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.
Under Madison General Ordinance Sec. 28.131, a tourist rooming house in residential zones is permitted only when operated by an owner-occupant living on-site. A non-owner-occupied STR requires a conditional use approval from the Plan Commission, demonstrating compatibility with the neighborhood. Wisconsin Act 59 (2017) blocks Madison from outright banning rentals of six or more nights, but the state explicitly preserves local registration, zoning, and occupancy rules. Operators must register annually with the City Clerk and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP).
Operating a non-owner-occupied tourist rooming house without conditional use approval is a zoning violation, with daily forfeitures and potential injunctive action by the City Attorney.
Madison, WI
Madison treats short-term rentals as accessory uses to a primary residence. Operators must demonstrate that the dwelling is their principal place of habitati...
Madison, WI
Madison requires all short-term rentals to obtain a Tourist Rooming House license under MGO Chapter 32 and state DATCP. Non-owner-occupied STRs are capped at...
See how Madison's host presence rule rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.