Madison, WI Short-Term Rentals: Taxes & Fees (2026)
Key Facts
- Application fee
- $300 nonrefundable application fee
- Annual fee
- $100 annual permit fee
- Expiration
- Permits expire June 30 every year
- Late fee
- $100 late fee for renewals filed after June 30
- Room tax
- Must also register for room tax under Sec. 4.21
- Stale application
- 1+ year stale applications close and restart the $300 fee
Summary
Madison charges tourist rooming house operators a nonrefundable $300 application fee up front and a $100 annual permit fee under MGO § 9.29. Renewal permits are due by June 30 each year; filing late adds a further $100 late fee, and operators must also register with the City Treasurer to pay room tax under Sec. 4.21.
(3)Application. Any person wishing to operate a TRH shall submit an application in writing to the City Zoning Administrator along with a non-refundable application fee of three hundred ($300) dollars. Any submitted application that is not completed and still pending within one (1) year of the date the application is filed and the application fee is paid shall be administratively closed and the applicant must begin the licensing process anew. ...(10)Permit Fees. The fee for a TRH operator permit shall be one hundred dollars ($100) per year. Annual permits shall expire on the thirtieth (30) day of June after the granting thereof. Renewal permits shall be obtained on or before June 30 of each year as provided in sub. (11) below or be subject to a late filing fee of one hundred dollars ($100) in addition to the permit renewal fee. Payment of the late filing fee shall not relieve any person from any other penalties prescribed in this chapter for failure to possess or obtain a permit.
Full Breakdown
29(3) of the Madison General Ordinances, anyone applying to operate a tourist rooming house (TRH) in Madison must pay a nonrefundable $300 application fee to the City Zoning Administrator when the application is filed. If that application sits incomplete for a full year after the fee is paid, the City administratively closes it and the applicant must start the licensing process over, paying the $300 fee again. As part of the same application, the operator must show documented proof of registration with the City of Madison Treasurer's office to pay room tax as required under Sec.
21, MGO, a separate obligation layered on top of the TRH permit itself. Once a permit issues, Sec. 29(10) sets the ongoing cost of holding it: a $100 annual permit fee. Annual TRH permits expire June 30 each year regardless of the date they were granted, and operators must renew by that date. Renewing late adds a $100 late filing fee on top of the $100 renewal fee, for $200 total, and the ordinance is explicit that paying the late fee does not excuse the operator from any other penalty the chapter prescribes for operating without a valid permit.
None of these permit fees are transferable if a TRH changes hands, Sec. 29(9) requires a new operator to apply, and pay the application fee, again.
Violations & Fines
Operating past a permit's June 30 expiration without renewing, or without paying the required fees, exposes the operator to the same enforcement as operating without a permit at all, a conviction fine of $500 to $1,000 under Sec. 9.29(12), on top of the $100 late filing fee. Paying the late fee does not excuse any other penalty owed for the lapse.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Madison short-term rental permit cost?
Do I still owe room tax on top of the TRH permit fee?
What if my TRH application sits unfinished for a year?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Madison
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