadlines

Renew city/county permits or registrations on their schedule (often annually): confirm the date with the office that issued it.
File state and local lodging tax returns on the schedule your tax office assigns.

Official sources

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Not legal or tax advice. Last verified Oct 24, 2026. Rules and rates change: confirm with the official sources linked before you rent or file.