Chapter 125

125.04(11)(b) (b) Licenses.

125.04(11)(b)1. 1. The municipal governing body of a 1st class city may issue a retail license for the sale of alcohol beverages at any time during a year. Each license shall be valid for one year and shall specify its date of expiration.

125.04(11)(b)2. 2. All licenses other than those specified under subd. 1. shall expire on June 30 of each year.

125.04(12) (12) Transfer of licenses and permits.

125.04(12)(a) (a) From place to place. Every alcohol beverage license or permit may be transferred to another place or premises within the same municipality. An alcohol beverage warehouse permit under s. 125.19, a winery permit under s. 125.53, or a wholesaler’s permit under s. 125.28 or 125.54 may be transferred to another premises within this state. Transfers shall be made by the issuing authority upon payment of a fee of $10 to the issuing authority. No retail licensee, retail permittee, wholesaler permittee, or holder of a warehouse or winery permit is entitled to more than one transfer during the license or permit year. This paragraph does not apply to a license issued under s. 125.51 (4) (v) or to a reserve “Class B” license, as defined in s. 125.51 (4) (a).

125.04(12)(b) (b) From person to person.

125.04(12)(b)1. 1. Licenses to sell alcohol beverages may be transferred to persons other than the licensee if the licensee, or an applicant for a subsequently granted license, dies, becomes bankrupt or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors during the license year or after filing the application. If a retail licensee becomes disabled, the municipality may, upon application, transfer the license to the licensee’s spouse if that spouse may hold a license under sub. (5) and complies with all of the requirements under this chapter applicable to original applicants, except that the spouse is exempt from payment of the license fee for the year in which the transfer takes place.

125.04(12)(b)2. 2. Upon the happening of any of the events under subd. 1., the personal representative, the surviving spouse if a personal representative is not appointed, the trustee or the receiver may continue or sell or assign the business.

125.04(12)(b)4. 4. If the business is sold or assigned, the license may be transferred to the successor owner or assignee at no charge if:

125.04(12)(b)4.a. a. He or she complies with the requirements applicable to original applicants; and

125.04(12)(b)4.b. b. He or she is acceptable to the issuing authority and consent to the transfer is given by the issuing authority.

125.04(13) (13) Penalties. Any person who violates sub. (1) may be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than 9 months or both.

125.04 History History: 1981 c. 79, 235, 391; 1983 a. 27, 72, 74, 493, 494, 516; 1985 a. 302; 1987 a. 35, 301, 399; 1989 a. 31, 253; 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 112, 259, 491; 1995 a. 23; 1995 a. 27 ss. 4117b, 4117c, 9154 (1); 1995 a. 225; 1997 a. 27; 2003 a. 250; 2007 a. 20, 85; 2011 a. 32; 2017 a. 59; 2017 a. 207 s. 5; 2017 a. 289; 2023 a. 73.

125.04 Annotation Section 176.14 [now sub. (3) (h)] requires a licensee to update an application during the license year to facilitate scrutiny of the ongoing operation. The licensing authority has discretion to approve or disapprove any reported expansion of a licensed premises. Alberti v. City of Whitewater, 109 Wis. 2d 592, 327 N.W.2d 150 (Ct. App. 1982).

125.04 Annotation Licensees who are natural persons are liable for criminal acts of employees. State v. Beaudry, 119 Wis. 2d 96, 349 N.W.2d 106 (Ct. App. 1984). But see s. 125.115.

125.04 Annotation The registered agent of a corporate alcohol beverage licensee is subject to vicarious criminal liability for an employee’s violation of the closing hour law. State v. Beaudry, 123 Wis. 2d 40, 365 N.W.2d 593 (1985).

125.04 Annotation A person may be a “habitual law offender” under sub. (5) (b) without having been convicted of any crime. State ex rel. Smith v. City of Oak Creek, 139 Wis. 2d 788, 407 N.W.2d 901 (1987).

125.04 Annotation Sub. (1) requires that the actual owner of an establishment selling intoxicating liquor possess the license in the owner’s own name. State v. Eastman, 148 Wis. 2d 254, 435 N.W.2d 278 (Ct. App. 1988).

