Milwaukee, WI Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- State preemption
- Wis. Act 59 (2017)
- City code
- Milwaukee Ch. 105
- Host on-site rule
- Not required
- Local agent
- Required and responsive
Summary
Milwaukee does not require an owner or host to be physically present during a short-term rental stay, since Wisconsin Act 59 (2017) preempts cities from forcing primary-residence or on-site host rules for stays of six or more nights.
66.1014 Limits on residential dwelling rental prohibited. (2) (a) Subject to par. (d), a political subdivision may not enact or enforce an ordinance that prohibits the rental of a residential dwelling for 7 consecutive days or longer. (b) If a political subdivision has in effect on September 23, 2017, an ordinance that is inconsistent with par. (a) or (d), the ordinance does not apply and may not be enforced. (c) Nothing in this subsection limits the authority of a political subdivision to enact an ordinance regulating the rental of a residential dwelling in a manner that is not inconsistent with the provisions of pars. (a) and (d). (d) 1. If a residential dwelling is rented for periods of more than 6 but fewer than 30 consecutive days, a political subdivision may limit the total number of days within any consecutive 365-day period that the dwelling may be rented to no fewer than 180 days. The political subdivision may not specify the period of time during which the residential dwelling may be rented, but the political subdivision may require that the maximum number of allowable rental days within a 365-day period must run consecutively. A person who rents the person's residential dwelling shall notify the clerk of the political subdivision in writing when the first rental within a 365-day period begins.
Full Breakdown
Under Wisconsin Act 59 (2017), codified largely in Wis. Stat. §66.1014, municipalities cannot prohibit short-term rentals of six or more consecutive nights, and the Milwaukee Code Ch. 105 license framework treats hosted and unhosted stays the same once the operator holds a tourist-rooming-house license. The city does not impose a separate host-on-premises requirement. Hosts must, however, designate a local agent reachable within a set response window, and the city retains authority over noise, nuisance, and life-safety standards inside Ch. 105 and Ch. 200 building rules.
Violations & Fines
Operating a short-term rental without the required Ch. 105 license or without a designated responsive local agent can trigger citations, license non-renewal, and abatement orders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Milwaukee require me to live in my STR?
Do I still need a contact person nearby?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Milwaukee
Compare Milwaukee to another location·View the Wisconsin short-term rentals overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.