West Allis, WI

West Allis requires driveways serving 1- and 2-unit homes to be paved in an approved material and generally kept out of the front yard except for the direct path to a garage.

West Allis enforces Wisconsin's stopping-and-parking statutes as city ordinance violations, no blocking driveways, hydrants or crosswalks, and no parking against the flow of traffic…

West Allis allows electric vehicle charging as a limited accessory use in every zoning district, but residential chargers may only serve the lot's own occupants and guests free of…

West Allis declares any vehicle left over 48 hours without permission, or any inoperable, unlicensed or junked vehicle stored outside on private property, a public nuisance subject to…

West Allis prohibits parking or storing boats, campers, RVs, trailers, and mobile homes on unpaved surfaces or lawns anywhere on private property, with a narrow exception during the…

West Allis bars parking on any street or municipal lot between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. under WAMC § 10.105 unless the vehicle holds a police-chief-issued night parking permit, and a separate…

Loading and special parking zones on West Allis streets require a permit from the Director of Public Works under WAMC § 10.065, with special parking zones limited to 30 minutes and…

West Allis limits outdoor vehicle parking on 1- and 2-unit dwelling lots to vehicles with no more than 2 axles or 4 wheels, trailers under 12 feet, and requires a paved surface.

West Allis can declare a citywide snow emergency banning parking on posted emergency thoroughfares and imposing even/odd alternate-side parking on other streets, enforced by towing and…

Wisconsin caps what a towing service may charge you after a nonconsensual tow from private property. Wis. Admin. Code § Trans 319.03(1) limits removal to $150 regardless of the…

Revving, tire squealing, and horn blowing that create a disturbance cost drivers a $300 forfeiture under West Allis's disorderly-conduct-with-a-motor-vehicle rule.

In West Allis's commercial and industrial zones, nighttime noise audible from 75 feet or more away on a different property is presumed to unreasonably disturb neighbors between 10:00…

West Allis treats habitual barking, howling, or other animal noise that disturbs neighbors of ordinary sensibilities as a public nuisance, enforceable through written abatement orders…

West Allis bans noise that unreasonably disturbs neighbors, using objective time-and-distance tests, audible inside a home at night, or 150+ feet away by day, that govern amplified…

West Allis presumes noise from outdoor property maintenance equipment -- including leaf blowers -- reasonable only between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.; running it outside that window can…

West Allis treats construction noise as presumptively reasonable only between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.; work outside that window loses its automatic protection and can be cited as an…

West Allis sets a nighttime noise curfew: between 10 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., noise audible inside a residential dwelling from outside it is presumed to unreasonably disturb the peace, with…

West Allis requires anyone with an animal off their own property to keep it within 6 feet of themselves and under control at all times, with escalating fines for violations.

West Allis makes it a public nuisance to put out food that attracts rats, mice, raccoons, or squirrels along with the birds -- the city has adopted Wisconsin's wildlife-feeding rule…

West Allis limits a dwelling unit to 2 dogs and 4 cats over 5 months old unless an occupant holds an animal fancier license.

West Allis limits residential animal-keeping to a fixed list of small domestic species; chickens, goats, pigs, and other livestock aren't on it and need a health-commissioner animal…

West Allis bans owning, keeping, or selling any live wild animal citywide, with narrow exceptions for accredited zoos, licensed vets, licensed research or educational institutions, and…

West Allis doesn't restrict dog breeds - it declares individual animals 'dangerous' or 'prohibited' based on documented behavior, then imposes confinement, muzzling, insurance, and…

All 19 municipalities in Milwaukee County require dogs and cats to be licensed annually, and Wisconsin law requires cats over five months old to be current on rabies vaccination…

Wisconsin requires beekeepers to register colonies with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). State apiary inspection law applies uniformly statewide…

West Allis bans open burning of leaves, garden refuse, wood and other combustible material citywide, with narrow exceptions for grills, tobacco and fully enclosed wood-burning devices…

West Allis allows only fully enclosed wood-burning devices as an exception to its open-burning ban, and requires them to sit 10 feet from structures, run only 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., and…

West Allis Fire Department enforces the state smoke-detector mandate under RMC § 5.10: if an owner ignores a five-day notice, the department can install detectors or batteries and bill…

