Wisconsin is a shall-issue state: a Department of Justice-issued Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) license under Wis. Stat. § 175.60 is required to carry a concealed handgun, and the minimum license age is 21. Open carry by non-prohibited adults age 18 or older is permitless; the legislature created an express safe harbor in the disorderly-conduct statute at § 947.01(2). Wisconsin has a castle-doctrine statute that presumes the reasonableness of defensive force used against an unlawful, forcible intruder in a dwelling, motor vehicle, or place of business, but it has not enacted a general statutory stand-your-ground rule; it also has no red-flag law, no state assault-weapon ban, no magazine-capacity limit, and no firearm registry.
Sourced from official state legislature, AG, and ATF documents. Last verified June 6, 2026.
Yes. Wisconsin is a shall-issue state, not a permitless state. You must hold a Wisconsin Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) license issued by the Department of Justice under Wis. Stat. § 175.60, or a recognized out-of-state permit, to carry concealed in public. The minimum license age is 21.
Yes, if you are at least 18 and not a prohibited person. Open carry is permitless statewide; the legislature codified a disorderly-conduct safe harbor at § 947.01(2) so the mere act of openly carrying a firearm cannot be charged as disorderly conduct absent additional facts indicating criminal or malicious intent.
Wisconsin's vehicle-transport statute exempts handguns from the 'unload to transport' rule, so a loaded handgun in the vehicle is lawful for any non-prohibited adult. However, a handgun hidden from ordinary view (such as inside a closed glove box or center console) on your person inside the vehicle is 'concealed' under § 941.23 and requires a CCW license. Without a permit, keep the handgun in plain view inside the vehicle, or carry it concealed and encased.
Yes. Wis. Stat. § 167.31 exempts handguns from the unloaded-in-vehicle rule. A trunk-stored loaded handgun is lawful for any non-prohibited adult. Long guns must be unloaded when in a vehicle.
Apply to the Wisconsin Department of Justice (Firearms Unit) under § 175.60. You must be at least 21, a Wisconsin resident or military resident, not federally or state-prohibited, and show proof of approved firearms training. The application fee is $40 (including the background check). The license is valid for 5 years.
Not by statute. Wisconsin has not enacted a general stand-your-ground rule. Inside your dwelling, motor vehicle, or place of business, the castle-doctrine statute (§ 939.48(1m)) creates a presumption of reasonableness for defensive force and bars the court from considering whether you could have retreated. Outside those places, Wisconsin law has no codified duty to retreat, but a jury may consider the availability of retreat in evaluating reasonableness.
Yes. 2011 Wisconsin Act 94, codified at § 939.48(1m) and § 895.62, presumes that an actor reasonably believed deadly force was necessary when an intruder was unlawfully and forcibly entering or had unlawfully and forcibly entered the actor's dwelling, motor vehicle, or place of business. The Act also provides civil immunity for justified defensive force.
No, not for licensed carriers' personal vehicles. Wis. Stat. § 175.60(15m) bars an employer from prohibiting a CCW licensee or out-of-state licensee, as a condition of employment, from carrying a concealed weapon in or storing a weapon or ammunition in the licensee's own motor vehicle, regardless of where the vehicle is parked. The employer may still ban firearms inside the workplace.
No. Wisconsin imposes no general duty to proactively inform an officer. A CCW licensee must carry the license and photo ID and must display them if a law enforcement officer asks; you cannot lie if directly asked whether you are armed.
Yes, with NFA registration. Wisconsin's state-level bans at § 941.298 (suppressors) and § 941.28 (SBRs/SBSs) include an affirmative defense for persons in full compliance with the federal National Firearms Act (26 U.S.C. §§ 5801-5872). NFA-registered owners are lawful.
No. Wis. Stat. § 948.605 makes knowingly possessing a firearm on school grounds a Class I felony, and that prohibition is NOT excepted for CCW licensees. The separate 1,000-foot 'school zone' violation IS excepted for CCW licensees, recognized out-of-state licensees, unloaded encased firearms, and locked vehicle racks.
A CCW licensee may carry a concealed handgun into a Class B (tavern) licensed premises under § 941.237 — but only if the licensee is not consuming alcohol on the premises. Consuming any alcohol while carrying makes the carry a Class A misdemeanor.
No. State law requires a Wisconsin DOJ background check only for handgun transfers by a federally licensed firearms dealer (§ 175.35). Private, in-state transfers between unlicensed individuals do not require a state background check.
