Chapter 66 — GENERAL MUNICIPALITY LAW

66.0101 Home rule; manner of exercise. (1) Under article XI, section 3, of the constitution, the method of determination of the local affairs and government of cities and villages shall be as prescribed in this section. 66.1009 66.1010 66.1011 66.1013 66.1014 66.1015 66.1017 66.1…

66.0103 Code of ordinances. (1) The governing body of a city, village, town or county may authorize the preparation of a code of some or all of its general ordinances. The code may be enacted by an ordinance that incorporates the code by reference. A copy of the code shall be ava…

66.0104 Prohibiting ordinances that place certain limits or requirements on a landlord. (1) In this section: (ah) “Habitability violation” means any of the following conditions if the condition constitutes an ordinance violation: 1. The rental property or rental unit lacks hot or…

66.0105 Jurisdiction of overlapping extraterritorial powers. The extraterritorial powers granted to cities and villages by statute, including ss. 30.745, 62.23 (2) and (7a), 66.0415, 236.10 and 254.57, may not be exercised within the corporate limits of another city or village. W…

66.0107 Power of municipalities to prohibit criminal conduct. (1) The board or council of any town, village or city may: (a) Prohibit all forms of gambling and fraudulent devices and practices. (b) Seize anything devised solely for gambling or found in actual use for gambling and…

66.0109 Penalties under county and municipal ordinances. If a statute requires that the penalty under any county or municipal ordinance conform to the penalty provided by statute the ordinance may impose only a forfeiture and may provide for imprisonment if the forfeiture is not …

66.0111 Bond or cash deposit under municipal ordinances. (1) If a person is arrested for the violation of a city, village or town ordinance and the action is to be in circuit court, the chief of police or police officer designated by the chief, marshal or clerk of court may accep…

66.0113 Citations for certain ordinance violations. (1) ADOPTION; CONTENT. (a) Except as provided in sub. (5), the governing body of a county, town, city, village, town sanitary district or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district may by ordinance adopt and autho…

66.0114 Actions for violation of ordinances. (1) COLLECTION OF FORFEITURES AND PENALTIES. (a) An action for violation of an ordinance or bylaw enacted by a city, village, town sanitary district or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district is a civil action. All fo…

66.0115 Outstanding unpaid forfeitures. (1) In this section, “municipality” means a county, city, village or town. Except as provided under sub. (2), any municipality may refuse to issue any license or permit to a person who has not paid an overdue forfeiture resulting from a vio…

66.0117 Judgment against local governmental units. (1) In this section: (a) “Local governmental unit” means a city, village, town, county, school district, technical college district, town sanitary district or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district. (b) “Statem…

66.0119 Special inspection warrants. (1) (a) “Inspection purposes” includes such purposes as building, housing, electrical, plumbing, heating, gas, fire, health, safety, environmental pollution, water quality, waterways, use of water, food, zoning, property assessment, meter and …

66.0121 Orders; action; proof of demand. No action may be brought upon a city, village, town or school district order until 30 days after a demand for the payment of the order has been made. If an action is brought and the defendant fails to appear and defend the action, judgment…

66.0123 Recreation authority. (1) In this section, “governmental unit” means a town board or school board. (2) A governmental unit may, after compliance with s. 65.90, provide funds for the establishment, operation and maintenance of a department of public recreation. (3) (a) A g…

66.0125 Community relations-social development commissions. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Status as a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking,” for purposes of discrimination in housing, has the meaning given in s. 106.50 (1m) (u). (b) “Local governmental u…

66.0127 Municipal hospital board. (1) In a city, village or town in which a municipal hospital is located, the board of trustees or other governing board of the municipal hospital may, except as otherwise provided by ordinance, do any of the following: (a) Prescribe rules of orde…

66.0129 Hospital facilities lease from nonprofit corporation. (1) POWERS AND DUTIES OF GOVERNING BODY. For the purpose of providing adequate hospital facilities in the state of Wisconsin to serve cities, villages and towns and the hospital May 22, 2026, are designated by NOTES. (…

