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Lake Tomahawk

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Lake Tomahawk, WI

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STR Regulations for Lake Tomahawk, Wisconsin

Overview: Are Short-Term Rentals Allowed in Lake Tomahawk, WI?

  • Short-term rentals (STRs) are explicitly allowed in Lake Tomahawk when operated as a “Tourist Rooming House” under Wisconsin law.
  • State law (Wisconsin Administrative Code ATCP 72) requires all STRs to obtain a Wisconsin lodging license. In Oneida County (Lake Tomahawk is within Oneida County), licensing is administered by the Oneida County Health Department on behalf of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP).
  • In addition to the state lodging license, Oneida County requires an Administrative Review Permit for Tourist Rooming Houses, and many local municipalities (including Lake Tomahawk) require separate permits and collect room tax.
  • Lake Tomahawk is a town-level municipality in Oneida County. Although there are no separate city codes shown in the provided content, your operation must still comply with county and municipal processes and fees.
  • STRs must follow Wisconsin lodging code safety and sanitation standards (ATCP 72) and applicable tax requirements (sales tax and local room tax).

Sources:

What do Airbnb hosts actually earn in Lake Tomahawk?

Lake Tomahawk hosts earn a median $25,848/year with $273 ADR and 47% occupancy.

Top performers pull in $38,552+ per year.

See the full Lake Tomahawk market breakdown

How to Start a Short-Term Rental Business in Lake Tomahawk

Follow the three-step framework below. These are the exact steps required in Oneida County for any Tourist Rooming House operation.

Step 1: Obtain Oneida County Planning & Zoning Administrative Review Permit (TRH-ARP)

Step 2: Secure municipal permits and register for room tax

  • Many municipalities require their own local permit for vacation rentals and collect a room tax. This is true in the Town of Lake Tomahawk.
  • Contact your local town clerk to confirm municipal permitting, room tax rate, and reporting cadence. The county maintains a municipalities index: www.co.oneida.wi.us/government/municipalities/
  • Register with the municipal clerk to obtain a room tax account, and set up compliance procedures for tax collection and remittance.

Step 3: Apply for the Wisconsin state lodging license (Tourist Rooming House)

Supplemental practical steps

  • Register for Wisconsin sales tax with the Department of Revenue (required for STRs).
  • Purchase appropriate property and liability insurance tailored to short-term rentals.
  • Establish cleaning, maintenance, and guest communication standard operating procedures to meet ATCP 72 sanitation standards.

Required Documents, Permits, Licenses, and Guidelines

Specific Regulations by Jurisdiction

Wisconsin State

  • All STRs operating as Tourist Rooming Houses must obtain a Wisconsin lodging license and comply with ATCP 72. This includes minimum safety, sanitation, and operational standards (e.g., hot/cold running water, potable water, handwashing sinks, food protection, sanitary dishwashing, insect/rodent control, smoke alarms/CO detectors, fire extinguishers, posted emergency information).
  • STR operators must collect and remit Wisconsin sales tax. Many municipalities also impose a room tax; hosts must register with local authorities to collect and remit local room tax.
  • Reference: Wisconsin Hotel & Lodging Association overview and resources: www.wisconsinlodging.org/short-term-rentals.html
  • State code links: ATCP 72 and ATCP 73 (see documents above).

Oneida County

  • TRH – Administrative Review Permit is required from the County Planning & Zoning Department as a prerequisite to lodging license issuance (even if the property was previously licensed under prior ownership).
  • Oneida County Health Department serves as the state agent for licensing and inspection under ATCP 72.
  • County guidance and resources are consolidated at: publichealth.oneidacountywi.gov/guide-to-starting-your-home-as-a-vacation-rental/

Town of Lake Tomahawk

  • The town issues its own permitting and collects room tax. Contact the town clerk for the specific permit process, room tax rate, registration, and reporting schedule.
  • A county-wide municipalities directory is available to locate contact details for the town clerk: www.co.oneida.wi.us/government/municipalities/

Regulatory documentation (for your compliance folder)

  • Planning & Zoning permit application and public documents portal: see links above.
  • OCHD lodging application and safety checklists: see links above.
  • ATCP 72 and ATCP 73: see links above.

