Short-Term Rental

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The purpose of this short-term rental licensing is to ensure that the quality of short-term rentals operating within the City is adequate for protecting public health, safety, and general welfare; to determine the responsibilities of owners, operators, and property managers offering these properties for tourists or transient occupants; to provide minimum standards necessary for the health and safety of persons occupying or using buildings, structures or premises; and provisions for the administration and enforcement thereof.

No person shall maintain, manage, operate, or advertise a short-term rental for more than ten nights within any consecutive 365-day period without a short-term rental license from the City.

Short-term rental means a residential dwelling that is offered for rent for a fee and for fewer than thirty consecutive days and does not include bed and breakfast establishments.

Residential dwelling means any building, structure, or part of the building or structure, that is used or intended to be used as a home, residence, or sleeping place by one person or by two or more persons maintaining a common household, to the exclusion of all others.

Bed and breakfast establishment means any place of lodging that provides 8 or fewer rooms for rent to no more than a total of 20 tourists or other transients for more than 10 nights in a 12-month period, is the owner’s personal residence, is occupied by the owner at the time of rental, and in which the only meal served to guests is breakfast.

See Art. XIX (Ordinance 5268 adopted 12.14.2023) of the Municipal Code of Ordinances for more information.

License Period

Each short-term rental license shall have a term of one year. A license shall expire on the succeeding July 31, except for licenses issued during the period beginning on May 1 and ending on July 31, which will expire on July 31 of the subsequent year.

License Fee

$100.00 per property is due at the time of application (cash, check payable to City Treasurer or credit with convenience fee).

*Note: There is no fee for initial applications for licenses expiring July 31, 2024 (applications filed by May 1, 2024).

How to Apply

Applications shall be made in writing on the form prescribed by law and filed with the City Clerk's Office who may issue the same after appropriate review. Review may take up to fifteen (15) days. Renewal applications must be filed at least thirty days prior to the expiration of the license.

Download Application
Verification of property owner notification must accompany the initial application. If needed, the City Clerk's Office can assist with providing the name and address of property owners within the 100 foot notification area.

The following documents must accompany the application:

A copy of Wisconsin Tourist Rooming House license issued by the La Crosse County Health Department.

A copy of pre-licensing inspection conducted by the La Crosse County Health Department as part of the Wisconsin Tourist Rooming House license.

A seller’s permit issued by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue unless otherwise provided by law.

City of La Crosse Room Tax Application unless otherwise provided by law.

Additional Information

Must comply with the number of unrelated individuals per Sec 115-1 of Municipal Code (see definition of Family).

No advertisement regarding the property’s availability for use as a short-term rental shall be allowed until all required county, state, and local permits have been obtained.

License shall be displayed on or near the inside of the main entrance door of the short-term rental.

Licenses issued are not transferrable.

Citizen Complaint

Any resident of the City may file a sworn written complaint with the City Clerk alleging activities that may be grounds for suspension or revocation of a short-term rental license. Said complaint shall set forth the activity allegedly committed, the date, time and place of said activity, and the facts constituting said alleged activity. Upon the filing of the complaint, the City Clerk shall notify the licensee of the complaint by certified mail. The notice shall direct the licensee to appear before the Judiciary and Administration Committee for a hearing where the licensee may show cause for why the license should not be suspended or revoked. The notice and a copy of the complaint shall be delivered to the licensee at least ten (10) days before hearing.

Questions?

For more information, contact the City Clerk's Office at (608) 789-7510.

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