125.04 Annotation A license never should have been issued when a notice of application had not been published as required under sub. (3) (g), and a license issued without publication is void under sub. (2). Selling liquor under a void license constitutes a violation of s. 125.66 (1). Under s. 125.12, a renewal licensee, if refused, is guaranteed a right to be heard by the municipality, and the municipality must show cause for refusal, but a new licensee, if refused, has no such guarantee. When an original license is void, the applicant is a new licensee. Williams v. City of Lake Geneva, 2002 WI App 95, 253 Wis. 2d 618, 643 N.W.2d 864, 01-1733.

125.04 Annotation Proprietors of a bed and breakfast may solicit voluntary contributions from guests at a social event held on the premises to defray the cost of alcohol, but proprietors who do not hold a license may not serve alcohol at a social event only to those who pay an admission fee. 80 Atty. Gen. 218.

125.04 Annotation A village board’s denial of an application for a liquor license did not deprive the applicant of either liberty or property. Scott v. Village of Kewaskum, 786 F. 2d 338 (1986).

125.04 Annotation 90 Proof: Liquor Licensing in Wisconsin. Murrell. Wis. Law. May 2009.

125.045 125.045 Booklet for licensees and permittees; safe ride program information.

125.045(1) (1) The division shall prepare a booklet explaining the state statutes and rules relating to the retail sale of alcohol beverages, written concisely in language which is clearly understood by those required to utilize it.

125.045(2) (2) 

125.045(2)(a) (a) The division shall provide a copy of the booklet under sub. (1) free of charge to each person issued a permit, including a renewal, under s. 125.175, 125.27, or 125.51 (5). The division shall provide the booklet for a charge not to exceed cost, as provided under s. 20.908, to municipalities.

125.045(2)(b) (b) The division shall provide to each person initially issued a permit under s. 125.27 or 125.51 (5) information regarding the safe ride program described in s. 85.55.

125.045(3) (3) 

125.045(3)(a) (a) A municipality shall provide a copy of the booklet under sub. (1) to each person issued a license, including a renewal, under s. 125.17, 125.18, 125.25, 125.26 or 125.51 (1) by the municipality unless the municipality requires the person to complete an instructional program which includes the subject matter of the booklet or unless the person completes the program under s. 125.04 (5) (a) 5. or 125.17 (6). This section does not preclude a municipality from charging a fee for such a program. A municipality may charge for the booklet in an amount not to exceed the amount charged by the division under sub. (2) (a).

125.045(3)(b) (b) A municipality shall provide to each person initially issued a license under s. 125.26 (1) or 125.51 (3) or (3m) information regarding the safe ride program described in s. 85.55.

125.045 History History: 1987 a. 300; 1989 a. 56 s. 259; 1989 a. 253; 1993 a. 259; 2023 a. 73.

125.06 125.06 License and permit exceptions. No license or permit is required under this chapter for:

125.06(1) (1) Brewers’ premises. The furnishing, by brewers, of fermented malt beverages free of charge to customers, visitors, and employees on the brewery premises.

125.06(2) (2) Hospitals; practice of medicine or surgery.

125.06(2)(a) (a) The use of alcohol beverages in institutions licensed under subchs. I and II of ch. 50 where the beverages are used solely for medicinal, mechanical or scientific purposes.

125.06(2)(b) (b) The use or prescription of alcohol beverages by a person licensed to practice medicine or surgery in the treatment of the sick.

125.06(2)(c) (c) Notwithstanding pars. (a) and (b), a permit to receive shipments of alcohol under s. 125.61 must be obtained before alcohol beverages may be used or prescribed under pars. (a) and (b).

125.06(3) (3) The making of homemade wine or fermented malt beverages.

125.06(3)(a) (a) The making of homemade wine or fermented malt beverages, and the possession, transportation, or storage of homemade wine or fermented malt beverages, by any person if all of the following apply:

125.06(3)(a)1. 1. The person who makes the wine or fermented malt beverages receives no compensation.

