City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Sister Bay, WI
How Sister Bay regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Short-term rentals here operate under a registration or permit system with ongoing operating rules.
- STR permit required, $1,500 annual village license (Ch. 18, Ord. 2023-006)
- whole-home / absentee STR permitted with resident agent within 30 miles
- no citywide cap and no primary-residence requirement
- four-bedroom rental limit above which plan commission approval required
Based on: Village of Sister Bay Code Ch. 18 (STR), Ord. 2023-006; related Ord. 2023-004 (Ch. 66), Ord. 2024-007/008/009
Summary of the rule
Property owners must hold a valid Wisconsin Tourist Rooming House License and be licensed by the Door County Tourism Zone Commission as a condition of obtaining an STR license from the Village; the village STR license fee is $1,500, non-refundable and not prorated.
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Active litigation / open question
STR owners (backed by a public-interest law firm) have challenged the village's STR/bedroom ordinance and individual license denials; a trial court sided with the village on the bedroom ordinance and an appeal is pending (2025). The licensing regime remains in force; litigation does not enjoin the operative rating-determining process. Source ↗
Reported as fact only, reflecting the code as currently in effect — not legal advice, and not a prediction of the outcome. Verify current status before relying on it.
Last reviewed Sep 20, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Sister Bay · system last checked Oct 25, 2026
Owners in Sister Bay
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City Watch tracks changes from public sources — council agendas, state bills, local news — not a complete legal compendium.
A city permit is not the whole picture — HOA, condominium, deed, or lease rules may be stricter.
City Watch provides good-faith summaries of publicly available information as of the review date shown. Rules, enforcement, and permit availability can change, and summaries may contain errors or omissions. Ratings describe the general regulatory environment; they do not establish whether a particular property or stay is permitted. This is general information, not legal advice. Before buying, listing, or hosting, verify applicable requirements with the responsible authorities and review any HOA, condominium, deed, or lease restrictions.