Wis. Stat. § 218.0116 — WI Code / Chapter 218 / Section 218.0116
Licenses, how denied, suspended or revoked.
Status: in_force

(1) A license may be denied, suspended or revoked on the following grounds:

(a) Proof of unfitness.

(am) Making a material misstatement, or knowingly omitting a material fact, in an application for a license or, in the case of a sales finance company other than a motor vehicle dealer, in information furnished to the nationwide multistate licensing system and registry.

(b) Filing a materially false or fraudulent income or franchise tax return as certified by the department of revenue.

(bm) Willful failure to comply with any provision of ss. 218.0101 to 218.0163 or any rule or regulation promulgated by the licensor under ss. 218.0101 to 218.0163 .

(c) Willfully defrauding any retail buyer, lessee or prospective lessee to the buyer’s, lessee’s or prospective lessee’s damage.

(cm) Willful failure to perform any written agreement with any retail buyer, lessee or prospective lessee.

(d) Failure or refusal to furnish and keep in force any bond required.

(dm) Having made a fraudulent sale, consumer lease, prelease agreement, transaction or repossession.

(e) Fraudulent misrepresentation, circumvention or concealment through whatsoever subterfuge or device of any of the material particulars or the nature thereof required hereunder to be stated or furnished to the retail buyer, lessee or prospective lessee.

(em) Employment of fraudulent devices, methods or practices in connection with compliance with the statutes with respect to the retaking of goods under retail installment contracts or consumer leases and the redemption and resale or subsequent lease of the retaken goods.

(f) Having engaged in any unconscionable practice relating to the licensed business activity.

(fm) Having charged a finance charge in excess of the rate permitted by s. 422.201 (3) .

(g) Having sold a retail installment contract or consumer lease to a sales finance company that is not licensed under ss. 218.0101 to 218.0163 .

(gm) Having violated any law relating to the sale, lease, distribution or financing of motor vehicles.

(gr) Being a dealer who violates s. 218.0146 (4) .

(h) Being a manufacturer, importer or distributor who has coerced or attempted to coerce any motor vehicle dealer to order any commodity or service or to accept delivery of or pay for any commodity or service that the motor vehicle dealer has not ordered. This paragraph does not modify or prohibit reasonable requirements in a franchise agreement that require a dealer to market and service a representative line of new motor vehicles that the manufacturer, importer or distributor is publicly advertising.

(hm) Being a manufacturer of motor vehicles, factory branch, distributor, field representative, officer, agent or any representative of a motor vehicle manufacturer or factory branch, who has attempted to induce or coerce, or has induced or coerced, any motor vehicle dealer to enter into any agreement with the manufacturer, factory branch or representative of the motor vehicle manufacturer or factory branch, or to do any other act unfair to the dealer, by threatening to cancel any franchise existing between the manufacturer, factory branch or representative of the motor vehicle manufacturer or factory branch and the dealer.

(i)

1. In this paragraph:

a. “Due regard to the equities” means treatment in enforcing an agreement that is fair and equitable to a motor vehicle dealer or distributor and that is not discriminatory compared to similarly situated dealers or distributors.

b. “Just provocation” means a material breach by a motor vehicle dealer or distributor, due to matters within the dealer’s or distributor’s control, of a reasonable and necessary provision of an agreement and the breach is not cured within a reasonable time after written notice of the breach has been received from the manufacturer, importer or distributor.

2. Subject to s. 218.0132 , being a manufacturer, importer or distributor who has unfairly, without due regard to the equities or without just provocation, directly or indirectly canceled or failed to renew the franchise of any motor vehicle dealer; or being a manufacturer or importer, who has unfairly, without due regard to the equities or without just provocation, directly or indirectly canceled or failed to renew the franchise of any distributor. If there is a change in a manufacturer, importer or distributor, a motor vehicle dealer’s franchise granted by the former manufacturer, importer or distributor shall continue in full force and operation under the new manufacturer, importer or distributor unless a mutual agreement of cancellation is filed with the department of transportation between the new manufacturer, importer or distributor and the dealer.

(im)

1. In this paragraph, “bushing” means:

a. With respect to an order or contract of purchase, the practice of increasing the selling price of a motor vehicle above that originally quoted the purchaser as evidenced by a purchase order or contract which has been signed by both the purchaser and dealer licensee.

b. With respect to a consumer lease or prelease agreement, the practice of increasing the gross capitalized cost above that originally quoted the lessee or prospective lessee as evidenced by a consumer lease or prelease agreement which has been signed by both the lessee or prospective lessee and the dealer licensee.

2. Having accepted an order or contract of purchase from a buyer or a consumer lease or prelease agreement from a lessee or prospective lessee if the arrangement results in the practice of bushing.