66.0131 Local governmental purchasing. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Local governmental unit” means a political subdivision of this state, a special purpose district in this state, an agency or corporation of a political subdivision or special purpose district, or a comb…

66.0133 Energy savings performance contracting. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Energy conservation measure” means a facility alteration or training, service, or operations program designed to reduce energy consumption or operating costs, conserve water resources, improve …

66.0134 Labor peace agreements prohibited. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Federal labor laws” means the federal Labor Management Relations Act, 29 USC 141 to 144, and the federal National Labor Relations Act, 29 USC 151 to 169. (b) “Local governmental unit” means a city, …

66.0135 Interest on late payments. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Agency” means any office, department, board, commission or other body under the control of the governing body of a local governmental unit which expends moneys or incurs obligations on behalf of the local g…

66.0137 Provision of insurance. (1) DEFINITION. In this section: (ac) “Board of Regents” means the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. (af) “Dies in the line of duty” means a death that occurs, or occurred, as a direct and proximate result of a personal injury…

66.0139 Disposal of abandoned property. (1) In this section, “political subdivision” means a city, village, town or county. (2) A political subdivision may dispose of any personal property which has been abandoned, or remained unclaimed for a period of 30 days, after the taking o…

66.0141 Accident record systems. Every city, village and town having a population of 5,000 or more shall maintain a traffic accident record system whereby traffic accidents occurring within the city, village or town may be located within 100 feet of the occurrence and shall provi…

66.0143 Local appeals for exemption from state mandates. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section: (a) “Political subdivision” means a city, village, town, or county. (b) “State mandate” means a state law that requires a political subdivision to engage in an activity or provide a service…

66.0144 Advisory referenda. No city, village, or town may conduct a referendum for advisory purposes, except as provided under s. 66.0305 (6), 66.0307 (4) (e), 66.0420 (12) (b) 2., 66.0422 (3) (b), or 196.204 (2m) (b) 2. or for an advisory referendum regarding capital expenditure…

66.0145 No preferences in hiring or contracting. (1) In this section, “political subdivision” means a county, city, village, or town. (2) Unless required to secure federal aid, no political subdivision may discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment on MUNICIPAL LAW 66.…

66.0201 Incorporation of villages and cities; purpose and definitions. (1) PURPOSE. It is the policy of this state that the development of territory from town to incorporated status proceed in an orderly and uniform manner and that toward this end each proposed incorporation of t…

66.0203 Procedure for incorporation of villages and cities. (1) NOTICE OF INTENTION. At least 10 days and not more than 20 days before the circulation of an incorporation petition, a notice setting forth that the petition is to be circulated and including an accurate description …

66.0205 Standards to be applied by the circuit court. Before referring the incorporation petition as provided in s. 66.0203 (2) to the board, the court shall determine whether the petition meets the formal and signature requirements and shall further find that the following minim…

66.0207 Standards to be applied by the board. (1) REQUIREMENTS. The board may approve for referendum only those proposed incorporations which meet the following requirements: (a) Characteristics of territory. The entire territory of the proposed village or city shall be reasonabl…

66.0209 Review of incorporation-related orders and decisions. (1) The order of the circuit court made under s. 66.0203 (8) or (9) (f) may be appealed to the court of appeals. (2) The decision of the board made under s. 66.0203 (9) is subject to judicial review under ch. 227. (3) …

66.0211 Incorporation referendum procedure. (1) ORDER. The circuit court’s order for an incorporation referendum shall specify the voting place and the date of the referendum, which shall be not less than 6 weeks from the date of the order, and name 3 inspectors of election. If t…

66.0213 Powers of new village or city: elections; adjustment of taxes; reorganization as village. (1) VILLAGE OR CITY POWERS. A village or city incorporated under ss. 66.0201 to 66.0213 is a body corporate and politic, with powers and privileges of a municipal corporation at comm…

