Short-Term Rental Regulations
A Short-Term Rental (STR) is the rental of any partial or whole structure for sleeping accommodations for less than 30 consecutive nights. In Wisconsin law, this type of operation is called a Tourist Rooming House (TRH).
Rules and Regulations
- You must obtain a valid ZTRHP Permit before advertising or renting out any TRH unit. The Zoning Department in the City of Madison Building Inspection Division manages these permits.
- We issue permits to specific hosts for specific dwelling units
- The permit is not transferable
- The permit allows only the permit holder to operate a short-term rental home in the dwelling unit
- You must display a valid ZTRHP permit number in all TRH ads.
- The short-term rental must be the host’s primary dwelling while operating a TRH and for the 12 consecutive months prior to beginning operation of a TRH. If the TRH only operates with night stays between seven (7) and 29 consecutive nights, hosts may have more options. If the host will always only operate and advertise for stays of more than seven consecutive nights, inquire at Zoning about all regulations for this option.
- You must 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, the TRH may not operate more than thirty (30) days per licensing year. The licensing year runs from July 1 to June 30. If the TRH only operates with night stays between seven (7) and 29 consecutive nights, hosts may have more options. If the host will always only operate and advertise for stays of more than seven consecutive nights, inquire at Zoning about all regulations for this option.
- If the operator occupies the dwelling at the time of rental, there is no limit to the number of days the TRH may operate. If the TRH only operates with night stays between seven (7) and 29 consecutive nights, hosts may have more options. If the host will always only operate and advertise for stays of more than seven consecutive nights, inquire at Zoning about all regulations for this option.
- You may host two or more individuals with separate bookings at the same TRH on any shared date if the host remains on site each night. If the TRH only operates with night stays between seven (7) and 29 consecutive nights, hosts may have more options. If the host will always only operate and advertise for stays of more than seven consecutive nights, inquire at Zoning about all regulations for this option.
- Building Inspection will contact the ZTRHP applicant to schedule a home visit before ZTRHP permit approval. Staff will go through all habitable spaces of the dwelling unit, including spaces that will not be rented to guests, in order to verify floor plans and bedroom counts. Staff will also discuss ZTRHP regulations with hosts and answer questions during the home visit.
- You must provide a host name on advertisements and websites that matches the permit holder’s name.
- The operator and all owners of the TRH property must have a verified photo ID.
- Maximum guest occupancy is the lesser of twice the number of legal bedrooms, or 12 people. Children under the age of 12 do not count toward the guest occupancy count. See bedroom definition on Form ZTRHP1-F.
- You must maintain a registry on-site for inspection. The registry must include information from the current year and the year before. The registry must show:
- Name and contact information of the person who made each reservation.
- Dates of stay
- Whether the operator was on or off-site each night.
- Submit Quarterly Reporting (QR) to Zoning within one month after a quarter ends, but do not submit before the quarter ends. QR due dates are February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1, and must include the following items:
- List of websites and places the host has advertised the TRH in the previous quarter.
- Name and contact information of the person who made each reservation.
- Dates of stay for all guests during the previous quarter.
- Whether the host was on or off-site each night.
- Initial applications also request this information. If the host has never advertised or hosted, “No advertising” and “No rentals” must be entered onto the application forms requesting this information.
- You must follow zoning regulations. Violations of regulations are subject to fines of $500-$1000 per day. Violations may lead us to revoke the ZTRHP permit. We may revoke the ZTRHP permit if an operator misses two quarterly reporting deadlines, or for incomplete QR forms or other violations. If we have revoked the permit, the violation fines are doubled.
- Report changes immediately to stay in compliance. For example: changes to floor plan, primary residence, property owner, contact information, or anything else that differs from what Zoning has on file for your ZTRHP permit.
- Contact Zoning to disclose any changes before renewing your ZTRHP permit. If there are no changes, submit a statement to Zoning that confirms there are no changes to the information already on file for your ZTRHP permit. Before renewing the permit, Zoning may conduct a re-inspection.
Required Permits & Licenses
You need three permits/licenses before you can operate or advertise a short-term rental. Contact the department that issues each permit with questions about it: