Are there rental limits in Madison?

Strict 30-day annual limit on unhosted rentals (entire home stays).

What are the key requirements for Madison hosts?

Must have occupied the property as a primary residence for 12 months before starting.

What should Madison hosts know about corporate entities (llcs, trusts) cannot?

Corporate entities (LLCs, Trusts) cannot be the STR 'Operator'.

What should Madison hosts know about adus are only eligible if?

ADUs are only eligible if the operator lives in the ADU itself, not the main house.

What are the key requirements for Madison hosts?

Permit number must be visible in the first two lines of all online descriptions.

Madison

Prohibited

WisconsinUpdated Apr 18, 2026

Gold-standard verification1% sourced

Cross-referenced against 0 official sources — municipal codes, planning-department pages, and government registries.

Verified Feb 10, 2026Sources 0

Summary

Plain-english overview

Short-term rentals in Madison require multiple permits, must be the operator's primary residence, and are limited to 30 days per year for unhosted stays.

Restriction level

Severity 100

Classification

Prohibited

100

Severity

Why this classification

Primary residence required
Owner-occupied required
Strict night cap: 30 nights/year
Limited to 1 property per owner
Permit required
Reporting required
Tenants can host

In plain English

What this means for you

To host a short-term rental in Madison, the property must be your primary residence where you live at least 183 days a year. You need a city zoning permit, a health department license, and a room tax registration. If you are not present during the guest's stay, you can only rent the home for a total of 30 nights each year.

At a glance

Key numbers

Permit requiredYes

Night limit30/year

Primary residenceRequired

Total tax rate0.2%

Permit fee$100

Processing time2-4 weeks

5 things hosts often miss

Common compliance gaps

1Strict 30-day annual limit on unhosted rentals (entire home stays).
2Must have occupied the property as a primary residence for 12 months before starting.
3Corporate entities (LLCs, Trusts) cannot be the STR 'Operator'.
4ADUs are only eligible if the operator lives in the ADU itself, not the main house.
5Permit number must be visible in the first two lines of all online descriptions.

Regulation details

Sourced from official code

Eligibility8 rules

Madison allows STRs in the following property types: Single Family, Condo, Apartment, Multi-unit (host unit only).
Madison: Your HOA can prohibit short-term rentals even if the city allows them. Check your CC&Rs before applying.
Madison: You can have a co-host or property manager help manage your listing.

Requirements15 rules

Madison: Permit number must be visible in the first two lines of all online descriptions.
Madison STR warning: Corporate entities (LLCs, Trusts) cannot be the STR 'Operator'.
Madison STR warning: Permit number must be visible in the first two lines of all online descriptions.
Madison STR warning: Strict 30-day annual limit on unhosted rentals (entire home stays).

Application process9 rules

How to set up an STR in Madison: To host a short-term rental in Madison, the property must be your primary residence where you live at least 183 days a year. You need a city zoning permit, a health department license, and a room tax registration. If you are not present during the guest's stay, you can only rent the home for a total of 30 nights each year.

Fees & costs1 rule

Madison charges a registration fee of $100 (annual). Extended/additional fee: $300 (A non-refundable $300 application fee is required for new permits; the $100 fee is the recurring annual permit fee.).

Taxes2 rules

Madison charges a City of Madison Transient Room Tax of 0.1%. This applies to stays under 30 days. Platforms like Airbnb collect and remit this tax. Note: Airbnb and VRBO remit Madison Room Tax and State Sales Tax directly.
Wisconsin has a state sales tax of 0.05% that applies to STR rentals.

Limits & restrictions7 rules

Madison limits STRs to 30 nights per year. This applies to unhosted rentals.
Madison: Strict 30-day annual limit on unhosted rentals (entire home stays).
Madison: Each person can only register ONE property for short-term rental. You cannot legally operate multiple STRs.
Madison occupancy calculation: Lesser of (2 per bedroom) or 12 total. Count your bedrooms to determine your max guest limit.

Safety requirements1 rule

Madison requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, fire inspection, posted maximum occupancy, posted emergency contact, Guest registry maintenance, Public Health inspection required annually, Clean linens and sanitary conditions.

Penalties2 rules

Madison enforces the following penalties for STR violations: First offense: $375 operating without health license fee. Second offense: Up to $1000 per day. Third offense: Permit revocation. Daily fine: $1000. Permit may be revoked for violations.
Madison: Repeated violations can result in permanent permit revocation. You would lose the ability to operate any STR.

Exemptions3 rules

Madison: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).
Madison exempts the following from STR regulations: long-term rentals (30+ days), extended stays, Bed and Breakfasts (regulated separately), Hotels/Motels.

How to get permitted

Step-by-step guide for Madison

0/4

steps completed

Step 1

Obtain Wisconsin Seller's Permit

1-5 days$20

Documents needed

Social Security Number or FEIN

Official resource

Step 2

Obtain Public Health License

Apply for a Tourist Rooming House license from Public Health Madison & Dane County. This involves a pre-inspection.

2-4 weeks$535

Documents needed

License application
WI Seller's Permit number
Plan for safe operation

Official resource

Step 3

Register for City Room Tax

1-3 days$2

Documents needed

Room tax application form

Official resource

Step 4

Apply for City Zoning STR Permit (ZTRHP1)

Apply for the final city permit. Requires the license numbers from previous steps and a scheduled city home visit.

2-3 weeks$400

Documents needed

Public Health TRH License #
Room Tax Permit #
Floor plans
Residence Affidavit

Official resource

Frequently asked questions

4 answered

Disclaimer

Regulatory information is AI-researched from public city/county codes for educational purposes. Details may be outdated or incomplete. Always verify requirements directly with your city/county planning department before operating a short-term rental.

