Appointment Only

Building Inspection is open to the public by appointment only.

For more on appointments and other services, please see the Building Inspection Services page.

Regulations

Printable version (PDF)

Dates & Fees

As of Oct. 1, 2020, short term rentals must have a valid Zoning ZTRHP permit.
ZTRHP permitting year is July 1 to June 30 of the following year.
Fees: $100 one-time application fee and $100 annual permit fee.

Regulations for the Zoning Tourist Rooming House Permit ZTRHP1?

Obtain a valid ZTRHP Permit before advertising or renting out any TRH unit. Zoning, at City of Madison Building Inspection, manages these permits.
- We issue permits to specific hosts for specific dwelling units.
- Permit is not transferrable.
- Permit allows only the permit holder to operate a short-term rental home in the dwelling unit.
Display a valid ZTRHP permit number in all TRH ads.
Maintain the TRH as the host’s primary dwelling.*
Operate a TRH as the property owner OR a renter whose lease explicitly allows it.
If the operator does not occupy the dwelling during the rental, operate the TRH no more than thirty days per licensing year. The licensing year runs from July 1 to June 30.*
If the operator occupies the dwelling at the time of rental, there is no limit to the number of days the Tourist Rooming House may operate.*
May host two or more individuals with separate bookings at the same TRH on any shared date if host remains on site each night.*
Have Building Inspection conduct a home visit before TRH permit approval. Staff will review floor plans and verify bedroom counts. Staff will also discuss TRH regulations with hosts, and answer questions.
Provide host name on advertisements and websites that matches the permit holder name.
Verify photo ID for operator and all owners of the TRH property.
Abide by guest occupancy limits. Maximum guest occupancy is the lesser of: twice the number of legal bedrooms OR 12. Children under the age of 12 do not counted toward the guest occupancy count. See bedroom definition on Form ZTRHP1-F.
Maintain a registry on-site for inspection. The registry must include information from the current year and the year before. Registry must show:
- Name and contact information of the person who made each reservation.
- Dates of stay
- Whether operator was on or off site each night.
Submit quarterly reporting to Zoning on Feb. 1, May 1, Aug. 1 and Nov. 1, including the following items:
- Name and contact information of the person who made each reservation.
- Dates of stay for all guests during the previous quarter.
- Whether host was on or off site each night.
- List of websites and places the host has advertised the TRH in the previous quarter.
- Initial applications also request this information if applicable. Additionally, will request the websites and places operator will advertise next year.

Follow zoning regulations. Violations of regulations subject to fines of $500-$1000 per day. Violations may lead us to revoke the ZTRHP permit. We will revoke the permit if an operator misses two quarterly reporting deadlines. If we have revoked the permit, violation fines are doubled.
Report changes immediately to stay in compliance. For example, changes to floor plan, primary residence, property owner, etc.
Contact Zoning to disclose any changes before renewing ZTRHP permit. If there are no changes, submit a statement to Zoning stating there are no changes to the information. Before renewing the permit, Zoning may conduct a re-inspection.

*If TRH only operates with night stays between seven (7) and 29 consecutive nights, hosts may have more options. If host will always only operate and advertise for stays of more than seven consecutive nights, inquire at zoning about all regulations for this option.

Last Updated: 09/28/2023

Search BI services

Resources

Permit Application (PDF)

ZTRHP Permit Application Packet

Permit & License Required

Currently, all TRH operators must have a valid TRH license from Public Health before advertising or renting out any short-term rental. As of 10/1/20, all operators must also have a valid Zoning Tourist Rooming House Permit (ZTRHP).