Oneida County, WI Public Health Rules: Restaurant Grade Cards (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- General Code § 11.16
- Permit
- annual, §11.16(6)(a), expires each June 30
- Application decision
- within 30 days, §11.16(7)
- Display requirement
- shown in conspicuous public place, §11.16(9)
- Reinspection trigger
- 10+ violations or uncorrected critical issue
- Penalty
- $100-$1,000 forfeiture, up to 6 months jail
Summary
Oneida County does not post A, B, or C letter grades in restaurant windows. Instead, General Code § 11.16 makes the Oneida County Health Department the licensing and inspection authority for every restaurant, retail food establishment, and temporary food stand, requiring a nonprorated annual permit that must be displayed at all times in a conspicuous public place.
RESTAURANT (a) Any building, room or place where meals are prepared, served or sold to transients or the general public, and all places used in connection with the building, room or place, and includes any public or private school lunchroom for which food service is provided by contract. ... (a) No person shall operate a tattoo and body-piercing establishment, retail food establishment, bed-and-breakfast establishment, hotel, motel, tourist rooming house, restaurant, campground, recreational and educational camp or public swimming pool, or a Class B or Class C alcoholic beverage licensure establishment without first obtaining a nonprorated permit from the Health Department. Permits shall be issued on an annual basis, commencing with July 1 and ending on the following June 30. ... (9) Permit; Public Display. Every licensed establishment shall be required to obtain a permit pursuant to this section and shall display said permit, at all times, in a conspicuous public place.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4929683; v20 updated 2026-04-21; through 04-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
Adopted under Wis. 68(5), and Ch. 254, and Wis. Admin. Code chs. 16 makes the Oneida County Health Department (OCHD) the state's designated agent for permitting and inspecting hotels, motels, bed-and-breakfasts, campgrounds, public swimming pools, and every restaurant and retail food establishment in the county. 16(6)(a), no one may operate a restaurant, retail food establishment, or several other listed businesses without first obtaining a nonprorated permit from the Health Department; permits run on a fixed cycle from July 1 through the following June 30, and a licensee found in violation can have the permit conditioned on a fix-by date or voided outright if the fix is not made.
16(9), the closest thing this code has to the letter-grade card other jurisdictions post. Instead of a grade, the County tracks compliance through its REINSPECTION FEE definition, which triggers a follow-up visit for uncorrected critical violations, more than ten total violations, repeat violations from a prior inspection, major noncritical violations, or a substantiated complaint. Citations can be issued by the Health Officer, Assistant Health Officer, an Environmental Health Specialist or Technician, the Solid Waste Administrator, or the Planning and Zoning Administrator. If OCHD determines an immediate danger to health exists, it can temporarily suspend a permit outright, and repeated or serious violations can lead to permanent revocation, appealable under Wis.
Stats. Ch. 227. Fees are set at least as high as the state DATCP schedule and can be raised by the County Board of Health with County Board approval.
Violations & Fines
Operating without the required Health Department permit, or violating any provision of § 11.16, carries a forfeiture of $100 to $1,000 plus the costs of the action, and default in payment can mean one day to six months in the county jail. Each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense, and OCHD can pursue injunctive relief or permit revocation on top of the forfeiture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Oneida County grade restaurants with letter cards like A, B, or C?
How often does Oneida County inspect restaurants?
What happens if a restaurant operates without a permit?
Who can shut down a restaurant in Oneida County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Oneida County
Compare Oneida County to another location·View the Wisconsin public health rules overview
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