Short-term Rental Information

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Winchester has adopted an Accommodations Tax ordinance. A tax on short term rentals (less than 30 days) at 4.5% beginning January 1, 2025. The text of the ordinance can be found here Winchester Accommodations Tax Ordinance.

Forms related to the Winchester Accommodations Tax can be downloaded here:

Accommodations Tax Authorization Form

Accommodations Tax Return Quarterly

Other sources of information about the process:

Wisconsin Seller's Permit: A seller's permit is required for every individual, partnership, corporation, or other organization with a Wisconsin sales location making retail sales, including leases, licenses, or rentals, of taxable products in Wisconsin, unless all sales are exempt from sales or use tax. Additional information can be found here.

Vilas County Tourist Rooming House Permit: The operation of a Tourist Rooming House (TRH) in most of Vilas County requires an annual permit from the Zoning & Planning Department.   Tourist rooming houses - often called short term rentals - generally consist of single-family dwellings, cabins, or apartments which are rented for a term of less than 30 days and are often listen online with such services as AirBNB, VRBO, or Vacasa. Additional information can be found here.

Vilas County Tourist Rooming House License from the Health Department: the Department of Public Health requirements for safe operation can be found here.

Marketplace: A person that provides a platform through which a lodging operator, or the authorized agent of the lodging operator, offers a short-term rental or vacation rental to an occupant. Examples of such services are AirBNB, VRBO, or Vacasa. It is the owner's responsibility to pay any taxes due in event of marketplace inaccuracy and advised to review Wisconsin State Statute 66.0615 regarding tax payment obligations.

Resident Agent: A resident agent is required for all tourist rooming houses. The owner may be the resident agent if they meet all requirements of this section.

The resident agent must be an adult person residing within Vilas County or within a 40 mile radius of the subject tourist rooming house or a corporate entity with physical offices located within Vilas County or within a 40 mile radius of the subject tourist rooming house.

The resident agent must be authorized by the owner to act as the agent for the owner for the following purposes:
— Receipt of service of notice of violation of the provisions of this Ordinance;
— Service of process pursuant to this Ordinance; and
— Granting permission for Vilas County or its agents to enter the property permitted under this Article for the purpose of inspection and enforcement of all Ordinances for which the Department is responsible.