Wisconsin Eviction Notice
Create a proper Wisconsin eviction notice — pay-or-quit, cure-or-quit, or termination — and download a print-ready PDF. Free, no signup. The preview updates as you type.
Maintained by Rapi Stack · Every state-specific figure on this page is cited to its statute or official agency page · Dataset last verified 2026 · Not legal advice.
What happens after the notice in Wisconsin
If the tenant does not comply, the eviction moves to court. These are Wisconsin’s own rules for that step, from the judiciary and the statute.
- What the case is called. In Wisconsin an eviction lawsuit is a(n) eviction action (civil action of eviction) action. — Wis. Stat. § 799.40 (2025) ↗
- How to serve the notice. Personal delivery or leaving copy with family member 14+; leaving with person in charge of premises plus mailing; posting plus mailing if diligent attempts fail; registered/certified mail; or service as a summons (s. 801.11). — Wis. Stat. § 704.21(1) (2025) ↗
- Filing fee. Statutory small claims clerk fee $22 (Wis. Stat. § 814.62(3)(a)); additional surcharges under ss. 814.61/814.63 apply, so total paid to the clerk is higher — confirm with the county clerk. — Wis. Stat. § 814.62(3)(a) (2025) ↗
- No self-help. Wis. Stat. § 704.44(2m) – rental agreement void if it authorizes eviction or exclusion other than by judicial eviction under ch. 799 — Wis. Stat. § 704.44(2m) (2025; 2013 a. 76) ↗
Each point links to the Wisconsin source it was taken from. Rules change; confirm before relying on them.
Wisconsin notice periods · as of 2026
- Non-payment of rent
- 5 days
- Lease violation (cure)
- 5 days
- End month-to-month
- 28 days
Source: Wis. Stat. § 704.17(1p)/(2) (leases under 1 yr); § 704.19 · verify ↗. Using the wrong number can void the notice — confirm the current rule before you serve it.
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Types of eviction notice
- Pay or quit — for unpaid rent: pay by the deadline or move out.
- Cure or quit — for a lease violation: fix it by the deadline or move out.
- Unconditional / termination — to end a month-to-month tenancy or for serious violations.
Wisconsin notice period & service
The number of days and how you must deliver the notice are set by Wisconsin law — get both right, keep proof of service, and never lock out or remove a tenant yourself. Check the current Wisconsin eviction rules before serving.
If the tenant moves out still owing rent, the notice won’t collect it. Put the amount and a deadline in writing with a Wisconsin demand letter for payment; if it’s ignored, you can file in Wisconsin small claims court, where the limit is $10,000.
Frequently asked questions
How many days notice do I have to give in Wisconsin?
In Wisconsin, a non-payment (pay-or-quit) notice must give the tenant 5 days to pay or leave (as of 2026). Source: Wis. Stat. § 704.17(1p)/(2) (leases under 1 yr); § 704.19. Notice periods for lease violations or ending a tenancy differ — see the box on this page and confirm current law before serving.
How do I serve the notice in Wisconsin?
States set rules for delivery — often personal delivery, leaving it with an adult at the home, and/or mailing a copy. Keep proof of how and when you served it. Improper service is a common reason eviction cases get dismissed, so follow Wisconsin’s method carefully.
Do I need a lawyer?
Not always for the notice itself, but eviction is technical and a small mistake can restart the clock. For contested cases, commercial properties, or if the tenant has an attorney, it’s worth consulting a landlord-tenant lawyer in Wisconsin.
How must an eviction notice be served in Wisconsin?
Personal delivery or leaving copy with family member 14+; leaving with person in charge of premises plus mailing; posting plus mailing if diligent attempts fail; registered/certified mail; or service as a summons (s. 801.11). Source: Wis. Stat. § 704.21(1) (2025).
What does it cost to file an eviction in Wisconsin?
Statutory small claims clerk fee $22 (Wis. Stat. § 814.62(3)(a)); additional surcharges under ss. 814.61/814.63 apply, so total paid to the clerk is higher — confirm with the county clerk. Source: Wis. Stat. § 814.62(3)(a) (2025).
How does Wisconsin compare? See the notice periods in all 50 states, every figure cited to statute. Not sure which notice applies? Try the 2-question wizard.
How Wisconsin compares
Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of 2026). Source for Wisconsin: Wis. Stat. § 704.17(1p)/(2) (leases under 1 yr); § 704.19 ↗.
- Notice to pay rent or quit
Notice to pay rent or quit: 5 days, exactly the national median.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 7 other states.
Notice to pay rent or quit in neighboring states — Illinois (5 days), Iowa (3 days), Michigan (7 days), Minnesota (14 days).
- Notice to cure a lease violation
Notice to cure a lease violation: 5 days — well under the national median of 14 days across the 38 states with a statutory rule.
Ranked #33 of 38 states (tied with 1) — higher means more time to fix the violation.
1 other state uses the same figure.
Notice to cure a lease violation in neighboring states — Illinois (10 days), Iowa (7 days), Michigan (30 days), Minnesota (no statutory rule). Wisconsin's 5 days is the shortest among its neighbors.
- Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy: 28 days — below the national median of 30 days across the 51 states with a statutory rule.
Ranked #43 of 51 states — higher means a longer notice period.
No other state uses exactly this figure.
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy in neighboring states — Illinois (30 days), Iowa (30 days), Michigan (30 days), Minnesota (30 days). Wisconsin's 28 days is the shortest among its neighbors.
The rest of what Wisconsin requires
The figures below are Wisconsin's, not national averages — each one is the value we verified for this state, with the statute it comes from. Follow a row to the full Wisconsin page for that document.
- Security deposit cap · as of 2026
- No statutory limit Wis. Stat. §704.28; Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.06 ↗
- Deposit return deadline · as of 2026
- 21 days after move-out Wis. Stat. §704.28; Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.06 ↗
- Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy · as of 2026
- 28 days Wis. Stat. §704.28; Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.06 ↗
- Small claims limit · as of 2026
- $10,000 Wis. Stat. § 799.01 ↗
- Where you file · as of 2026
- Circuit Court (small claims procedure under Wis. Stat. ch. 799) · filing fee $94.50 total to commence a small claims action per the official wicourts.gov circuit court fee schedule ($22 clerk fee under Wis. Stat. § 814.62(3)(a) + $51 court support services surcharge + $21.50 justice information surcharge); base fee rises to $39 on Nov. 1, 2026 (2025 Wis. Act 179). Wis. Stat. § 799.01 ↗
- Rental application fee · as of July 2026
- Capped at $25 (credit report cost) Wisconsin Administrative Code ↗
- Bill of sale notarization · as of 2026
- Not required Wisconsin DOT / DMV.ORG ↗
- Power of attorney signing · as of 2026
- Notarization recommended Wis. Stat. §244.05 (form §244.61) ↗
- LLC operating agreement · as of 2026
- Not required by statute, but it controls over the default rules Wis. Stat. §§ 183.0102(13), 183.0105 ↗
- Recording a deed · as of 2026
- County Register of Deeds (Wis. Stat. §§ 706.05(1), 59.43) · no witnesses Wis. Stat. § 706.02 ↗
Eviction notice in other states
More Wisconsin legal forms
Different state? See eviction notices by state →