125.06(3)(a)2. 2. The wine or fermented malt beverages are not sold or offered for sale.

125.06(3)(a)3. 3. The total quantity of wine or fermented malt beverages made, in a calendar year, by the person and any other person living in the same household does not exceed 100 gallons if the household has only one person of legal drinking age or 200 gallons if the household has 2 or more persons of legal drinking age.

125.06(3)(b) (b) A person who makes, possesses, transports, or stores homemade wine or fermented malt beverages in compliance with the limitations specified in par. (a) is not a brewer or a manufacturer of wine for purposes of this chapter.

125.06(3)(c) (c) Homemade wine or fermented malt beverages made in compliance with the limitations specified in par. (a) may be consumed by the person who made it and his or her family, neighbors, and friends at any private residence or other private location where the possession and consumption of alcohol is permissible under this chapter, local ordinances, and other applicable law. This paragraph does not apply to licensed premises.

125.06(3g) (3g) Wine or fermented malt beverages made at supply stores. The manufacture of wine or fermented malt beverages by any person at a business primarily engaged in selling supplies and equipment for use by homebrewers or home winemakers, and, notwithstanding s. 125.09 (1), the tasting at the business of wine or fermented malt beverages so manufactured, if the wine or fermented malt beverages are not sold or offered for sale. Wine or fermented malt beverages provided at a business for tasting under this subsection may only be provided by a person who holds an operator’s license issued under s. 125.17 or an operator’s permit issued under s. 125.175.

125.06(3m) (3m) The use of homemade wine or fermented malt beverages for competitions or exhibitions or similar purposes.

125.06(3m)(a) (a) The use of homemade wine or fermented malt beverages made in compliance with the limitations specified in sub. (3) (a) for purposes of exhibition, demonstration, judging, tasting, or sampling or as part of a contest or competition, if the exhibition, demonstration, judging, tasting, sampling, contest, or competition is held at a private residence or on a licensed premises. Homemade wine or fermented malt beverages used for purposes described in this paragraph, including the submission or consumption of such wine or fermented malt beverages, are not considered sold or offered for sale under sub. (3) (a) 2. and any prize awarded at a contest or competition or as a result of an exhibition, demonstration, judging, tasting, or sampling is not considered compensation under sub. (3) (a) 1., but no fee may be charged for consumption of the homemade wine or fermented malt beverages at the exhibition, demonstration, judging, tasting, sampling, contest, or competition.

125.06(3m)(b) (b) Notwithstanding ss. 125.14 (5), 125.315, 125.32 (6) (a), 125.34 (2) and (5), and 125.67, a person who is not a licensee under this chapter may at a private residence, and a person who is a licensee under this chapter may on the licensed premises, conduct, sponsor, or host a contest, competition, or other event for the exhibition, demonstration, judging, tasting, or sampling of homemade wine or fermented malt beverages made in compliance with the limitations specified in sub. (3) (a) if the person does not sell the wine or fermented malt beverages and, unless the person is the maker of the wine or fermented malt beverages, does not acquire any ownership interest in the wine or fermented malt beverages. No fee may be charged for consumption of homemade wine or fermented malt beverages at the contest, competition, or other event. If the contest, competition, or other event is held on licensed premises, the licensee may allow the homemade wine or fermented malt beverages to be stored on the premises if the homemade wine or fermented malt beverages are clearly identified and kept separate from any alcohol beverages owned by the licensee. If the contest, competition, or other event is held on licensed premises, the provisions of ss. 125.32 (7) and 125.68 (9) (e) do not apply with respect to the homemade wine or fermented malt beverages. If the contest, competition, or other event is held on licensed premises, the licensee shall comply with all provisions of this chapter and local ordinances that would apply if the fermented malt beverages or wine were not homemade, except those provisions made specifically inapplicable under this paragraph.

125.06(3m)(c) (c) If a competition or exhibition complying with par. (b) is held by a national organization and has participants from more than 25 states, a person who made homemade wine or fermented malt beverages in another state under conditions similar to those imposed under sub. (3) may, without holding a license or permit under this chapter, transport up to 10 gallons of homemade wine or fermented malt beverages into this state for purposes of participating in the competition or exhibition.