No. Wisconsin has NOT enacted an extreme risk protection order law. Multiple bills have been introduced since 2019; none has advanced out of committee in the Republican-controlled legislature, despite high public support reflected in 2025 polling.
21 to buy a handgun from a federally licensed dealer; 18 to buy a long gun from an FFL. Wisconsin imposes no separate state purchase-age. Private, in-state transfers between unlicensed adults are not bound by federal FFL minimums.
Wisconsin honors permits from 44 jurisdictions on the DOJ reciprocity list — including Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana, and most other shall-issue and permitless-carry states. The carrier must be at least 21 and not a Wisconsin resident. Always check the DOJ list for the current state of recognition.
No. Wisconsin has no firearm registry and the state preemption statute (§ 66.0409) bars any local registry as well.
Wisconsin has not enacted permitless concealed carry. Carrying a concealed dangerous weapon without falling under a listed exception — most relevantly holding a § 175.60 CCW license or carrying in one's own dwelling, business, or land owned/leased/legally occupied — is a Class A misdemeanor.
"Any person, other than one of the following, who carries a concealed and dangerous weapon is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor."
Wisconsin issues a Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) license through the Department of Justice. Applicants must be at least 21, be a Wisconsin resident or military resident stationed in Wisconsin for at least one year, not be federally or state-prohibited from possessing a firearm, and provide proof of an approved firearms training course.
"The department shall issue a license document to a licensee... The department shall issue a license, by mail, to an individual who: 1. Is not less than 21 years of age. 2. Is not prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm... 5. Is a Wisconsin resident."
Wis. Stat. § 175.60 statute
The CCW application fee is set by department rule and capped by statute; the current Wisconsin DOJ fee is $40 (a $30 license fee plus a $10 background-check fee), non-refundable, paid by check or money order made out to the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
"A license fee in an amount, as determined by the department by rule, that is equal to the cost of issuing the license but does not exceed $37."
A Wisconsin CCW license is valid for 5 years from the date of issue. A timely renewal runs 5 years from the prior expiration date; a late renewal runs 5 years from the actual renewal date.
"a license initially issued under this section is valid for a period of 5 years from the date on which the license is issued."
Wisconsin's CCW training requirement is satisfied by proof of completion of one of several listed courses (e.g., DNR hunter education; a course taught by a certified national/state firearms-instructor organization; military, law-enforcement, or qualified security training; or a current or expired firearms license from Wisconsin or another jurisdiction). Statute does not specify a minimum hour count, and the department may not require live-fire to satisfy the requirement.
"The department may not require firing live ammunition to meet the training requirement under this paragraph."
The Wisconsin DOJ's official concealed weapon application instructions confirm the operating rules: applicant must be at least 21, a Wisconsin resident or active military stationed in Wisconsin, not federally or state-prohibited; the license fee is $40 (covering a $30 license fee and $10 background-check fee); the license is valid for 5 years.
"An approved concealed weapon license is valid for a five-year period. The fee is $40 and is non-refundable. This amount includes the application fee of $30 and the background check fee of $10."
Wisconsin DOJ Concealed Weapon Application Instructions (DJ-LE-287, rev. 5/16/23) ag
Open carry of a firearm in Wisconsin is permitted for any adult not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm. There is no state-level open-carry permit requirement. Wisconsin codified a safe harbor in 2011 making clear that the mere act of carrying or going armed with a firearm — loaded or unloaded, openly or concealed — cannot, by itself, be charged as disorderly conduct absent other facts indicating criminal or malicious intent.
"Unless other facts and circumstances that indicate a criminal or malicious intent on the part of the person apply, a person is not in violation of, and may not be charged with a violation of, this section for loading a firearm, or for carrying or going armed with a firearm or a knife, without regard to whether the firearm is loaded or the firearm or the knife is concealed or openly carried."
Wis. Stat. § 947.01(2) (disorderly-conduct safe harbor) statute
Persons under 18 may not possess a firearm except under enumerated exceptions (target practice under adult supervision, instruction in proper use, hunting in compliance with §§ 29.304 and 29.593, or military service). The functional minimum age for open carry is 18.
"Any person under 18 years of age who possesses or goes armed with a dangerous weapon is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor."