Researched & verified by Learn STR at GoStudioM

Madison

Prohibited

WisconsinUpdated Apr 18, 2026

Gold-standard verification1% sourced

Cross-referenced against 0 official sources — municipal codes, planning-department pages, and government registries.

Verified Feb 10, 2026Sources 0

Summary

Plain-english overview

Short-term rentals in Madison require multiple permits, must be the operator's primary residence, and are limited to 30 days per year for unhosted stays.

Restriction level

Severity 100

Classification

Prohibited

100

Severity

Why this classification

Primary residence required
Owner-occupied required
Strict night cap: 30 nights/year
Limited to 1 property per owner
Permit required
Reporting required
Tenants can host

In plain English

What this means for you

At a glance

Key numbers

Permit requiredYes

Night limit30/year

Primary residenceRequired

Total tax rate0.2%

Permit fee$100

Processing time2-4 weeks

5 things hosts often miss

Common compliance gaps

1Strict 30-day annual limit on unhosted rentals (entire home stays).
2Must have occupied the property as a primary residence for 12 months before starting.
3Corporate entities (LLCs, Trusts) cannot be the STR 'Operator'.
4ADUs are only eligible if the operator lives in the ADU itself, not the main house.
5Permit number must be visible in the first two lines of all online descriptions.

Regulation details

Sourced from official code

Eligibility8 rules

Madison allows STRs in the following property types: Single Family, Condo, Apartment, Multi-unit (host unit only).
Madison: Your HOA can prohibit short-term rentals even if the city allows them. Check your CC&Rs before applying.
Madison: You can have a co-host or property manager help manage your listing.

Requirements15 rules

Madison: Permit number must be visible in the first two lines of all online descriptions.
Madison STR warning: Corporate entities (LLCs, Trusts) cannot be the STR 'Operator'.
Madison STR warning: Permit number must be visible in the first two lines of all online descriptions.
Madison STR warning: Strict 30-day annual limit on unhosted rentals (entire home stays).

Application process9 rules

How to set up an STR in Madison: To host a short-term rental in Madison, the property must be your primary residence where you live at least 183 days a year. You need a city zoning permit, a health department license, and a room tax registration. If you are not present during the guest's stay, you can only rent the home for a total of 30 nights each year.

Fees & costs1 rule

Madison charges a registration fee of $100 (annual). Extended/additional fee: $300 (A non-refundable $300 application fee is required for new permits; the $100 fee is the recurring annual permit fee.).

Taxes2 rules

Madison charges a City of Madison Transient Room Tax of 0.1%. This applies to stays under 30 days. Platforms like Airbnb collect and remit this tax. Note: Airbnb and VRBO remit Madison Room Tax and State Sales Tax directly.
Wisconsin has a state sales tax of 0.05% that applies to STR rentals.

Limits & restrictions7 rules

Madison limits STRs to 30 nights per year. This applies to unhosted rentals.
Madison: Strict 30-day annual limit on unhosted rentals (entire home stays).
Madison: Each person can only register ONE property for short-term rental. You cannot legally operate multiple STRs.
Madison occupancy calculation: Lesser of (2 per bedroom) or 12 total. Count your bedrooms to determine your max guest limit.

Safety requirements1 rule

Madison requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, fire inspection, posted maximum occupancy, posted emergency contact, Guest registry maintenance, Public Health inspection required annually, Clean linens and sanitary conditions.

Penalties2 rules

Madison enforces the following penalties for STR violations: First offense: $375 operating without health license fee. Second offense: Up to $1000 per day. Third offense: Permit revocation. Daily fine: $1000. Permit may be revoked for violations.
Madison: Repeated violations can result in permanent permit revocation. You would lose the ability to operate any STR.

Exemptions3 rules

Madison: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).
Madison exempts the following from STR regulations: long-term rentals (30+ days), extended stays, Bed and Breakfasts (regulated separately), Hotels/Motels.

How to get permitted

Step-by-step guide for Madison

0/4

steps completed

Step 1

Obtain Wisconsin Seller's Permit

1-5 days$20

Documents needed

Social Security Number or FEIN

Official resource

Step 2

Obtain Public Health License

Apply for a Tourist Rooming House license from Public Health Madison & Dane County. This involves a pre-inspection.

2-4 weeks$535

Documents needed

License application
WI Seller's Permit number
Plan for safe operation

Official resource

Step 3

Register for City Room Tax

1-3 days$2

Documents needed

Room tax application form

Official resource

Step 4

Apply for City Zoning STR Permit (ZTRHP1)

Apply for the final city permit. Requires the license numbers from previous steps and a scheduled city home visit.

2-3 weeks$400

Documents needed

Public Health TRH License #
Room Tax Permit #
Floor plans
Residence Affidavit

Official resource

Frequently asked questions

4 answered

Disclaimer

Researched & verified by Learn STR at GoStudioM

Summary

Restriction level

Why this classification

In plain English

At a glance

5 things hosts often miss

Regulation details

How to get permitted

Obtain Wisconsin Seller's Permit

Obtain Public Health License

Register for City Room Tax

Apply for City Zoning STR Permit (ZTRHP1)

Frequently asked questions

1Do I need a permit for short-term rentals in Madison?

2What is the TOT tax rate in Madison?

3Are there rental night limits in Madison?

4What are the penalties for non-compliance in Madison?

Disclaimer

Summary

Restriction level

Why this classification

In plain English

At a glance

5 things hosts often miss

Regulation details

How to get permitted

Obtain Wisconsin Seller's Permit

Obtain Public Health License

Register for City Room Tax

Apply for City Zoning STR Permit (ZTRHP1)

Frequently asked questions

1Do I need a permit for short-term rentals in Madison?

2What is the TOT tax rate in Madison?

3Are there rental night limits in Madison?

4What are the penalties for non-compliance in Madison?

Disclaimer