Winnebago County, WI Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Winnebago County, WI, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- State Preemption
- Wis. Stat. §66.1014
- Min Stay Allowed
- 7 days (cannot ban)
- State License
- DATCP Tourist Rooming House
- Oshkosh Trigger
- More than 16 nights/year
Summary
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. Winnebago County does not operate a county-wide STR permit; the City of Oshkosh requires a Short-Term Rental License plus Room Tax Permit when rented more than 16 nights per year.
66.1014 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 maintaining a common household, to the exclusion of all others. 66.1014(2) (2) 66.1014(2)(a) (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. 66.1014(2)(b) (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. 66.1014(2)(c) (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) . 66.1014(2)(d) (d) 66.1014(2)(d)1. 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. 66.1014(2)(d)2. 2. Any person who maintains, manages, or operates a short-term rental, as defined in s. 66.0615 (1) (dk) , for more than 10 nights each year, shall do all of the following: 66.1014(2)(d)2.a. a. Obtain from the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection a license as a tourist rooming house, as defined in s. 97.01 (15k) . 66.1014(2)(d)2.b. b. Obtain from a political subdivision a license for conducting such activities, if a political subdivision enacts an ordinance requiring such a person to obtain a license.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Under Wis. Stat. §66.1014(2)(b), no political subdivision may prohibit rental of a residential dwelling for 7 consecutive days or longer. For rentals of 6 to 29 consecutive days, municipalities may cap total rented days 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) under Wis. Stat. Ch. 97. Winnebago County itself does not issue STR permits. The City of Oshkosh requires a local Short-Term Rental License and Room Tax Permit when a property is rented for fewer than 29 consecutive days more than 16 nights per year. Neenah, Menasha, and town rules vary.
Violations & Fines
Operating without a DATCP Tourist Rooming House license violates Wis. Stat. Ch. 97 and may result in license suspension and forfeitures. Local permit violations carry forfeitures set by municipal ordinance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Winnebago County ban Airbnb rentals?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Winnebago County
How Winnebago County compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·Compare Winnebago County to another location·View the Wisconsin short-term rentals overview
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