Wis. Stat. § 948.60 (possession of dangerous weapon by person under 18) statute
One of the two cross-referenced hunting statutes used as an exception to the under-18 firearm-possession ban at § 948.60. A person under 12 may not hunt with a firearm, bow, or crossbow at all; persons 12-15 may hunt only under direct adult supervision; 16- and 17-year-olds may hunt independently with a hunter-education certificate. Lawful hunting under § 29.304 is a defense to § 948.60.
"No person under 12 years of age may hunt with a firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow."
Wis. Stat. § 29.304 (restrictions on hunting and use of firearms by persons under 16) statute
The second of the two hunting statutes cross-referenced in § 948.60's youth-possession exception. Persons born on or after January 1, 1973 must hold a DNR-issued hunter-education certificate of accomplishment (or an equivalent recognized by the department) before they may obtain a hunting approval. Together with § 29.304, this is the framework that legalizes firearm possession for under-18 hunters.
Wis. Stat. § 29.593 (requirement for certificate of accomplishment to hunt) statute
Wisconsin's vehicle-transport rule expressly exempts handguns from the unloaded-in-vehicle requirement: a handgun may be carried loaded in a motor vehicle by any person not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm. Long guns must be unloaded while being transported in a vehicle. The statute does not impose different vehicle rules on CCW licensees versus non-licensees — but concealment of a handgun on the person inside the vehicle still triggers the § 941.23 concealed-carry rules, so the handgun must either be in plain view or carried by a CCW licensee.
"no person may place, possess, or transport a firearm, bow, or crossbow in or on a vehicle, unless [the firearm is unloaded or is a handgun]."
Wis. Stat. § 167.31(2)(b), (4) statute
A person may carry a concealed and encased firearm in a vehicle without a CCW license. Outside that vehicle exception, carrying a handgun concealed on the person — including the glove box or center console where the firearm is hidden from ordinary view — requires a CCW license. The plain-view alternative (open carry inside the vehicle) is also lawful for non-prohibited adults.
"Any person... who carries a concealed and dangerous weapon is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor."
Wis. Stat. § 941.23(2)(e) statute
Wisconsin's employer-parking-lot protection bars an employer from prohibiting a CCW licensee or out-of-state licensee, as a condition of employment, from carrying a concealed weapon in or storing a weapon or ammunition in the licensee's own motor vehicle, regardless of whether the vehicle is used in the course of employment or whether the vehicle is parked on the employer's property. Employers may still ban concealed carry inside the workplace and may regulate carry during the course of employment.
"An employer may not prohibit a licensee or an out-of-state licensee, as a condition of employment, from carrying a concealed weapon, a particular type of concealed weapon, or ammunition or from storing a weapon, a particular type of weapon, or ammunition in the licensee's or out-of-state licensee's own motor vehicle, regardless of whether the motor vehicle is used in the course of employment or whether the motor vehicle is driven or parked on property used by the employer."
Wisconsin recognizes a concealed-carry permit from any of the 44 jurisdictions on the Department of Justice reciprocity list, provided the out-of-state licensee is at least 21 and is not a Wisconsin resident. The DOJ list is updated as states' systems change; restrictions on specific permit types apply (e.g., Idaho regular or enhanced only; Missouri regular only; West Virginia regular resident or non-resident only; Virginia non-resident only).
"Any person who is at least 21 years of age, who is not a Wisconsin resident, and who holds a valid concealed carry permit issued by any of the states on Wisconsin DOJ's list, will be recognized in Wisconsin as an out-of-state licensee."
Wisconsin's castle doctrine creates a presumption that an actor reasonably believed deadly force was necessary when the person against whom force was used was unlawfully and forcibly entering or had unlawfully and forcibly entered the actor's dwelling, motor vehicle, or place of business and the actor knew or had reason to believe that the unlawful and forcible entry was occurring. The presumption does not apply if the actor was engaged in criminal activity using the protected place to further that activity, or against an identified public-safety worker.
"If an actor intentionally used force that was intended or likely to cause death or great bodily harm, the court may not consider whether the actor had an opportunity to flee or retreat before he or she used force and shall presume that the actor reasonably believed that the force was necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm."
Wis. Stat. § 939.48(1m) statute
Companion civil-immunity statute to the criminal castle-doctrine provision at § 939.48(1m). Created by 2011 Wisconsin Act 94. An actor who used force against a person unlawfully and forcibly entering the actor's dwelling, motor vehicle, or place of business is immune from civil liability if the actor reasonably believed the force was necessary to prevent imminent death or bodily harm.
