Are there rental limits in Racine?

Wisconsin State Law (66.1014) limits the city's ability to ban STRs for stays of 7-28 days.

What should Racine hosts know about if the property is not?

If the property is NOT your primary residence, you are capped at 180 total rental days per year.

What are the key requirements for Racine hosts?

A local fire inspection is mandatory and must be renewed annually.

What are the key requirements for Racine hosts?

Racine County has a 0.5% sales tax that must be combined with the state 5% and city 8% room tax for a total of 13.5%.

Racine

Permissive

WisconsinUpdated Mar 20, 2026

Gold-standard verification1% sourced

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

Verified Feb 12, 2026Sources 0

Summary

Plain-english overview

The City of Racine regulates short-term rentals as Tourist Rooming Houses, requiring a state license from DATCP and a local city business license, while adhering to Wisconsin state-level protections for rentals of 7-28 days.

Restriction level

Severity 16

Classification

Permissive

Severity

Why this classification

Standard permit fee: $150
Tenants cannot host
Permit required
Reporting required
Safety standards required
No primary residence requirement

In plain English

What this means for you

To host a short-term rental in Racine, you must obtain a state license from the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and register for a local license with the City Clerk. You are also required to collect and remit an 8% room tax and ensure your property meets specific fire and health safety standards. Under Wisconsin law, the city cannot ban rentals that are between 7 and 28 days, but they can limit total annual rental days to 180 if the property is not your primary residence.

At a glance

Key numbers

Permit requiredYes

Night limit180/year

Primary residenceNot required

Total tax rate0.1%

Permit fee$150

Processing time3-5 weeks

Max fine$5,000

4 things hosts often miss

Common compliance gaps

1Wisconsin State Law (66.1014) limits the city's ability to ban STRs for stays of 7-28 days.
2If the property is NOT your primary residence, you are capped at 180 total rental days per year.
3A local fire inspection is mandatory and must be renewed annually.
4Racine County has a 0.5% sales tax that must be combined with the state 5% and city 8% room tax for a total of 13.5%.

Regulation details

Sourced from official code

Eligibility5 rules

Racine does NOT allow tenants to host STRs. Only property owners may operate short-term rentals.
Racine does NOT require the property to be a primary residence. Investment properties are allowed.
Racine: Your HOA can prohibit short-term rentals even if the city allows them. Check your CC&Rs before applying.

Requirements10 rules

Racine STR warning: A local fire inspection is mandatory and must be renewed annually.
Racine: You must display your permit/registration number on your Airbnb listing.
Racine requires STR registration. The permit is called "Tourist Rooming House License". Apply through City Clerk's Office. Processing time: 3-5 weeks. Renewal is required.

Application process8 rules

Racine extended permit requirement: State DATCP license fee is separate and typically ranges from $100 to $300.

Fees & costs1 rule

Racine charges a registration fee of $150 (annual).

Taxes3 rules

Racine: Racine County has a 0.5% sales tax that must be combined with the state 5% and city 8% room tax for a total of 13.5%.
Wisconsin has a state sales tax of 0.05% that applies to STR rentals.

Limits & restrictions7 rules

Racine: If the property is NOT your primary residence, you are capped at 180 total rental days per year.
Racine occupancy calculation: 2 per bedroom plus 2 additional guests. Count your bedrooms to determine your max guest limit.
Racine enforces quiet hours: 10pm-7am.
Racine limits STRs to a maximum of 12 guests. Formula: 2 per bedroom plus 2 additional guests

Safety requirements2 rules

Racine: A local fire inspection is mandatory and must be renewed annually.
Racine requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, fire inspection, posted maximum occupancy, posted emergency contact, Floor plan with exits marked, Safe egress from all sleeping rooms.

Penalties2 rules

Racine: Repeated violations can result in permanent permit revocation. You would lose the ability to operate any STR.
Racine enforces the following penalties for STR violations: First offense: $100 - $500. Second offense: $500 - $1,000. Third offense: License Revocation. Daily fine: $100 per day. Maximum fine: 5000. Permit may be revoked for violations.

Exemptions3 rules

Racine: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).
Racine: If you are present during the guest's stay (hosted rental), night caps may not apply to you.
Racine exempts the following from STR regulations: long-term rentals (30+ days), extended stays.

How to get permitted

Step-by-step guide for Racine

0/4

steps completed

Step 1

Obtain Wisconsin State Licenses

Apply for a Tourist Rooming House License from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and obtain a Seller's Permit from the WI Dept of Revenue.

2-4 weeks$250

Documents needed

DATCP Application
Water test (if well water)

Official resource

Step 2

Apply for City Business License

Submit a Tourist Rooming House license application to the Racine City Clerk's office.

1-2 weeks$150

Documents needed

State DATCP License
Seller's Permit
Proof of Insurance

Official resource

Step 3

Pass Fire Inspection

Schedule and pass a fire safety inspection conducted by the Racine Fire Department.

