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Wisconsin Airbnb & Short-Term Rental Laws 2026

LawfulStay tracks short-term rental (STR / Airbnb / Vrbo / holiday let / vacation rental) regulations for 12 jurisdictions across Wisconsin. Select a city below for current permit requirements, tax rates, and compliance details.

11 Active 1 Pending

Wisconsin Airbnb & Vacation Rental Regulation Overview

The short-term rental regulatory landscape in Wisconsin encompasses 12 tracked jurisdictions: 11 with active regulations, 1 with pending legislation. Hosts operating on platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com should verify local requirements before listing, as rules vary significantly between cities and regions.

Approximately 75% of tracked jurisdictions in Wisconsin require some form of permit, license, or registration for short-term rental operations. Requirements range from simple online registration to comprehensive permit applications with inspections.

Tax obligations apply in 9 of 12 jurisdictions. Common taxes include occupancy taxes, tourist levies, and sales taxes. Many jurisdictions require hosts to register for tax collection, and some platforms like Airbnb collect and remit taxes automatically in select locations.

LawfulStay monitors Wisconsin STR regulations daily and updates this page as rules change. Each city page includes detailed permit requirements, fee schedules, tax rates, zoning rules, and penalty information sourced from official government websites.

Bayfield
Town of Bayfield repealed its STR licensing ordinance on March 10, 2025; STR operators no longer need a town-issued license but must still comply with county He…
Active
Door County
NO single county ordinance — each town/village sets its own rules. Three required: State TRH License (Wisconsin DATCP), Door County Tourism Zone Commission (DCT…
Active
Eagle River
Ordinance 590 adopted January 14, 2025; existing STR properties had a 120-day grace period to come into compliance. Insurance required: liability limits not les…
Active
Green Bay
Green Bay, Wisconsin launched an interactive GIS map on or around July 23, 2026 that publicly displays all permitted short-term rental locations across the city…
Active
Lake Geneva
$1,300/year city STR license (increased from $683; effective 2026). $250 late fee if renewed after January 31. Local operator within 25 miles required. Min 2 of…
Active
Madison
Operators must submit quarterly reports (ZTRHP-QR forms) to Madison Zoning within one month after each quarter ends (due Feb 1, May 1, Aug 1, Nov 1), even if no…
Active
Milwaukee
Tourist Rooming House (TRH) License via Dept. of Neighborhood Services (DNS). Allowed in residential zones with proper licensure. Property inspection mandatory …
Active
Minocqua
STR license required for any operation exceeding 10 nights/year. Every STR must have both a property owner and a resident agent/property manager on file. Proper…
Active
Sister Bay
Following the Wisconsin Court of Appeals ruling on July 14, 2026, Sister Bay's four-bedroom cap on short-term rentals is no longer enforceable. STR hosts in Sis…
Active
Sturgeon Bay
Dual-permit system: (1) City of Sturgeon Bay TRH permit (Ch. 9.05, Municipal Code); (2) Door County Tourism Zone Commission lodging permit. ADU owners must noti…
Active
Wisconsin Dells
Multi-layered permitting: State TRH License (DATCP), Sauk County/health dept approval, City Overnight Lodging License, Conditional Use Permit (CUP) if in reside…
Active
Verona
As of July 31, 2026, Verona's existing STR ordinance (adopted May 2021) remains in effect, requiring a minimum stay of 7 consecutive nights. The Common Council …
Pending

Data updated daily from official government sources.  ·  LawfulStay.com — The authoritative global STR regulations database.  ·  Data Methodology