"an actor is immune from civil liability arising out of his or her use of force that is intended or likely to cause death or great bodily harm if the actor reasonably believed that the force was necessary to prevent imminent death or bodily harm to himself or herself or to another person."
Wis. Stat. § 895.62 (civil immunity for justified use of force) statute
Wisconsin has not enacted a general statutory stand-your-ground rule. Outside the dwelling/motor-vehicle/place-of-business contexts in § 939.48(1m), Wisconsin law imposes no codified duty to retreat, but the availability of a retreat option remains a fact the jury may consider in evaluating whether the actor's belief that force was necessary was reasonable.
"A person is privileged to threaten or intentionally use force against another for the purpose of preventing or terminating what the person reasonably believes to be an unlawful interference with his or her person by such other person."
Wisconsin imposes no general duty to proactively inform a law enforcement officer that you are carrying. A CCW licensee or out-of-state licensee is required to carry the license document and a photo ID and to display them to a law enforcement officer on the officer's request.
"the licensee or out-of-state licensee shall display to the officer his or her license document or out-of-state license and photographic identification card."
Wis. Stat. § 175.60(2g)(c) (duty to display license on request) statute
Even with a Wisconsin CCW license, a person may not carry a concealed weapon in: any portion of a building that is a police station, sheriff's office, state patrol station, or DCI special-agent office; any prison, jail, house of correction, or secured correctional facility; certain secured mental-health units; the Wisconsin Resource Center; a county, state, or federal courthouse; a municipal courtroom in session; or a place beyond an airport security checkpoint. Vehicle storage in parking facilities at these locations is excepted.
"neither a licensee nor an out-of-state licensee may knowingly carry a concealed weapon... in any of the following places: 1. Any portion of a building that is a police station, sheriff's office, state patrol station, or the office of a division of criminal investigation special agent of the department."
Knowingly possessing a firearm in or on the grounds of a school is a Class I felony; possession within 1,000 feet of school grounds is a Class B forfeiture. The 1,000-foot zone offense expressly excepts holders of a Wisconsin CCW license (and out-of-state licensees recognized by Wisconsin), unloaded encased firearms, firearms in locked vehicle racks, hunting in school forests with board approval, and authorized law-enforcement / military activity. The on-grounds prohibition is not excepted for licensees.
"Any individual who knowingly possesses a firearm at a place that the individual knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is in or on the grounds of a school is guilty of a Class I felony."
Going armed with a firearm in any building owned or leased by the state or a political subdivision is a Class A misdemeanor — but the offense expressly excepts holders of a Wisconsin CCW license and recognized out-of-state licensees. A CCW licensee can therefore generally carry into a public library, DMV office, or city hall unless the location is independently restricted (e.g., police station, courthouse, or posted under § 943.13).
"Any person who goes armed with a firearm in any building owned or leased by the state or any political subdivision of the state is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor."
Going armed with a handgun on premises licensed under the Class B (tavern) or alcohol-on-premises license is a Class A misdemeanor — but a Wisconsin CCW licensee or out-of-state licensee is exempt provided the licensee is not consuming alcohol on the premises.
"Whoever intentionally goes armed with a handgun on any premises for which a Class 'B' or 'Class B' license or permit has been issued under ch. 125 is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor."
Private-property owners (and units of state/local government for buildings they own or occupy) may prohibit firearms by posting a sign at least 5 inches by 7 inches in a prominent place near every entrance. Entering or remaining while carrying after such posting is a Class B forfeiture. Vehicles in designated parking facilities are excepted.
"A sign... shall be at least 5 inches by 7 inches and shall be located in a prominent place near all of the entrances to the part of the residence to which the restriction applies."
Wis. Stat. § 943.13(1m)(c) (posted private property) statute
Wisconsin's alcohol-beverages chapter defines the Class B and 'Class B' retail licenses for on-premises consumption of fermented malt beverages and intoxicating liquor (taverns, bars, restaurants serving alcohol). The § 941.237 handgun-in-tavern offense is keyed to the ch. 125 license definition, so the scope of 'tavern' tracks ch. 125's licensing scheme.
Wis. Stat. ch. 125 (alcohol beverages — Class B/Class B premises licensing) statute
Cross-referenced from the § 175.60(16) CCW-prohibited-places list. § 51.05 establishes the state mental health institutes (Mendota and Winnebago) operated by the Department of Health Services. The Maximum Security Facility at Mendota Mental Health Institute, designated under § 51.05, is one of the secured units where a CCW licensee may not knowingly carry a concealed weapon.
