Janesville, WI Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)

Section 42-440(b)(1)a.9 lists bed and breakfast establishments for one to four boarders as a permitted use in the R1 Single-Family and Two-Family Residence District, requiring no conditional use review. Once a host wants five to eight boarders, Section 42-440(b)(1)b.7 moves the use into the conditional use category and layers on specific conditions: the establishment must hold a valid permit from the County Health Department, operate out of an owner-occupied single-family dwelling, employ no outside staff, and cap the maximum designed occupancy at eight boarders plus the residents of the home.

A floor plan showing the number of rentable rooms and each room's maximum occupancy must be kept on file with the Building Division so the eight-boarder ceiling can be checked room by room. Parking is tied to the room count too: one stall per boarding room on top of the two stalls required for the house itself. Any sign advertising the bed and breakfast is limited to four square feet, must be unlit, and cannot exceed five feet in height. The conditional use standard also caps how long any one guest can stay, at 14 consecutive days per registered boarder, which distinguishes the use from a long-term rental.

A conditional use permit for the larger tier goes through the Plan Commission process in Section 42-272, including a public hearing and mailed notice to property owners within 400 feet.