Consumer fireworks in Wisconsin are governed by Wis. Stat. 167.10 and by each city, village, or town, not the county. Sparklers under 36 inches, caps, and poppers are exempt; aerial…

Wisconsin uniformly regulates propane storage, installation, and handling under Wis. Admin. Code SPS 340, adopting NFPA 58 statewide and preempting inconsistent local rules through…

Wisconsin DNR designates statewide Fire Protection Areas under Wis. Stat. § 26.11 where the agency holds primary wildfire suppression authority and enforces stricter ignition rules…

West Allis caps home-based businesses at one client on-site at a time and four client visits per day, by appointment only, with no appointments between 8 pm and 8 am, per § 19.37.

West Allis requires a home-based business permit for any home business in a residential district, capping on-site clients, restricting hours, and barring shipping pickups from the home.

West Allis permits family child care homes as an accessory use in residential and select commercial districts, but only in a 1-unit dwelling or an owner-occupied 2-unit dwelling.

Milwaukee County does not regulate cottage food. Selling homemade foods is governed by Wisconsin state law and DATCP, including the Wis. Stat. 97.29 'pickle bill' exemption for…

Wisconsin has never created a microenterprise home kitchen permit, and it has no exemption that lets you cook meals in your own kitchen and sell them. Wis. Stat. § 97.30(2)(a) requires…

West Allis caps residential fences at six feet in side and rear yards, bans them in required front-yard setbacks, and applies the same rule to the street-facing side of corner lots.

West Allis exempts retaining walls under five feet from permitting; walls five feet or taller need a building permit under Revised Municipal Code § 13.05.

West Allis fences must use approved materials like commercial fencing, block, or treated lumber: sheet metal, salvage materials, electrified fencing, and single-strand wire fences are…

West Allis requires the finished side of fences face neighbors. Shared boundary fences follow WI line fence statute. Disputes handled through city mediation or town supervisor process.

Milwaukee County requires a permit and a recordable agreement with the director of public works before installing a fence that projects into a county public way, no closer than six…

West Allis requires every outdoor swimming or wading pool to be surrounded by a fence at least 4 feet tall with no gaps wider than 5 inches, plus self-closing, self-latching gates at…

West Allis requires a Building Inspector permit before anyone builds a pool larger than 75 square feet, plus submitted plans showing the pool's size, depth, and fence and gate layout.

West Allis limits a detached shed ('Other Accessory Building') to 300 square feet and 15 feet of height, set back 60 feet from the front lot line and 3 feet from the side and rear…

West Allis allows one accessory dwelling unit per lot as a limited accessory use in most residential and several commercial districts, defined as any dwelling unit besides the…

Wisconsin's Uniform Dwelling Code (Wis. Stat. ch. 101 and SPS 320-325) sets statewide construction standards for one- and two-family dwellings, including tiny homes built as permanent…

In West Allis, no one may cut, prune, remove, or treat a tree or shrub growing in the city terrace or boulevard strip without written permission from the Director of Public Works, per…

West Allis caps grass in lawn areas at 6 inches and bans noxious weeds under the Property Maintenance Code, Revised Municipal Code § 13.28(10)(b); the city can mow and bill violators.

Wisconsin has no statute banning rainwater harvesting. Under Wis. Stat. 145.01(10)(br)1, a rainwater gutter or downspout is expressly excluded from the legal definition of "plumbing"…

West Allis requires a Tourist Rooming House permit administered through the West Allis Health Department. Annual inspection required. State DATCP TRH license ($110/year + $300 one-time…

Milwaukee County does not require short-term rentals to be a host's primary residence. State law bars local governments from banning rentals of 7 or more days, and any residency-based…

Milwaukee County imposes no occupancy cap on short-term rentals. Guest limits, where they exist, come from the host municipality's ordinance and from state tourist rooming house safety…

Milwaukee County does not impose a room tax. Short-term stays in the county carry a 3% basic room tax through the Wisconsin Center Tax District (7% additional in the City of…

Milwaukee County does not require a host to be present during a stay. State law protects whole-home rentals of 7 or more days, so unhosted short-term rentals are allowed; any…