Cross-referenced from the § 175.60(16) CCW-prohibited-places list. § 46.056 establishes the Wisconsin Resource Center as a secure facility for inmates and patients requiring specialized treatment. CCW licensees may not knowingly carry a concealed weapon at the Wisconsin Resource Center.
Wisconsin is a point-of-contact state for handgun purchases: a federally licensed firearms dealer must obtain an approval number from the Wisconsin Department of Justice firearms-restrictions record search before transferring a handgun. The DOJ must make a reasonable effort to determine eligibility no later than 5 working days after the search request. Wisconsin imposes no waiting-period requirement (the 48-hour wait was repealed in 2015) and no universal background-check requirement for private, in-state sales between unlicensed individuals.
"no firearms dealer may transfer a handgun after sale until... the firearms dealer has received a unique approval number from the department of justice regarding the firearms restrictions record search."
Wis. Stat. § 175.35 (handgun purchase background check) statute
Wisconsin's felon-in-possession statute. Subsection (1m) makes it a Class G felony for any person to possess a firearm if they have a prior felony conviction, certain juvenile adjudications, a qualifying domestic-violence restraining order, certain mental-health commitments, or are subject to other enumerated disqualifying conditions. This is the predicate prohibited-persons list used by § 941.2905 (straw purchasing) and § 175.60 (CCW eligibility).
"A person who possesses a firearm is guilty of a Class G felony if any of [the enumerated disqualifying conditions apply]."
Wis. Stat. § 941.29 (possession of firearm by prohibited persons) statute
Federal law requires that handguns be purchased from a federally licensed dealer only by buyers 21 or older, and long guns may be purchased from an FFL at 18. Wisconsin imposes no additional state purchase-age requirement beyond federal law for adults; under Wis. Stat. § 948.60 a person under 18 generally may not possess a firearm except for hunting, supervised training, or military service.
"A licensee may not sell a handgun to anyone under the age of 21. A licensee may not sell a long gun to anyone under the age of 18."
Wisconsin does not require firearm registration. The preemption statute bars any political subdivision from enacting an ordinance regulating the registration, licensing, or permitting of firearms more stringently than state law.
"no political subdivision may enact or enforce an ordinance or adopt a resolution that regulates the sale, purchase, purchase delay, transfer, ownership, use, keeping, possession, bearing, transportation, licensing, permitting, registration, or taxation of any knife or any firearm or part of a firearm."
Wisconsin DOJ — no firearm registry; preemption at § 66.0409 statute
Wisconsin has NOT enacted a red-flag (extreme risk protection order) law. Multiple bills have been introduced in successive sessions (2019, 2021, 2023, 2025) but none has received a hearing in the Republican-controlled legislature. There is no ERPO mechanism available under Wisconsin law.
"Wisconsin does not have an ERPO statute."
Wisconsin Legislative Council — Extreme Risk Protection Order issue brief (Sept. 2024) ag
Wisconsin has no state assault-weapon ban, and state preemption bars any local government from enacting one. Regulation of the sale, possession, and transportation of firearms is reserved to the state.
"no political subdivision may enact or enforce an ordinance or adopt a resolution that regulates the sale, purchase, purchase delay, transfer, ownership, use, keeping, possession, bearing, transportation, licensing, permitting, registration, or taxation of any knife or any firearm or part of a firearm."
Wisconsin has no magazine-capacity limit. State preemption prevents counties or municipalities from imposing one.
"no political subdivision may enact or enforce an ordinance or adopt a resolution that regulates the... ownership, use, keeping, possession, bearing, transportation, licensing, permitting, registration, or taxation of any... firearm or part of a firearm."
Wis. Stat. § 66.0409 (preemption); no capacity statute statute
Wisconsin makes sale, delivery, or possession of a firearm silencer a Class H felony, but the statute provides an affirmative defense for a person who has complied with the federal licensing and registration requirements of 26 U.S.C. §§ 5801-5872 (the National Firearms Act). NFA-compliant suppressor owners are therefore lawful.
"Whoever sells, delivers or possesses a firearm silencer is guilty of a Class H felony."