1 week$50

Official resource

Step 4

Register for Room Tax

1 weekFree

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

Racine

Permissive

WisconsinUpdated Mar 20, 2026

Gold-standard verification1% sourced

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

Verified Feb 12, 2026Sources 0

Summary

Plain-english overview

Restriction level

Severity 16

Classification

Permissive

Severity

Why this classification

Standard permit fee: $150
Tenants cannot host
Permit required
Reporting required
Safety standards required
No primary residence requirement

In plain English

What this means for you

At a glance

Key numbers

Permit requiredYes

Night limit180/year

Primary residenceNot required

Total tax rate0.1%

Permit fee$150

Processing time3-5 weeks

Max fine$5,000

4 things hosts often miss

Common compliance gaps

1Wisconsin State Law (66.1014) limits the city's ability to ban STRs for stays of 7-28 days.
2If the property is NOT your primary residence, you are capped at 180 total rental days per year.
3A local fire inspection is mandatory and must be renewed annually.
4Racine County has a 0.5% sales tax that must be combined with the state 5% and city 8% room tax for a total of 13.5%.

Regulation details

Sourced from official code

Eligibility5 rules

Racine does NOT allow tenants to host STRs. Only property owners may operate short-term rentals.
Racine does NOT require the property to be a primary residence. Investment properties are allowed.
Racine: Your HOA can prohibit short-term rentals even if the city allows them. Check your CC&Rs before applying.

Requirements10 rules

Racine STR warning: A local fire inspection is mandatory and must be renewed annually.
Racine: You must display your permit/registration number on your Airbnb listing.
Racine requires STR registration. The permit is called "Tourist Rooming House License". Apply through City Clerk's Office. Processing time: 3-5 weeks. Renewal is required.

Application process8 rules

Racine extended permit requirement: State DATCP license fee is separate and typically ranges from $100 to $300.

Fees & costs1 rule

Racine charges a registration fee of $150 (annual).

Taxes3 rules

Racine: Racine County has a 0.5% sales tax that must be combined with the state 5% and city 8% room tax for a total of 13.5%.
Wisconsin has a state sales tax of 0.05% that applies to STR rentals.

Limits & restrictions7 rules

Racine: If the property is NOT your primary residence, you are capped at 180 total rental days per year.
Racine occupancy calculation: 2 per bedroom plus 2 additional guests. Count your bedrooms to determine your max guest limit.
Racine enforces quiet hours: 10pm-7am.
Racine limits STRs to a maximum of 12 guests. Formula: 2 per bedroom plus 2 additional guests

Safety requirements2 rules

Racine: A local fire inspection is mandatory and must be renewed annually.
Racine requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, fire inspection, posted maximum occupancy, posted emergency contact, Floor plan with exits marked, Safe egress from all sleeping rooms.

Penalties2 rules

Racine: Repeated violations can result in permanent permit revocation. You would lose the ability to operate any STR.
Racine enforces the following penalties for STR violations: First offense: $100 - $500. Second offense: $500 - $1,000. Third offense: License Revocation. Daily fine: $100 per day. Maximum fine: 5000. Permit may be revoked for violations.

Exemptions3 rules

Racine: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).
Racine: If you are present during the guest's stay (hosted rental), night caps may not apply to you.
Racine exempts the following from STR regulations: long-term rentals (30+ days), extended stays.

How to get permitted

Step-by-step guide for Racine

0/4

steps completed

Step 1

Obtain Wisconsin State Licenses

Apply for a Tourist Rooming House License from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and obtain a Seller's Permit from the WI Dept of Revenue.

2-4 weeks$250

Documents needed

DATCP Application
Water test (if well water)

Official resource

Step 2

Apply for City Business License

Submit a Tourist Rooming House license application to the Racine City Clerk's office.

1-2 weeks$150

Documents needed

State DATCP License
Seller's Permit
Proof of Insurance

Official resource

Step 3

Pass Fire Inspection

Schedule and pass a fire safety inspection conducted by the Racine Fire Department.

1 week$50

Official resource

Step 4

Register for Room Tax

1 weekFree

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

4 things hosts often miss

Regulation details

How to get permitted

Obtain Wisconsin State Licenses

Apply for City Business License

Pass Fire Inspection

Register for Room Tax

Frequently asked questions

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

2What is the TOT tax rate in Racine?

3Are there rental night limits in Racine?

4What are the licensing requirements for Racine hosts?

Disclaimer

Summary

Restriction level

Why this classification

In plain English

At a glance

4 things hosts often miss

Regulation details

How to get permitted

Obtain Wisconsin State Licenses

Apply for City Business License

Pass Fire Inspection

Register for Room Tax

Frequently asked questions

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

2What is the TOT tax rate in Racine?

3Are there rental night limits in Racine?

4What are the licensing requirements for Racine hosts?

Disclaimer