66.0215 Incorporation of certain towns adjacent to 1st class cities. (1) PETITION. If the resident population of a town exceeds 5,000 as shown by the last federal census or by a census under sub. (2), if the town is adjacent to a 1st class city and contains an equalized valuation…

66.02162 Incorporation of certain towns contiguous to 3rd class cities or villages. (1) CONDITIONS. A town board may initiate the procedure for incorporating its town as a village under this section by adopting a resolution providing for a referendum by the electors of the town o…

66.02165 Limitations on newly created incorporated village or city. For a 5-year period after incorporation under this subchapter, a newly incorporated city or village may not add or contract to add any remaining town territory of the town from May 22, 2026, are designated by NOT…

66.0217 (7) to the extent applicable except that the ballot shall contain the words “For a city [village]” and “Against a city [village]”. The inspectors shall make a return to the circuit court. (4) COSTS. If the referendum is against incorporation, the costs of the election sha…

66.0219 Annexation by referendum initiated by city or village. As a complete alternative to any other annexation procedure, and subject to sub. (10) and ss. 66.0301 (6) (d) and 66.0307 (7), unincorporated territory which contains electors and is contiguous to a city or village ma…

66.0221 Annexation of and creation of town islands. (1) Upon its own motion and subject to sub. (3) and ss. 66.0301 (6) (d) and 66.0307 (7), a city or village, by a two-thirds vote of the entire membership of its governing body, may enact an ordinance annexing territory which com…

66.0223 Annexation of territory owned by a city or village. (1) In addition to other methods provided by law and subject to sub. (2) and ss. 66.0301 (6) (d) and 66.0307 (7), territory owned by and lying near but not necessarily contiguous to a village or city may be annexed to a …

66.0225 Stipulated boundary agreements in contested boundary actions. (1) DEFINITIONS. In this section, “municipality” means a city, village, or town. (2) CONTESTED ANNEXATIONS. Any 2 municipalities whose boundaries are immediately adjacent at any point and who are parties to an …

66.0227 Detachment of territory. Subject to ss. 66.0301 (6) (d) and 66.0307 (7), territory may be detached from a city or village and attached to a city, village or town to which it is contiguous as follows: (1) A petition signed by a majority of the owners of threefourths of the…

66.0229 Consolidation. (1) GENERAL PROCEDURES. Subject to ss. 66.0301 (6) (d) and 66.0307 (7), a town, village or city May 22, 2026, are designated by NOTES. (Published 5-22-26) 66.0229 MUNICIPAL LAW may be consolidated with a contiguous town, village or city, by ordinance, passe…

66.0230 Town consolidation with a city or village. (1) (a) In addition to the method described in s. 66.0229 (1) and subject to subs. (2), (3), and (4) and to ss. 66.0301 (6) (d) and 66.0307 (7), all or part of a town may consolidate with a contiguous city or village by ordinance…

66.0231 Notice of certain litigation affecting municipal status or boundaries. If a proceeding under ss. 61.187, 61.189, 61.74, 62.075, 66.0201 to 66.0213, 66.0215, 66.02162, 66.0217, 66.0221, 66.0223, 66.0227, 66.0301 (6), or 66.0307 or other sections relating to an incorporatio…

66.0233 Town participation in actions to test alterations of town boundaries. In a proceeding in which territory may be attached to or detached from a town, the town is an interested party, and the town board may institute, maintain or May 22, 2026, are designated by NOTES. (Publ…

66.0235 Adjustment of assets and liabilities on division of territory. (1) DEFINITION. In this section, “local governmental unit” means town sanitary districts, school districts, technical college districts, towns, villages and cities. (2) BASIS. (a) Except as otherwise provided …

66.0301 (6) (d) and 66.0307 (7), if a petition for direct annexation signed by all of the electors residing in the territory and the owners of all of the real property in the territory is filed with the city or village clerk, and with the town clerk of the town or towns in which …

66.0303 Municipal interstate cooperation. (1) In this section, “municipality” has the meaning given in s. 66.0301 (1) (a), except that with regard to agreements described in s. 66.0304, “municipality” includes a political subdivision, as defined in s.