Possession or transport of a short-barreled rifle (barrel under 16 inches or overall length under 26 inches) or short-barreled shotgun (barrel under 18 inches or overall length under 26 inches) is a Class H felony in Wisconsin, unless the person is in full compliance with the federal NFA (26 U.S.C. §§ 5801-5872).
"No person may sell or offer to sell, transport, purchase, possess or go armed with a short-barreled shotgun or short-barreled rifle."
Wis. Stat. § 941.28 (short-barreled rifle / shotgun) statute
Suppressors, short-barreled rifles (SBRs), short-barreled shotguns (SBSs), machine guns, and destructive devices are regulated under the federal National Firearms Act and require ATF registration. NFA registration is the route by which Wisconsin's state-level prohibitions at §§ 941.28 and 941.298 are avoided.
"The National Firearms Act (NFA) imposes a statutory excise tax on the manufacture and transfer of certain firearms and mandates the registration of those firearms."
Wisconsin's electric-weapon (stun gun/taser) statute. Sale, transport, manufacture, possession, or going armed with an electric weapon is a Class H felony, subject to enumerated exceptions including law enforcement, common carrier shipment, and a CCW licensee carrying an electric weapon in compliance with § 175.60.
"Whoever sells, transports, manufactures, possesses or goes armed with any electric weapon is guilty of a Class H felony."
Wisconsin imposes strong state preemption. No political subdivision may enact or enforce an ordinance that regulates the sale, transfer, ownership, possession, bearing, transportation, licensing, registration, or taxation of firearms, knives, ammunition, or components, except where the ordinance mirrors state law and is no more stringent. Limited carve-outs remain for discharge-of-firearm restrictions (with self-defense and ceremonial exceptions), zoning of shooting ranges, and county-imposed sales/use taxes.
"Except as provided in subs. (3) and (4), no political subdivision may enact or enforce an ordinance or adopt a resolution that regulates the sale, purchase, purchase delay, transfer, ownership, use, keeping, possession, bearing, transportation, licensing, permitting, registration, or taxation of any knife or any firearm or part of a firearm, including ammunition and reloader components, unless the ordinance or resolution is the same as or similar to, and no more stringent than, a state statute."
Wis. Stat. § 66.0409 statute
Wisconsin's modern concealed-carry framework was created by 2011 Wisconsin Act 35, signed July 8, 2011 by Governor Walker, taking effect November 1, 2011. The Act made Wisconsin the 49th state to allow concealed carry of a weapon, created the CCW licensing scheme at Wis. Stat. § 175.60, added the disorderly-conduct safe harbor at § 947.01(2) protecting open and concealed carry from disorderly-conduct charges absent malicious intent, and authorized emergency rule-making by the Department of Justice.
"AN ACT to amend... and to create 175.60 of the statutes; relating to: carrying a concealed weapon; licenses authorizing persons to carry concealed weapons."
2011 Wisconsin Act 35 (CCW licensing) — codified at Wis. Stat. § 175.60 statute
2011 Wisconsin Act 94, enacted December 7, 2011 and effective December 21, 2011, created § 939.48(1m) and § 895.62, establishing the castle-doctrine presumption that defensive force used against a person unlawfully and forcibly entering or present in the actor's dwelling, motor vehicle, or place of business was reasonably necessary. Also provided civil immunity for justified use of force.
"If an actor intentionally used force that was intended or likely to cause death or great bodily harm, the court may not consider whether the actor had an opportunity to flee or retreat before he or she used force and shall presume that the actor reasonably believed that the force was necessary."
2017 Wisconsin Act 145, enacted March 28, 2018 and effective March 30, 2018, created the state straw-purchasing felony at § 941.2905 (Class G felony to furnish, purchase, or possess a firearm for a person known to be prohibited under § 941.29). It also created § 939.6195 imposing a 4-year minimum confinement on repeater firearm offenders and required DOJ firearms-purchase notification forms to capture the buyer's representation that they are not transferring to a prohibited person.
"Whoever intentionally furnishes, purchases, or possesses a firearm for a person, knowing that the person is prohibited from possessing a firearm under s. 941.29 (1m), is guilty of a Class G felony."
Wisconsin's state straw-purchasing felony, created by 2017 Wisconsin Act 145. Knowingly furnishing, purchasing, or possessing a firearm for a person prohibited under § 941.29(1m) is a Class G felony. The statute provides an affirmative defense for transfers to a person reasonably believed to be unprohibited.
