Short-Term Rental Laws in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin

Wisconsin Dells is a heavily tourism-dependent waterpark-resort economy and the city ordinance is permissive — STR allowed by right in all residential and resort/commercial zones subject to license + life-safety + tax remittance. The Dells' unusual four-county jurisdiction (the city straddles Sauk + Columbia + Adams + Juneau county boundaries) means the county-level sales tax + tourism assessments vary slightly by which county a specific parcel sits in — verify county jurisdiction via the city Clerk before any offer.

Operators must hold a short-term rental permit before listing. See the official permit portal.

Required licenses: City of Wisconsin Dells Short-Term Rental License + WI DATCP Tourist Rooming House permit + applicable county Room Tax registration. Annual renewals. Application requires life-safety self-certification (smoke + CO + fire extinguisher + posted occupancy + parking plan) and designated 24/7 local responsible-party contact. The 1.25% Premier Resort Area Tax is a Dells-specific overlay (one of the highest PRAT rates in WI) funding tourism infrastructure. Operating without the city license: administrative fines + back-tax assessment. Enforcement primarily complaint-driven given the tourism-friendly posture.

Combined short-term lodging tax in Wisconsin Dells is approximately 15.500% of gross nightly revenue (state sales + state TRT + local TRT + applicable resort/city options).

Wisconsin State sales 5% + county sales (varies by parcel's home county) 0.5% + Wisconsin Dells city sales + Wisconsin Dells Premier Resort Area Tax 1.25% + Room Tax 8% — combined ~15.5% on transient lodging

Verify the current combined rate via the Utah State Tax Commission before remitting — rates drift quarterly.