Short-Term Rental Regulations
in Sauk City, WI

Airbnb listings are allowed in Sauk City, WI, but with restrictions. Short-term rentals are regulated as tourist rooming houses and must meet safety standards to ensure the property is adequate for lodging. Operators must comply with both Village of Sauk City Ordinance 2025-3 and Sauk County Environmental Health licensing requirements, which include mandatory annual inspections and guest registration. A permit is required before you can host. These rules apply to all short-term rental platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, etc.) — not just Airbnb specifically. See the official source linked on this page for full requirements. Last verified 2026-05-14.

Short-term rentals are regulated as tourist rooming houses and must meet safety standards to ensure the property is adequate for lodging. Operators must comply with both Village of Sauk City Ordinance 2025-3 and Sauk County Environmental Health licensing requirements, which include mandatory annual inspections and guest registration.

Yes, a permit is required to operate a short-term rental in Sauk City. 1. Submit a Tourist Rooming House license application to Sauk County Environmental Health. 2. Schedule and pass a mandatory pre-inspection of the property (one-time $190 fee). 3. Pay the annual license fee ($190) and renew the license each year by July 1st.

1. Submit a Tourist Rooming House license application to Sauk County Environmental Health. 2. Schedule and pass a mandatory pre-inspection of the property (one-time $190 fee). 3. Pay the annual license fee ($190) and renew the license each year by July 1st.

Vrbo is permitted in Sauk City, WI under the same restrictions that apply to Airbnb — local rules govern the rental itself, not the specific platform. You must hold a valid permit before hosting on Vrbo. Last verified 2026-05-14.

Short-term rental hosts in Sauk City are typically responsible for lodging, occupancy, and applicable sales taxes — these usually apply even where hosting is allowed without a permit. Rates and remittance rules vary by jurisdiction (state, county, and city can each levy a share); confirm the current rates with the official source linked on this page. Platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo collect some taxes automatically, but the host remains liable for any not collected on their behalf.

We are not currently tracking any recent short-term rental ordinance changes for Sauk City. STR rules change frequently — verify the current requirements with the city or county before listing, using the official source linked on this page.