Milwaukee County imposes no annual limit on rental nights. State law lets a municipality cap only rentals of 6 to 30 days, and only at no fewer than 180 days a year; rentals of 7 or…

West Allis does not allow vehicle repair shops in residential districts: motor vehicle service is a conditional use limited to C-2 through C-4 and I-1/I-2 zones, barred near…

West Allis requires a local retailer license to sell cigarettes, tobacco products, or e-cigarettes/vaping devices under RMC § 9.65, which adopts the state's licensing, application, and…

West Allis requires anyone operating as a pawnbroker to hold a license under Wis. Stat. § 134.71, adopted into the city code at WAMC § 9.75, with licensing, application and discipline…

West Allis requires a license for any adult-oriented entertainment business under RMC § 9.59, and bars new locations within 500 feet of another such business, a residential district…

West Allis charges a City-set administrative fee on every non-consent tow from a highway or private property, and requires the towing service to forward all collected fees to the City…

West Allis requires secondhand article dealers to hold a city license under WAMC § 9.80, which adopts Wis. Stat. § 134.71(3) for licensing, application and discipline; secondhand…

West Allis requires new and substantially improved structures in mapped floodplains to elevate their lowest floor at least two feet above the regional flood elevation, a freeboard…

The City of West Allis participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and regulates floodplain development in conformance with Wis. Stat. Sec. 87.30 and Wisconsin…

West Allis requires a Building Inspector-approved control plan and permit before any construction site disturbs 4,000 square feet or more of ground, to keep sediment out of city waters.

Milwaukee County bans illicit discharges into its storm sewer system and prohibits illicit connections to it, under Chapter 39 of the county code covering waste disposal on…

Wisconsin's NR 115 sets minimum shoreland zoning standards along navigable waters, and the Public Trust Doctrine protects Great Lakes shores. Counties must adopt rules at least as…

West Allis treats a residential block party as its own special-event category, closing a street to non-vendor neighbors with a simpler City Clerk permit than other events.

Anyone who wants exclusive use of a West Allis park area, for a gathering, party, or event, must get a park permit from the Director of Public Works under § 11.13.

West Allis allows outdoor dining as a limited accessory use in its commercial and industrial districts, but every outdoor dining area needs site plan approval before it can open.

West Allis requires a city clerk-issued special event permit, covering parades, block parties, and other public gatherings, with Common Council approval, fees, and street-closure…

Street fairs and festivals that impede public property or don't comply with zoning need a special event permit from the City Clerk, with vendor and fee disclosures required upfront.

West Allis requires a permit before constructing, altering, moving, demolishing, or repairing any building or structure, issued by the Code Enforcement Department under Revised…

West Allis declares a rental or residential property a human health hazard under RMC § 7.25 if it lacks working carbon monoxide detectors, making the condition enforceable through the…

West Allis requires an electrical permit from the Electrical Inspector before any wiring, equipment installation, or alteration begins, with narrow homeowner exemptions.

West Allis requires a plumbing permit from the Plumbing Inspector before any installation, alteration, or repair work, with a narrow homeowner exception for minor fixture replacement…

West Allis bars minors under 17 from public places between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless a parent, work, an emergency, or another listed exception applies.

West Allis parks close overnight: no one may enter or remain in a city park between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless posted hours say otherwise or a park permit allows it, per § 11.13.

West Allis bars putting refuse carts at the curb before 6 p.m. the day prior, requires removal by 8 p.m. on collection day, and mandates screening the rest of the time.

West Allis bans vehicles from dumping, spilling, or depositing debris, construction waste, mud, dirt, gravel, onto any city street, alley, gutter, sidewalk, or public place, under…

West Allis lets residents set large items outside their cart for bulk pickup, but caps the pile at 1 cubic yard total and 50 pounds per object.

West Allis collects leaves, garden debris, and brush from eligible properties on a set schedule, but caps loose brush at 1 cubic yard of material no thicker than 4 inches.

West Allis collects solid waste on a schedule set by the Board of Public Works, but only from eligible one- to three-family homes, condos, and attached one-family dwellings that opt in.

West Allis zoning bars refuse container enclosures, the screened structures built around dumpsters and shared trash carts, from front yards, allowing them only to the side or rear.

