Appointment Only
Building Inspection is open to the public by appointment only.
For more on appointments and other services, please see the Building Inspection Services page.
Short-Term Rentals
What is a Tourist Rooming House (TRH)? A short-term rental, or a rental for fewer than 30 nights of any partial or whole structure for sleeping accommodations. Airbnb, VRBO, HomeAway, and Fairbnb.coop are a few online platforms that connect hosts and travelers.
REQUIRED: Zoning Tourist Rooming House Permit (ZTRHP). All Tourist Rooming Houses (TRHs) must have a Tourist Rooming House license from Public Health before advertising or renting out any short-term rental. A Zoning Tourist Rooming House Permit (ZTRHP) is also required. By 10/1/20, TRH operators must have obtained a valid ZTRHP. You must display the ZTRHP number in all advertisings. Operators must have a Public Health TRH license before applying for the ZTRHP permit.
Why have regulations? Websites such as Airbnb and VRBO connect homeowners with people who need a place to stay when traveling. Many homeowners use these platforms for intermittent, on-the-side rentals. Some property owners, though, have gone far beyond this modest ideal. These owners use the web platforms to operate de-facto hotels. Others are buying property with the sole purpose of using it as a short-term rental. Taken to extreme, short-term rentals affect neighboring property owners. They can change a neighborhood's character and limit the stock of affordable housing.
Madison's ordinances strive to balance the competing rights of property owners. Under city ordinance, homeowners or renters can earn some extra money renting out space in the dwelling they occupy. Reasonable restrictions ensure that neighbors retain the right to control the type of neighborhood they are living in.
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Permit & License Required
Currently, all TRH operators must have a valid TRH license from Public Health before advertising or renting out any short-term rental. As of 10/1/20, all operators must also have a valid Zoning Tourist Rooming House Permit (ZTRHP).
Navigation
ZTRHP Permit
Resources
Tourist Rooming House (TRH)
Contact
Remember - If you are unsure, ask the Zoning Staff
- (608) 266-4551
- zoningTRH@cityofmadison.com
A-Z Services
- A
- Additions to a Home - One & Two Family Residential
- Attic - alterations or conversions
- B
- Basement - alterations or conversions
- Bathroom - alterations
- Beekeeping
- C
- Central Air Conditioner - install
- Chickens (Raising)
- D
- Deck - build
- Demolition of Structures
- Development Services Center
- Door Replacement
- Dwelling Units, Change Number of - 1 & 2 Family Residential
- Dwelling Units, Change Number of - Other Residential
- E
- Electrical Work, All
- Exterior Building & Property Complaints
- F
- Fence - install or replace
- Furnace - install
- G
- Garage - build or replace
- Garage - demolish
- Graffiti Enforcement
- H
- Home Heating and Cold Weather Safety
- Hot Tub, Whirlpool, Spa - install
- House (1 & 2 Family) - New Construction
- Housing Complaint
- I
- Interior Property Complaints
- J There are no listings.
- K
- Kitchen - alterations
- L There are no listings.
- M
- Multi-Family Residential - New Construction
- N
- Non-Residential - New Construction
- O
- Occupancy Standards
- P
- Parking Lot
- Plumbing
- Q There are no listings.
- R
- Rent Abatement
- Rental Property Emergency Contact
- Roofing - Reroof your house or garage
- S
- Screened Porch
- Security Deposits and Rent Credits
- Shed - build or replace
- Shed - demolish
- Siding - replace on house or garage
- Signs & Street Graphics
- Snow Enforcement
- Snow Sidewalk Clearing
- Solar Energy System - install
- Street Occupancy
- Swimming Pool
- T
- Tavern Capacities
- U There are no listings.
- V There are no listings.
- W
- Water Heater - install
- Water Softener - install
- Weights & Measures, New Business
- Windows & Frames - replace
- X There are no listings.
- Y There are no listings.
- Z There are no listings.
Translation Services
Call us at (608) 266-4551 if you need
- an interpreter
- translation
- documents in other formats
- other accommodations
Llámanos al (608) 266-4551 si necesitas
- un intérprete
- una traducción
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- otras adaptaciones
Hu xovtooj rau peb tim (608) 266-4551 yog koj xav tau
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