Wisconsin Gun Laws in Plain English
In Wisconsin, you can buy most guns without a waiting period or purchase permit. You can carry a handgun openly without a license, but you need a state permit to carry it concealed. There are no limits on magazine size or bans on 'assault weapons.' While you can keep a loaded handgun in your car, rifles and shotguns must be unloaded and cased during transport.
Critical: Wisconsin Gun Law Gotchas
These are the most important things to know that could get you arrested or charged with a crime:
- #1Long guns (rifles/shotguns) MUST be unloaded and encased when in a vehicle (Wis. Stat. § 167.31(2)(b)). This is different from handguns, which can be loaded/uncased.
- #2The federal 1,000-foot Gun-Free School Zone (18 U.S.C. § 922(q)) applies. While a WI CCW permit exempts you, 'Constitutional Carry' (open carry without permit) does NOT exempt you from the federal zone.
- #3You cannot carry a concealed weapon in a tavern if you are consuming alcohol (Wis. Stat. § 941.237(3)(cx)).
- #4Electric weapons (tasers) are generally restricted unless you have a CCW permit or are in your own home/business (Wis. Stat. § 941.295).
- #5Shining wild animals while possessing a firearm is heavily restricted and can lead to poaching charges (Wis. Stat. § 29.314).
- #6Snowmobiles and ATVs have strict casing/unloaded requirements that may differ slightly from standard vehicle laws (Wis. Stat. § 350.09).
- #7Tribal lands (e.g., Menominee, Oneida) are sovereign nations; state CCW permits may not be honored, and tribal laws often ban carry.
- #8Disorderly Conduct (Wis. Stat. § 947.01) cannot be charged SOLELY for open carry, but if you are acting aggressively or causing a disturbance while carrying, you can still be charged.
- #9Possession of a firearm while under the influence of an intoxicant is a Class A misdemeanor (Wis. Stat. § 941.20(1)(b)).
- #10While you can build a 'ghost gun,' you cannot sell it without becoming a licensed manufacturer.
- #11Out-of-state CCW permits allow you to carry in WI (if on the reciprocity list), but they do NOT exempt you from the Federal Gun-Free School Zone Act within WI.
- #12Boat transport follows similar rules to vehicles; motorboats generally require firearms to be unloaded and encased.
Read these carefully - they cover common mistakes that lead to felony charges.