Wisconsin's statewide recycling law, Wis. Stat. § 287.07, bans landfilling or burning aluminum, glass, plastic and steel containers, paper, and cardboard. Municipalities, not Milwaukee…

Door-to-door sellers and peddlers in West Allis must obtain a transient merchant license under WAMC § 9.84 before soliciting, and licensed or not, every temporary seller must follow…

Commercial properties in West Allis tied to three or more nuisance incidents within 180 days can be ordered to install and maintain a security camera system covering entrances…

West Allis prohibits owners from letting a vacant building sit in disrepair, junk-strewn, unsecured, or graffiti-covered, and can declare it a nuisance abandoned building subject to…

West Allis property owners must clear sidewalk snow and ice within 24 hours of a snow event or ice formation under Revised Municipal Code § 11.12, or the city clears it and bills the…

Milwaukee County does not enforce maintenance of privately owned vacant lots. Weed cutting, debris removal, and securing empty parcels are handled by each city or village under…

West Allis requires a City Engineer temporary occupancy permit, or a Common Council 'privilege' for anything lasting 90 days or more, before anyone may place an obstruction or…

West Allis bars blocking a public sidewalk with vehicles, chutes or ramps, and requires overhanging tree branches to clear 7.5 feet, keeping walkways passable under its sidewalks…

West Allis places maintenance of the public strip between a property line and the street, including the sidewalk, on the abutting property owner, not the City.

West Allis sets minimum yard setbacks by zoning district, RA-1 requires 30 feet front, 25 feet rear, and 8 feet side, under the § 19.41 Building Size and Location table.

The West Allis zoning code caps building lot coverage at 40% in the RA-1 and RA-2 districts, 50% in RA-3, and 60% in RB, with no listed cap for commercial or industrial districts.

West Allis caps building height at 35 feet in the RA-1 through RA-3 single- and two-family districts, 40 feet in RB, and up to 105 feet in the C-4 commercial district, per § 19.41.

West Allis bans smoking within 25 feet of building entrances, near the Farmers Market, and within 100 feet of public playground equipment.

West Allis makes it an offense to loiter or prowl in a way that raises alarm about safety, but officers must first ask the person to identify themselves and explain their presence.

Open containers of alcohol or CBD/THC beverages are banned on West Allis public ways and City property, with carve-outs for licensed premises and permitted community events.

West Allis police issue a municipal citation, not a criminal charge, for marijuana possession under home-rule authority, including use in public, unless the person has a qualifying…

Milwaukee County's traffic ordinance bans jaywalking outright, defining it as crossing within 300 feet of a marked crosswalk, crossing against signals at a controlled intersection, or…

Milwaukee County bans skateboarding on sidewalks, walkways, and any park area the county board designates and posts with no-skateboarding signs.

West Allis classifies solar energy systems as a permitted accessory use in every zoning district, so homeowners and businesses can install them without a conditional use permit or site…

Wisconsin does not merely limit what a homeowners' association may say about solar. Wis. Stat. § 236.292(2) declares that all restrictions on platted land that prevent or unduly…

West Allis requires property owners to eliminate rodent harborages and food sources or face city abatement and fines up to $500 per day.

West Allis code declares a rental unit a human health hazard if it lacks hot water, can't hold 67°F heat, has unsafe wiring, or has no working smoke or CO detectors.

West Allis requires owners of non-owner-occupied residential parcels and all commercial property to register contact information with the city clerk; owner-occupied one-, two-, and…

Wis. Stat. Sec. 704.17 sets the pre-eviction notice. For nonpayment of rent on a month-to-month tenancy or a lease of one year or less, the landlord gives a 5-day notice to pay or…

Wisconsin Statute 66.0104 and Act 317 prevent municipalities from limiting landlord-tenant relationships beyond state law, including any local just-cause eviction requirement. Eviction…

Wis. Stat. Sec. 704.05(2) lets a landlord enter only on advance notice and at reasonable times to inspect, repair, or show the unit. Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.09(2) makes that…

Under Wis. Stat. Sec. 704.19, either the landlord or tenant may end a month-to-month or other periodic tenancy with at least 28 days' written notice. If rent is payable on a basis less…

