Get Licensing information for bed & breakfasts, hotels, and tourist rooming houses (short term rentals). If you are opening a lodging facility, we license and inspect bed & breakfasts, hotels, and tourist rooming houses (short term rentals).
Bed & Breakfasts
We inspect and license all La Crosse County bed & breakfasts
If you are opening a bed & breakfast
All La Crosse County bed & breakfasts must be licensed and inspected each year. We do this to make sure they meet all requirements of Wisconsin law related to general public health.
What is a bed & breakfast?
A bed & breakfast is an owner-occupied personal residence with up to eight sleeping rooms for rent to visitors. The home must be occupied by the owner at the time of rental, and the only meal served to guests is breakfast. There cannot be more than 20 visitors at one time.
How to get your bed & breakfast licensed
Before you can offer room rentals, you must get a bed & breakfast license from us. We must do a pre-inspection before your new license can be approved. We must do a health inspection once every licensing year to make sure you are in compliance with the law.
Step 1: Building safety, zoning, and taxes
Step 2: Apply for a license
Step 3: Once you have submitted your application and paid your fees, contact us to schedule a pre-licensing inspection.
Step 4: Once the application is submitted, fees are paid, and pre-licensing inspection is completed, a permit will be issued. Your license must be approved before you can rent out sleeping accommodations.
If you have any questions, call us at 608-785-9771 or email us at [email protected].
Resources
Hotels
A hotel is a place where five or more sleeping accommodations are offered for pay to visitors.
We inspect and license all La Crosse County hotels
All La Crosse County hotels must be licensed and inspected each year. We do this to make sure they meet all the requirements of Wisconsin law related to general public health.
How to get your hotel licensed
Before you can offer room rentals, you must get a hotel license from us. We must do a pre-inspection before your new license can be approved. We must do a health inspection once every licensing year to make sure you are in compliance with the law.
Step 1: Building safety, zoning, and taxes
Step 2: Apply for a license
Step 3: Once you have submitted your application and paid your fees, contact us to schedule a pre-licensing inspection.
Step 4: Once the application is submitted, fees are paid, and pre-licensing inspection is completed, a permit will be issued. Your license must be approved before you can rent out sleeping accommodations.
If you have any questions, call us at 608-785-9771 or email us at [email protected].
Resources
Tourist Rooming Houses (Short-Term Rental)
Rental of all or part of a residence to visitors is a legal term in Wisconsin known as a tourist rooming house. Wisconsin allows the rental of one to four sleeping accommodations, which can be rooms of a home or an entire home or cabin.
We inspect and license all La Crosse County tourist rooming houses
All La Crosse County tourist rooming houses must be licensed and inspected each year. We do this to make sure they meet all the requirements of Wisconsin law related to general public health.
How to get your tourist rooming house licensed
Before you can offer room or house rentals, you must get a tourist rooming house license from us. We must do a pre-inspection before your new license can be approved. We must do a health inspection once every licensing year to make sure you are in compliance with the law.
Step 1: Building safety, zoning, and taxes
Step 2: Apply for a license
Step 3: Once you have submitted your application and paid your fees, contact us to schedule a pre-licensing inspection.
Step 4: Once the application is submitted, fees are paid, and pre-licensing inspection is completed, a permit will be issued. Your license must be approved before you can rent out sleeping accommodations.
Resources
Health Department Office Location
2nd Floor, 300 4th St. N.
La Crosse, WI 54601
Main Business Phone: 608-785-9872
Email:
[email protected]
In a public health emergency call 911
WI Relay Service and Interpretation Services Available
Office Hours: 8:00am to 4:30pm Monday-Friday; some service hours may vary