Short-term rental permit rules in Rock County, WI — also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration — list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Wis. Stat. §66.1014 preempts local STR bans for stays of 7 consecutive days or longer. Hosts renting more than 10 nights per year must hold a state Tourist Rooming House license from DATCP. Rock County does not operate a county-wide STR permit; municipal rules in Janesville, Beloit, and other jurisdictions vary.
Under Wis. Stat. §66.1014(2)(b), no political subdivision may prohibit the rental of a residential dwelling for 7 consecutive days or longer. For rentals of more than 6 but fewer than 30 consecutive days, municipalities may cap days rented at no fewer than 180 within any 365-day period. Wis. Stat. §66.1014(2)(d) requires anyone operating an STR more than 10 nights per year to obtain a Tourist Rooming House license from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). Owners must also notify the political subdivision clerk in writing when the first rental within a 365-day period begins. Rock County Planning regulates land use only in unincorporated towns; STR permitting in Janesville, Beloit, Edgerton, and other incorporated jurisdictions is governed by local ordinance.
Operating without a DATCP Tourist Rooming House license violates Wis. Stat. Ch. 97. Local permit violations carry forfeitures set by municipal ordinance.
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See how Rock County's permit requirements rules stack up against other locations.
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