Wisconsin prohibits rent control statewide. Wis. Stat. § 66.1015 bars every city, village, town, and county from regulating the amount of rent charged for a residential rental unit…

Wisconsin sets no statutory cap on the amount of a residential security deposit. After a tenancy ends, the landlord must mail or deliver the deposit, less lawful deductions, within 21…

Wisconsin recognizes three adverse-possession tracks. The default under Wis. Stat. Sec. 893.25 is 20 years of uninterrupted possession with no written instrument. Sec. 893.26 shortens…

West Allis imposes an 8% room tax on hotel, motel, and other transient lodging stays under Revised Municipal Code § 1.12, with retailers filing monthly gross-receipts reports to the…

West Allis limits window signs to 20% of a storefront's window space, with no permit required as long as the sign is affixed to the interior glass, not applied outside.

West Allis limits electronic message centers and changeable-copy signs to 35% of the sign face, one per lot, and message changes no faster than every three seconds.

Political signs in Milwaukee County are governed by Wisconsin state law. Under Wis. Stat. 12.04, no county or municipality may regulate the size, shape, placement, or content of a…

West Allis bans operating a drone in ways that violate Wisconsin's drone-privacy statute, backing the state law with a local forfeiture of up to $5,000 under its own Revised Municipal…

Wisconsin commercial drone operators follow FAA Part 107. Wis. Stat. 114.045 sets state no-fly zones over prisons, schools, and utilities, and local governments cannot regulate flight…

West Allis requires all illuminated sign lighting to be installed so it doesn't cast glare or reflection onto a neighboring property or create a traffic hazard on the street.

West Allis zoning code caps residential rummage sales at five days and $2,000 in total revenue per calendar year before the activity falls outside the permitted accessory use.

Selling merchandise or services inside a Milwaukee County building or on its grounds requires written approval from the department head and tenant agency under Ch. 23: a permit rule…

Wisconsin requires all food trucks to be licensed as Mobile Retail Food Establishments under Wis. Stat. ch. 97 and ATCP 75. State licensing is uniform statewide, though local zoning…

Milwaukee County park drives have no marked bike lanes, but county rules require cyclists to ride single file in the right-hand lane and follow set safety rules.

Wisconsin splits these two machines apart in the definitions and then treats them completely differently. A low-speed vehicle has a statewide right of the road: under Wis. Stat. s…

Wisconsin has no legal recreational or medical marijuana dispensary program. State law prohibits cannabis sales, so no municipality can authorize dispensary operations through zoning…

Wisconsin prohibits all marijuana cultivation, including for personal use. Growing any cannabis plant is a felony under state controlled substances law. No municipality may authorize…

Wisconsin Statute 104.001 expressly preempts cities, villages, towns, and counties from establishing a minimum wage higher than the state minimum, ensuring uniform wage rules across…

Wisconsin Statute 103.10 and 104.001 preempt local paid sick leave ordinances, blocking cities and counties from requiring private employers to provide paid time off beyond state and…

Wisconsin preempts local predictive scheduling and fair workweek ordinances under Wis. Stat. 103.007, ensuring statewide uniformity for employer scheduling practices and forbidding…

Wisconsin Statute 66.0409 broadly preempts local firearm regulation, barring cities, villages, towns, and counties from enacting ordinances stricter than state law on possession…

Wisconsin permits adults at least 18 who are not prohibited persons to openly carry firearms in public without a permit, with statewide preemption blocking local restrictions on lawful…

Wisconsin Statute 941.23 makes carrying a concealed handgun in a vehicle without a CCW license a misdemeanor, while open carry and licensed concealed carry inside vehicles are lawful…

Wisconsin requires footings and foundations to sit below the frost penetration level or at least 48 inches below adjacent grade, whichever is deeper, so 48 inches is a floor, not a…

Wisconsin's dwelling code sets minimum roof snow loads from a state zone map and does not state a ground snow load at all, which is the opposite of how most states publish the figure.