125.06(3r) (3r) Wine or fermented malt beverages made for educational purposes. The manufacture of wine or fermented malt beverages for educational purposes, and, notwithstanding s. 125.09 (1), the tasting of the wine or fermented malt beverages at the place of manufacture, if the wine or fermented malt beverages are not sold or offered for sale.

125.06(4) (4) Unadulterated cider. The manufacture or sale of unadulterated apple cider.

125.06(5) (5) Railroads, aircraft. The sale of alcohol beverages on any railroad dining, buffet or cafe car or aircraft, while in transit. Except as authorized under s. 125.26 (3m) or 125.51 (3) (dm), alcohol beverages may be consumed in a railroad dining, buffet or cafe car or aircraft only while it is in transit.

125.06(6) (6) Public parks. The sale of fermented malt beverages in any public park operated by a county or municipality. Fermented malt beverages shall be sold by officers or employees of the county or municipality under an ordinance, resolution, rule or regulation enacted by the governing body.

125.06(7) (7) Judicial, personal representative’s, guardian’s, receiver’s or trustee’s sale. The sale of alcohol beverages at any judicial, personal representative’s or guardian’s sale or any sale by a receiver or trustee in insolvency or bankruptcy, where the estate being administered possesses a license or permit in effect on the date of such sale.

125.06(8) (8) Sale by secured party. The sale of alcohol beverages by a secured party in good faith under the terms of a security agreement, if the sale is not for the purpose of avoiding this chapter or ch. 139. The sale must be in the ordinary course of the business of lending money secured by a security interest in alcohol beverages or warehouse receipts or other evidence of ownership. A sale of fermented malt beverages must be made within 15 days after the secured party takes possession of the fermented malt beverages unless the secured party demonstrates good cause why a sale in compliance with s. 409.610 (2) or the security agreement cannot be made within this time period.

125.06(9) (9) Ceramic bottle collectors. The sale of ceramic commemorative bottles or other uniquely designed decanters which contain intoxicating liquor, by collectors of such containers to other collectors of such containers.

125.06(10) (10) Raffles. The awarding of alcohol beverages in original, unopened packages, containers or bottles as a prize, in a raffle conducted by an organization licensed to conduct the raffle under ch. 563, to any person who has attained the legal drinking age.

125.06(11) (11) Auction sales. The sale by an auction house at public auction of a collection of sealed bottles of intoxicating liquor or unopened beer cans for the purpose of settling an estate or disposing of the collection or the auction sale of sealed bottles or containers of wine or of unopened bottles of intoxicating liquor or fermented malt beverages by a charitable organization, as defined in s. 202.11 (1), at an auction held to raise money for the charitable organization.

125.06(11m) (11m) Wine collectors. The sale by a wine collector to any other wine collector of manufacturer-sealed bottles or containers of wine that the selling wine collector has held for at least 8 years if the selling wine collector has provided prior notice of the sale to the division. No more than one sale in any 12-month period may be conducted by a wine collector under this paragraph.

125.06 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also s. Tax 8.03, Wis. adm. code.

125.06(12) (12) Bed and breakfast establishments. The provision by a bed and breakfast establishment, as defined under s. 97.01 (1g), of not more than 2 complimentary 4-fluid-ounce glasses of wine per day to a person renting a room at the bed and breakfast establishment for consumption on the premises of the bed and breakfast establishment.

125.06 History History: 1981 c. 79, 202; 1983 a. 222, 360, 538; 1985 a. 337; 1987 a. 399; 1989 a. 253; 1991 a. 269; 1993 a. 226; 1995 a. 225; 2001 a. 16; 2007 a. 9, 85, 216; 2011 a. 179, 200; 2013 a. 20; 2015 a. 55; 2023 a. 73.

125.07 125.07 Underage and intoxicated persons; presence on licensed premises; possession; penalties.

