Madison STR hosts must complete an annual registration with Public Health Madison Dane County, pass a life-safety inspection, post the license number in listings, and renew each year under MGO Chapter 32.
Madison STR registration requires: completed Tourist Rooming House application, floor plans showing sleeping rooms and egress, proof of state DATCP license, parking plan, 24/7 local contact, smoke and CO detector certification, proof of primary residency (if claimed), and payment of license fees. Public Health Madison Dane County conducts an initial and periodic inspection. Once approved, the host receives a license number that must be displayed on every listing (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com) and inside the unit. Licenses expire annually and must be renewed before expiration. Changes of ownership require a new license.
Unregistered listings can be reported by neighbors or detected by platform scraping. Violations carry MGO forfeitures and platform takedown requests.
See how Madison's registration rules rules stack up against other locations.
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