Wisconsin bans gambling as a crime, but Wis. Stat. § 563.11(1) lets bona fide religious, charitable, service, fraternal, or veterans organizations apply to the Department of…

Wisconsin's gambling code has no carve-out for private social games. Wis. Stat. § 945.01(1) defines 'bet' and lists eight exceptions, business deals, contest prizes, bingo, pari-mutuel…

Wisconsin has no commercial sportsbook law. Wis. Stat. § 945.02 makes placing any bet a Class B misdemeanor unless it fits a listed exception, and § 945.01(1)(h), added by 2025…

Wisconsin has no comprehensive non-condo HOA act. Condominium associations get a statutory assessment lien under Wis. Stat. § 703.165 that is foreclosed like a mortgage. Non-condo HOAs…

Wisconsin condominiums run through an association of unit owners under Wis. Stat. § 703.15, which sets meeting-notice, proxy, and voting rules. Non-condo HOAs are governed as nonstock…

Wisconsin overrides anti-solar and anti-wind HOA restrictions by statute. Wis. Stat. § 236.292 voids restrictions on platted land that prevent or unduly restrict solar or wind energy…

Wisconsin protects flag display through two separate statutes, and which one applies depends on whether you own a condominium unit or a lot in a covenanted subdivision. Wis. Stat. §…

Wisconsin sets no dollar cap on association fines and requires no hearing before one is imposed. For condominiums, Wis. Stat. § 703.24(2) makes a unit owner liable for any charges…

Only Wisconsin condominium associations hold a statutory collection lien. Wis. Stat. § 703.165(3) gives the association a lien for unpaid assessments if it files a statement of…

Wisconsin runs the opposite way from states that shield owners who lease. Wis. Stat. § 703.10(3) expressly authorizes condominium bylaws to carry any restriction on the use of the…

You will not meet an OWI checkpoint in Wisconsin. Wis. Stat. § 349.02(2)(a) forbids a police officer, sheriff, deputy sheriff, traffic officer or motor vehicle inspector from stopping…

Wisconsin is a one-party consent state. Wis. Stat. § 968.31(2)(c) makes it lawful for a person not acting under color of law to intercept a wire, electronic or oral communication when…

Wisconsin has no general stop-and-identify offense. Wis. Stat. § 968.24 lets an officer who has first identified himself or herself as law enforcement stop you in a public place, for a…

Wisconsin is unusual in codifying the grounds for a search at all. Wis. Stat. § 968.10 says a search may be made and things seized only when it is incident to a lawful arrest, with…

Wisconsin's Working Lands Initiative under Statute 91 establishes farmland preservation zoning districts, certifies county and local plans, and offers income tax credits to farmers in…

Wisconsin Statute 823.08 protects established agricultural operations from nuisance lawsuits by neighbors, requiring courts to dismiss claims unless the farm substantially threatens…

Wisconsin Statute 134.66 bars selling cigarettes and tobacco to anyone under 18 and vapor products to anyone under 21. The federal Tobacco 21 law independently requires all tobacco and…

Wisconsin has not enacted a statewide ban on flavored tobacco or vapor products; sales of menthol cigarettes and flavored e-cigarettes remain lawful under Wis. Stat. 134.66 subject to…

Wisconsin's rule on extra lighting is a colour rule with a count attached. Wis. Stat. § 347.07(2) bars operating any vehicle on a highway displaying a colour other than white or amber…

Wisconsin never legislated dash cams, so the governing rule is the windshield rule, and Wisconsin's version is a closed list. Wis. Admin. Code § Trans 305.34(6) bars any posters…

Wisconsin has never legislated lane splitting in either direction. The phrases "lane splitting" and "between lanes" appear nowhere in chs. 340 to 351, the whole Wisconsin Vehicle Code…

Wisconsin attacks plate covers from two directions. Wis. Stat. s. 341.61 (3) makes it an offence carrying a forfeiture of up to $500 to place any substance on a plate that hinders its…

A radar detector is lawful in a private car in Wisconsin. The phrase "radar detector" appears nowhere in the Wisconsin Statutes or the Wisconsin Administrative Code, and the equipment…

Wisconsin gives ordinary drivers no studded-tire season at all. Wis. Stat. s. 347.45 (2) bans any block, stud, flange, cleat, spike or other non-rubber protuberance that projects…

Wisconsin puts its tint numbers in the Department of Transportation's equipment rules, not in the statute book. Aftermarket film on the vent and front side windows must still pass at…