Short-Term Rentals in Ashwaubenon, WI

Ashwaubenon maintains 112 local ordinances across all categories, and 6 of those deal specifically with short-term rentals. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Ashwaubenon falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Repeat Violator Strikes

Ashwaubenon can revoke a short-term rental license after three or more police, building-inspection, or health-department calls for nuisance activity at the property within a twelve-month period. Village Code Section 6-13-30(B)(3) ties the threshold to the Chronic Nuisance Premises definition in Section 11-1-26.

Key details: Strike threshold: 3+ calls in 12 months. Qualifying calls: Police, inspection, or health dept.. Cross-reference: Sec. 11-1-26 Chronic Nuisance Premises. Deciding body: Village Board. Appeal window: 10 business days.

Three or more calls for police service, building inspection, or the health department tied to nuisance activity or law violations at the rental within twelve months exposes the license to revocation, suspension, or nonrenewal by the Village Board under Section 6-13-30(B)(3). Separately, Section 6-13-31 subjects Article 13 violations to a Municipal Court bond-schedule forfeiture, in addition to any license action.

Compared to other cities, Ashwaubenon takes a harder line on repeat violator strikes. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Taxes & Fees

Ashwaubenon requires every short-term rental to collect and remit a 10% room tax under Village Municipal Code Chapter 12, Article 3, on top of a Village license carrying a fee set by the annually updated Village Fee Schedule rather than a flat dollar figure written into the ordinance itself.

Key details: Room tax rate: 10% of gross rental receipts. Payment schedule: Monthly, due by the 20th. Late-payment forfeiture: 25% of prior year's tax or $5,000, lesser. License fee: Set by Village Fee Schedule, not fixed in code. Confidentiality: Returns confidential under 12-3-141.

A delinquent room tax carries a forfeiture under Section 12-3-143 of 25 percent of the room tax due for the previous year, or $5,000, whichever is less, on top of the tax actually owed. The tax becomes delinquent 30 days after the return's due date or after an extension expires. Separately, nonpayment of the Village or Brown County room tax is a listed ground for the Village Board to revoke the underlying short-term rental license under Section 6-13-30(B).

Night Caps

Ashwaubenon caps every licensed short-term rental at 180 rental days within any rolling 365-day license period under Section 6-13-22(C)(1) of the Municipal Code, the maximum a Wisconsin municipality may set under Wis. Stat. § 66.1014, and requires a license at all once a property is rented more than 10 nights a year.

Key details: Annual rental-day cap: 180 days per 365-day period. License trigger: More than 10 nights/year. Minimum single booking: 6 consecutive nights. State ceiling: Wis. Stat. § 66.1014 floors it at 180. Notice requirement: Report first rental date in writing.

Renting a short-term rental beyond the 180-day annual cap, or operating more than 10 nights a year without a license at all, violates Section 6-13-22 and is grounds for license revocation, suspension or nonrenewal, plus the general Article 13 penalty under Section 6-13-31: a forfeiture as set in the Village Municipal Court bond schedule under Section 1-1-13.

Insurance Requirements

Ashwaubenon requires every short-term rental owner to carry insurance on the rented home and prove it with the license application under Section 6-13-22(C)(16), while any licensed Property Manager must separately carry casualty and liability coverage of at least $300,000 per person and $1,000,000 aggregate under Section 6-13-27(11).

Key details: Owner insurance proof: Required at application and renewal. Property Manager coverage minimum: $300,000 per person. Property Manager aggregate minimum: $1,000,000. Insurer must be: Wisconsin OCI-authorized. Filed with: Community Development Department.

Operating a short-term rental without the owner's required proof of insurance on file, or acting as a Property Manager without the $300,000/$1,000,000 casualty and liability coverage Section 6-13-27(11) demands, is a violation of Article 13's licensing standards and can block issuance or renewal of the license or Property Manager Permit, in addition to the general forfeiture set under Section 6-13-31 and Section 1-1-13.

