Waukesha County, WI Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Waukesha County, WI, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- County STR permit
- None countywide
- State license
- DATCP tourist rooming house
- License trigger
- >10 nights/year, <30 days
- Who permits locally
- City / village / town
- Statute
- Wis. Stat. 66.1014
Summary
Waukesha County sets no countywide STR permit. Statewide, anyone renting fewer than 30 days for more than 10 nights a year needs a DATCP tourist rooming house license; your city, village or town may add a local permit.
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.
Full Breakdown
Wisconsin regulates short-term rentals primarily at the state level. Under Wis. Stat. 66.1014 and DATCP rules, a residential dwelling rented for periods under 30 consecutive days for more than 10 nights per year is a "tourist rooming house" needing a state license from the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). Waukesha County itself imposes no separate countywide STR permit; permitting inside Waukesha, Brookfield, New Berlin, Oconomowoc and the villages is set by each municipality. Unincorporated towns under county zoning may address rentals through zoning, but the operating license is the state DATCP license.
Violations & Fines
Operating an unlicensed tourist rooming house can bring DATCP enforcement, fines and orders to cease operation until licensed. Local penalties vary by municipality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Waukesha County STR permit?
What triggers a state license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Waukesha County
How Waukesha County compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·Compare Waukesha County to another location·View the Wisconsin short-term rentals overview
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