125.07(1) (1) Alcohol beverages; restrictions relating to underage persons.

125.07(1)(a) (a) Restrictions.

125.07(1)(a)1. 1. No person may procure for, sell, dispense or give away any alcohol beverages to any underage person not accompanied by his or her parent, guardian or spouse who has attained the legal drinking age.

125.07(1)(a)2. 2. No licensee or permittee may sell, vend, deal or traffic in alcohol beverages to or with any underage person not accompanied by his or her parent, guardian or spouse who has attained the legal drinking age.

125.07(1)(a)3. 3. No adult may knowingly permit or fail to take action to prevent the illegal consumption of alcohol beverages by an underage person on property, including any premises, owned and occupied by the adult or occupied by the adult and under the adult’s control. This subdivision applies at a lodging establishment, as defined in s. 106.52 (1) (d), only if the adult has furnished payment or security for lodging. This subdivision does not apply to alcohol beverages used exclusively as part of a religious service.

125.07(1)(a)4. 4. No adult may intentionally encourage or contribute to a violation of sub. (4) (a) or (b).

125.07(1)(b) (b) Penalties.

125.07(1)(b)1. 1. In this paragraph, “violation” means a violation of this subsection or of a local ordinance that strictly conforms to par. (a) if the violation results in an imposition of a forfeiture or a conviction. For purposes of determining previous violations under subd. 2., the 30-month period shall be measured from the dates of violations that resulted in an imposition of a forfeiture or a conviction. For the purpose of determining whether or not a previous violation has occurred, if more than one violation occurs at the same time all those violations shall be counted as one violation.

125.07(1)(b)2. 2. A person who commits a violation may be:

125.07(1)(b)2.a. a. Required to forfeit not more than $500 if the person has not committed a previous violation within 30 months of the violation.

125.07(1)(b)2.b. b. Fined not more than $500 or imprisoned for not more than 30 days or both if the person has committed a previous violation within 30 months of the violation.

125.07(1)(b)2.c. c. Fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than 90 days or both if the person has committed 2 previous violations within 30 months of the violation.

125.07(1)(b)2.d. d. Fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned for not more than 9 months or both if the person has committed 3 or more previous violations within 30 months of the violation.

125.07(1)(b)3. 3. A court shall suspend any license or permit issued under this chapter to a person for:

125.07(1)(b)3.a. a. Not more than 3 days, if the court finds that the person committed a violation within 12 months after committing one previous violation;

125.07(1)(b)3.b. b. Not less than 3 days nor more than 10 days, if the court finds that the person committed a violation within 12 months after committing 2 other violations; or

125.07(1)(b)3.c. c. Not less than 15 days nor more than 30 days, if the court finds that the person committed the violation within 12 months after committing 3 other violations.

125.07(1)(b)4. 4. The court shall promptly mail notice of a suspension under this paragraph to the division and to the clerk of each municipality which has issued a license or permit to the person.

125.07(1)(b)5. 5. A person who holds a Class “A” license, a Class “B” license or permit, a “Class A” license or a “Class B” license or permit who commits a violation is subject to subd. 3. but is not subject to subd. 2. or s. 125.11.

125.07(1)(b)6. 6.

125.07(1)(b)6.a. a. Notwithstanding subd. 1., in this subdivision, “violation” means a violation of par. (a) or of a local ordinance that strictly conforms to par. (a).

125.07(1)(b)6.b. b. Subject to subd. 6. c., only one penalty may be imposed under this paragraph for each underage person who is provided alcohol beverages contrary to this section or a local ordinance in conformity with this section.

125.07(1)(b)6.c. c. If a violation occurs on licensed premises and the violation is detected by means of an undercover underage person employed by or assisting a law enforcement agency, only the individual responsible for providing the alcohol beverages to the underage person may be issued a citation for, or charged with, the violation.

125.07(2) (2) Sales of alcohol beverages to intoxicated persons.

125.07(2)(a) (a) Restrictions.

125.07(2)(a)1. 1. No person may procure for, sell, dispense or give away alcohol beverages to a person who is intoxicated.