Noise Rules

Sec. 6-13-22(C)(5) of the Village of Ashwaubenon Municipal Code requires that 'There shall not be excessive noise, fumes, glare, vibrations generated during the use' of any licensed short-term rental. Sec. 6-13-22(C)(9) limits any outdoor event held at a short-term rental to no longer than one day, occurring only between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., and requires that 'Any activities shall be in compliance with other noise regulations of the Village.' These standards work together with the Sec. 11-1-23(J) public-nuisance rule against animals or fowl that 'by frequent or habitual howling, yelping, barking, crowing or making of other noises, greatly annoys or disturbs a neighborhood' and the Village's general noise ordinance at Sec. 9-06. Article 13 of Chapter 6 was adopted under Wis. Stat. Sec. 66.1014 (the Wisconsin short-term rental statute) and Wis. Stat. Sec. 61.35 (village zoning).

Key details: Noise Ban: Sec. 6-13-22(C)(5) bans 'excessive noise, fumes, glare, vibrations' from any short-term rental. Event Limit: Sec. 6-13-22(C)(9) limits outdoor events to one day between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.. Compliance Requirement: Sec. 6-13-22(C)(9) requires compliance with 'other noise regulations of the Village'. Property Manager: Sec. 6-13-26 requires a Property Manager within 25 miles, available 24 hours a day. License Revocation: Sec. 6-13-30(B)(3) allows license revocation after 3 nuisance-related calls in 12 months.

Generating excessive noise from a licensed STR violates Sec. 6-13-22(C)(5) and is independently subject to the Village's general noise ordinance at Sec. 9-06. Sec. 6-13-31 imposes penalties under the Sec. 1-1-13 forfeiture and bond schedule of the Village Municipal Court, and Sec. 6-13-31(B) preserves all 'remedies of injunction, abatement or costs.' Three or more nuisance-activity enforcement actions in a 12-month period make the property a Chronic Nuisance Premises under Sec. 11-1-26 and a basis for license revocation by the Village Board under Sec. 6-13-30(B)(3). Sec. 11-1-26(H)-(I) sets forfeitures of $1.00 to $1,000.00 for a first offense and $200.00 to $2,000.00 for a subsequent offense within 24 months, and Sec. 11-1-26(F) authorizes the Chief of Public Safety to assess the cost of police response as a special charge after the third nuisance call.

Short-Term Rental Parking Rules

Sec. 6-13-27(A)(3) of the Ashwaubenon Municipal Code sets the off-street parking standard for short-term rentals: 'Not less than one (1) onsite off-street parking spaces for every four (4) occupants based upon maximum occupancy.' Sec. 6-13-24(B)(6) requires every STR license application to include a 'Site plan including available onsite parking,' and Sec. 6-13-22(C)(4) provides that 'No vehicular traffic shall be generated that is greater than normally expected in the residential neighborhood.' Sec. 6-13-22(C)(8) prohibits any 'recreational vehicles (RVs), camper, tent, or other temporary lodging arrangement' on site as additional accommodations for paying guests. Maximum occupancy is set under Sec. 6-13-27(A)(2) at 150 sq ft of habitable floor space for the first occupant plus 100 sq ft for each additional occupant, which drives the required parking count.

Key details: Requirements: Sec. 6-13-27(A)(3) requires 1 onsite off-street parking space per 4 occupants at. Requirements: Sec. 6-13-24(B)(6) requires the application to include a site plan showing onsite. Sec. 6-13-27(A)(2): Sec. 6-13-27(A)(2) caps occupancy at 150 sq ft for the first occupant. Two-person maximum: Two-person maximum on any premises without a separate enclosed bedroom (Sec. 6-13-27(A)(2)). Hours/Times: Sec. 6-13-22(C)(8) bans RVs, campers, and tents as additional on-site guest lodging.

Operating an STR with fewer than the off-street parking spaces required by Sec. 6-13-27(A)(3) at the licensed maximum occupancy, or with on-site RVs, campers, or tents serving as additional guest lodging in violation of Sec. 6-13-22(C)(8), is a violation of Article 13. Sec. 6-13-31 imposes penalties under Sec. 1-1-13 and the Village Municipal Court bond schedule and preserves all remedies of injunction, abatement, and costs. Sec. 6-13-30(B) allows the Village Board to revoke an STR license for failure to comply with annual inspection (Sec. 6-13-30(B)(4)), failure to maintain required licensing (Sec. 6-13-30(B)(5)), or three or more nuisance-related enforcement actions in 12 months under Sec. 11-1-26.

The Bottom Line

Ashwaubenon's short-term rentals rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Ashwaubenon is broadly strict or permissive.

All of the above reflects Ashwaubenon's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.