Contact Information (Local Authority and State Resources)

Oneida County Health Department (Environmental Health – Lodging Licensing)

  • Phone: 715.369.6111
  • Email: see website contact page: publichealth.oneidacountywi.gov/about-us/contact-info/
  • Address: 100 West Keenan St, Rhinelander, WI 54501
  • Hours: 8:00am – 4:30pm Mon–Fri
  • After-hours public health emergency or notifiable disease report: Oneida County Dispatch 715.361.5100

Oneida County Planning & Zoning Department (TRH-ARP)

Wisconsin Department of Revenue (Sales Tax and Room Tax Registration)

Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP)

  • Licensing is administered locally via Oneida County Health Department. For questions on lodging code scope or statewide ATCP 72/73 interpretation, start with OCHD and DOR as applicable.

Wisconsin Hotel & Lodging Association (WHLA)

Links to Source Pages

Notes

  • Use the County Municipalities directory to confirm the Town of Lake Tomahawk clerk contact details, room tax rate, and local reporting cadence.
  • All STRs operating as Tourist Rooming Houses must meet ATCP 72 standards; the OCHD checklist provides practical guidance for inspection readiness.

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Lake Tomahawk

Market Saturation Score

036912
Moderate Saturation
6/ 12
months with declining YoY revenue
5–7 declining months: moderate saturation risk - market may be nearing capacity.
View Full Lake Tomahawk Market Analysis

Photos of Lake Tomahawk

Overview of Lake Tomahawk

Lake Tomahawk is a small unincorporated community in Oneida County, Wisconsin, nestled in the heart of the state's Northwoods lake region. The community, home to approximately 1,000 year-round residents, has the laid-back, outdoorsy character typical of northern Wisconsin vacation country — quiet in the off-season and noticeably busier in summer when anglers, boaters, and families arrive to enjoy the surrounding waters and forests. It is best known as a year-round gateway to the thousands of lakes and wooded landscapes of Oneida County, and it sits roughly 20 miles north of Rhinelander, the nearest city of meaningful size, and approximately 200 miles north of Madison.

The community takes its name from the lake it surrounds, a large, irregularly shaped body of water popular for musky, walleye, and smallmouth bass fishing. Public boat launches and small lakefront access points give visitors easy entry to the water, and the calm bays and largely undeveloped shoreline make the lake appealing for paddling, swimming, and evening loon-watching. A short-term rental here places guests within a short drive of multiple launch points, and the lake itself functions as the area's central amenity.

Just south of the community, the Bearskin State Trail is a well-known rail-trail that runs between Minocqua and the city of Tomahawk, passing through the Lake Tomahawk area. The crushed-stone corridor is popular with cyclists, walkers, and cross-country skiers in winter, and several trail access points lie within a short drive of the village. For guests who prefer land-based recreation, it is one of the area's most reliable draws in every season.

A short drive east, the Nicolet National Forest covers more than a million acres of northern Wisconsin with lakes, rivers, and stretches of old-growth forest. The forest offers hiking, ATV routes, camping, and additional fishing opportunities, and it serves as a quieter alternative to the more developed lakes immediately around the community. Many vacationers use Lake Tomahawk as a base for day trips into the forest.

The city of Rhinelander, the Oneida County seat, lies about 30 minutes south and provides the nearest concentration of restaurants, breweries, grocery stores, and year-round services. It also functions as a regional hub for the Northwoods, making it a convenient spot for guests seeking a livelier evening out or a wider range of amenities during their stay.

Together, the area's defining lake, the surrounding national forest, the regional trail system, and the easy reach of Rhinelander make Lake Tomahawk a quietly compelling base for short-term rentals. The community offers the seclusion and natural beauty that drive Northwoods tourism while remaining close enough to larger services to satisfy a wide range of vacationers, supporting a steady rhythm of seasonal guests throughout the year.

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