Getting Started
You will need to complete the following:
- A DCTZC permit application, which can be submitted by email
- A license and inspection with the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP)
- A municipality STR application, if one is required
No, you will not be allowed to advertise for your rental until you have received all required permits.
There is no cost to obtain a DCTZC permit, and no renewal is required. Once you receive your permit, it will remain activated until a deactivation form is received. We encourage you to check your contact information at least once per year to ensure that we are able to contact you.
If you are a new owner, you will need to receive a new permit, even if you are related to the previous owner. Any rental activity occurring on the property must be carried out under an active permit. You must obtain a DCTZC permit before you honor guest stays as a current owner of the property.
There are three types of taxes applied to STRs in Door County:
- 8.0% in municipal room tax, which is collected by the Door County Tourism Zone
- 5.0% in state tax, which is collected by the state
- 0.5% in county tax, which is also collected by the state
Filing My Taxes
Marketplace providers do not send individual reports for properties in Door County. One check is sent to the DCTZC each quarter with all the room tax collected for every municipality. Room tax reports tell the Tourism Zone how much room tax to send to each municipality and cannot send funds until a report is received.
Permit holders are provided one “mulligan” for late fees and interest on a late report. Any further late reports will be assessed for late fees and interest. If a permit holder would like to have late fees removed after already receiving forgiveness for one report, a letter or email must be submitted to the Door County Tourism Zone Commission. The Commission will determine whether the late fees should be forgiven.
If you notice you have made an error in a previous filing within the last 48 months, it can be amended and sent to the Tourism Zone. The amended report should contain all lodging revenue for the month.
Starting January 1, 2023, permit holders will only be able to file their room tax reports online. All permit holders will have a secure login to file their reports online.
You are able to pay your taxes using a credit card or direct ACH payment.
You are able to change your banking information at any time on your secure profile. If your agent is changed, banking information will automatically be deleted for your security.
If you need to change your information, you can submit a change of information form to the Tourism Zone and it will be corrected on your profile.
If you no longer wish to rent the permitted property, you can submit a deactivation form to the Tourism Zone and it will be corrected on your profile.
If you wish to temporarily suspend your permit, you can request for the Tourism Zone to put a hold on your property.
Please email [email protected] with your request.
There are two main qualifying exemptions for room tax: stays over 29 nights are not considered short-term rentals and therefore do not need to collect short-term room tax and guests with documentation verifying their tax-exempt status. Please note that the Tourism Zone may request verification of the tax exempt status at any time in order to allow the report to be accepted.