Short-Term Rentals in Madison, WI (2026)

7 verified short-term rentals rules for Madison, Wisconsin, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.

Verified from official government sources

Short-Term Rental Permits

Operating a short-term rental in Madison, a tourist rooming house (TRH), is unlawful without a permit from the Zoning Administrator under MGO § 9.29. The Administrator inspects the unit before issuing or renewing a permit, permits cannot be transferred, and violators face fines of $500 to $1,000 per day, doubled if the permit was previously revoked.

Madison Tourist Rooming House Permit

Significant Restrictions

Madison General Ordinances § 9.29

(1)It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a tourist rooming house (TRH) in the City of Madison without a permit issued by the Zoning Administrator. ...(6)Permit Issuance. The Zoning Administrator shall grant at TRH permit upon verification of a complete TRH application and compliance with Chapter 28, MGO (Zoning Code), including specifically the zoning regulations contained in Sec. 28.1...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Taxes & Fees

Madison charges tourist rooming house operators a nonrefundable $300 application fee up front and a $100 annual permit fee under MGO § 9.29. Renewal permits are due by June 30 each year; filing late adds a further $100 late fee, and operators must also register with the City Treasurer to pay room tax under Sec. 4.21.

Madison TRH Application & Permit Fees

Some Restrictions

Madison General Ordinances § 9.29(3),(10)

(3)Application. Any person wishing to operate a TRH shall submit an application in writing to the City Zoning Administrator along with a non-refundable application fee of three hundred ($300) dollars. Any submitted application that is not completed and still pending within one (1) year of the date the application is filed and the application fee is paid shall be administratively closed and the ...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Occupancy Limits

Madison caps how many guests a licensed Tourist Rooming House can sleep: Sec. 28.151(k), MGO limits maximum tourist occupancy to the lesser of two times the number of legal bedrooms or twelve people, and children under 12 don't count toward that cap. The limit sits on top of the City's separate TRH permitting and licensing requirements.

Madison Tourist Rooming House Occupancy Cap

Some Restrictions

Madison General Ordinances § 28.151(k) (Tourist Rooming House)

(a)The Tourist Rooming House shall have a valid Tourist Rooming House Permit from the City of Madison Zoning Administrator, as required by Sec. 9.29, MGO....(k)Maximum tourist occupancy shall not exceed the lesser of two times the number of legal bedrooms in the dwelling unit or twelve (12). Children under the age of 12 shall not count toward the maximum tourist occupancy.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Night Caps

Madison caps non-owner-occupied short-term rentals at 30 nights per calendar year under WI Stat. 66.1014 and MGO Chapter 32. Owner-occupied primary residences have no night cap but the 30-day minimum stay rule applies when the owner is absent for longer periods.

Short Term Rentals: Night Caps

Heavy Restrictions

Wis. Stat. §66.1014

66.1014 Limits on residential dwelling rental prohibited. (1) In this section: (a) "Political subdivision" means any city, village, town, or county. (b) "Residential dwelling" means any building, structure, or part of the building or structure, that is used or intended to be used as a home, residence, or sleeping place by one person or by 2 or more persons maintaining a common household, to the...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Host Presence Rule

Madison Sec. 28.131 requires that tourist rooming houses be located within an owner-occupied dwelling unless the operator obtains a separate conditional use permit. Hosts generally must reside on the property as their primary residence to qualify for routine STR registration.

Host Presence Required for Tourist Rooming Houses

Some Restrictions

Wis. Stat. § 66.1014 (limits on residential dwelling rental prohibited)

66.1014 Limits on residential dwelling rental prohibited. 66.1014(1) (1) In this section: 66.1014(1)(a) (a) “Political subdivision” means any city, village, town, or county. 66.1014(1)(b) (b) “Residential dwelling” means any building, structure, or part of the building or structure, that is used or intended to be used as a home, residence, or sleeping place by one person or by 2 or more persons...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Primary-Residence-Only Rule

Madison treats short-term rentals as accessory uses to a primary residence. Operators must demonstrate that the dwelling is their principal place of habitation, typically through tax records, voter registration, or a Wisconsin driver license bearing the property address.

Primary Residence Standard for STR Registration

Some Restrictions

Wis. Stat. § 66.1014 (limits on residential dwelling rental prohibited)

66.1014 Limits on residential dwelling rental prohibited. 66.1014(1) (1) In this section: 66.1014(1)(a) (a) “Political subdivision” means any city, village, town, or county. 66.1014(1)(b) (b) “Residential dwelling” means any building, structure, or part of the building or structure, that is used or intended to be used as a home, residence, or sleeping place by one person or by 2 or more persons...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Host Platform Liability

Wisconsin Act 55 (2019) requires lodging marketplaces like Airbnb and Vrbo to collect state and local room taxes for Wisconsin listings. Madison enforces room tax under MGO Sec. 4.21 and expects valid license numbers in every listing.

Platform Tax Collection and Listing Disclosure

Some Restrictions

Wis. Stat. § 66.1014 (limits on residential dwelling rental prohibited)

66.1014 Limits on residential dwelling rental prohibited. 66.1014(1) (1) In this section: 66.1014(1)(a) (a) “Political subdivision” means any city, village, town, or county. 66.1014(1)(b) (b) “Residential dwelling” means any building, structure, or part of the building or structure, that is used or intended to be used as a home, residence, or sleeping place by one person or by 2 or more persons...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Looking for Dane County county-wide rules?

County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Madison city rules.

Short-Term Rentals in Dane County →