"Whoever intentionally furnishes, purchases, or possesses a firearm for a person, knowing that the person is prohibited from possessing a firearm under s. 941.29 (1m), is guilty of a Class G felony."
Wis. Stat. § 941.2905 (straw purchasing of firearms) statute
Created by 2017 Wisconsin Act 145. When a person who qualifies as a repeater is convicted of an enumerated firearm offense, the confinement portion of the bifurcated sentence must be at least four years and the court may not place the person on probation.
"the term of confinement in prison portion of the bifurcated sentence shall be at least 4 years."
Wis. Stat. § 939.6195 (firearm crime repeater minimum) statute
2017 Wisconsin Act 145, enacted March 28, 2018 (published March 29, 2018; effective the next day), created the state straw-purchasing crime at Wis. Stat. § 941.2905 (Class G felony) and the four-year mandatory minimum confinement for repeater firearm offenders at § 939.6195. It also required DOJ handgun-purchase notification forms to capture the buyer's representation that they are not buying for a prohibited person.
Signed June 24, 2015 by Governor Walker, 2015 Wisconsin Act 22 repealed the longstanding 48-hour waiting period between a dealer's receipt of a DOJ background-check approval and the transfer of a handgun. Federally licensed dealers may now transfer a handgun immediately upon receiving the approval number under § 175.35.
2011 Wisconsin Act 94, enacted December 7, 2011 and effective December 21, 2011, created § 939.48(1m) and § 895.62, establishing the castle-doctrine presumption of reasonableness for defensive force used in a dwelling, motor vehicle, or place of business, and granting civil immunity for justified defensive force.
Signed by Governor Walker on July 8, 2011 and effective November 1, 2011, 2011 Wisconsin Act 35 created Wisconsin's CCW licensing scheme at Wis. Stat. § 175.60 and made Wisconsin the 49th state to authorize concealed carry. The Act also created the disorderly-conduct safe harbor at § 947.01(2) protecting open and concealed carry from disorderly-conduct charges absent additional malicious intent.
Knowingly possessing a firearm in or on the grounds of any school is a Class I felony. CCW licensees are NOT excepted from the on-grounds prohibition. The separate 1,000-foot 'school zone' offense IS excepted for licensees, unloaded encased firearms, and locked vehicle racks.
Even with a Wisconsin CCW license, a person may not carry a concealed weapon into any county, state, or federal courthouse, or into a municipal courtroom when court is in session, except for judges, district attorneys, and licensees with written judicial permission. Vehicles in courthouse parking facilities are excepted.
A licensee may not knowingly carry a concealed weapon in any portion of a building that is a police station, sheriff's office, state patrol station, or DCI special-agent office.
Prisons, jails, houses of correction, and secured correctional facilities are off-limits for concealed-weapon carry by licensees, as are certain secured mental-health units (§ 51.05 facilities including the Maximum Security Facility at Mendota Mental Health Institute) and the Wisconsin Resource Center (§ 46.056).
Concealed carry is prohibited beyond an airport security checkpoint. This mirrors federal TSA restrictions.
A CCW licensee may carry a concealed handgun on premises operating under a Class B (tavern) license, but only if the licensee is not consuming alcohol on the premises. Carrying while consuming alcohol on the premises is a Class A misdemeanor under § 941.237.
A private-property owner — and a state or local governmental unit for buildings it owns or occupies (other than the § 175.60(16)(a) statutory-prohibition buildings) — may prohibit firearms by posting a sign at least 5 inches by 7 inches in a prominent place near every entrance. Entering or remaining with a firearm after such posting is a Class B forfeiture. Firearms in vehicles parked in designated parking facilities are excepted.
Going armed with a firearm in any building owned or leased by the state or a political subdivision is a Class A misdemeanor under § 941.235 — but the offense expressly excepts holders of a Wisconsin CCW license and recognized out-of-state licensees. A non-licensee openly carrying into a public library or DMV office without a posting is therefore exposed, while a licensee is not.
Every fact on this page is paired with a citation to the underlying statute, attorney general guidance, court opinion, or ATF document. We do not rely on summaries from advocacy organizations as primary sources. Last verified June 6, 2026 against the official sources.
This page is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. We are not attorneys and nothing here creates an attorney-client relationship. Gun laws are complex, change frequently, and are interpreted differently across jurisdictions and individual fact patterns.
Before relying on any information on this page — to carry a firearm, purchase a firearm, travel across state lines, or respond to a self-defense situation — you should:
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