(j) Having advertised, printed, displayed, published, distributed, broadcast or televised or caused or permitted to be advertised, printed, displayed, published, distributed, broadcast or televised in any manner whatsoever, any statement or representation with regard to the sale, lease or financing of motor vehicles which is false, deceptive or misleading.

(jm) Having set up, promoted or aided in the promotion of a plan by which motor vehicles are sold or leased to a person for a consideration and upon the further consideration that the purchaser or lessee agrees to secure one or more persons to participate in the plan by respectively making a similar purchase or lease and in turn agreeing to secure one or more persons likewise to join in the plan, each purchaser or lessee being given the right to secure money, credits, goods or something of value, depending upon the number of persons joining in the plan.

(k) Being a dealer who keeps open the dealer’s place of business on Sunday for the purpose of buying, leasing or selling motor vehicles; but nothing in this paragraph shall apply to any person who conscientiously believes that the 7th day of the week, from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday, should be observed as the Sabbath and who actually refrains from conducting or engaging in the business of buying, leasing, selling or offering for lease or sale motor vehicles, or performing other secular business on that day.

(km) Being a manufacturer, importer, or distributor who violates s. 218.0121 , 218.0122 , 218.0123 , 218.0124 , 218.0125 , or 218.0128 .

(L) Being a motor vehicle dealer who, in breach of an agreement, voluntarily changes its ownership or executive management, transfers its dealership assets to another person, adds another franchise at the same location as its existing franchise, or relocates a franchise without first complying with the procedures in s. 218.0134 .

(Lm) Being a manufacturer, importer or distributor who fails to comply with the procedures in s. 218.0134 regarding a dealer’s request for approval of a change of ownership or executive management, transfer of its dealership assets to another person, adding another franchise at the same location as its existing franchise, or relocation of a franchise or who fails to comply with an order of the division of hearings and appeals issued under s. 218.0134 .

(m) Having violated chs. 421 to 427 or 429 .

(mm) Being a manufacturer, factory branch, distributor, field representative, officer, agent or any representative of a manufacturer, factory branch or distributor who, notwithstanding the terms of any agreement, refuses to honor the succession to the ownership or operation of a dealership under an existing franchise agreement by a designated family member of a deceased or incapacitated dealer, except in the manner prescribed by s. 218.0131 , or who unreasonably withholds its approval of a change of ownership or executive management of the dealership after the dealer’s death or incapacity.

(n) The selling of new motor vehicles for which the dealer is not franchised.

(nm) Willful failure to provide and maintain facilities and business records as required by ss. 218.0101 to 218.0163 or by any rule promulgated by the licensor pertaining to facility and business records.

(o) Being an inactive business, as evidenced by 3 or less motor vehicle purchases and sales or consumer leases during the prior year licensing period.

(om) Failure to obtain proper business zoning or failure to obtain and maintain any required additional state or local license or permit.

(p) Having violated an order issued under sub. (10) .

(pm) Being a manufacturer, factory branch or distributor who enters into a franchise agreement establishing or relocating a motor vehicle dealership, parts outlet or service outlet in a relevant market area without first complying with the procedure in sub. (7) (a) .

(q) Being a manufacturer, factory branch or distributor who engages in any action which transfers to a motor vehicle dealer any responsibility of the manufacturer, factory branch or distributor under s. 218.0171 .

(qm) Being a manufacturer, distributor or importer who does any of the following:

1. Fails to notify the department of transportation of any revision or addition to an agreement as required under s. 218.0114 (7) (a) 2.

2. Fails to revise or remove portions of an agreement that the department of transportation declares to contain provisions which are inconsistent with s. 218.0114 (9) .

3. Requires or coerces a dealer or distributor to sign an agreement, as a condition of obtaining or continuing a franchise, that contains provisions that are void or prohibited under s. 218.0114 (9) or attempts to enforce an agreement with void or prohibited provisions.

4. Requires or coerces a dealer or distributor to sign an agreement that requires arbitration as a condition of obtaining or continuing a franchise, unless the dealer or distributor has the option of signing an otherwise identical agreement without the arbitration provision or unless the agreement provides for arbitration on a case-by-case basis and only when both parties elect to refer the matter to arbitration. This subdivision does not apply to a manufacturer or distributor who enters into an agreement that creates a new franchise for a new line make of motor vehicle, if each of the following is applicable:

a. The arbitration provision was the subject of good faith negotiations with a representative group of dealers.

b. Each dealer voluntarily accepts the arbitration provision after receiving a franchise offering circular under s. 553.27 (4) that discloses the existence and effect of the arbitration provision.

c. The manufacturer or dealer files a copy of the franchise offering circular and proof of good faith negotiation and voluntary acceptance of the arbitration with any filing required under s. 218.0114 (7) (a) .

(r) Being a manufacturer, distributor or importer who fails to designate in writing the area of sales responsibility assigned to a motor vehicle dealer or who changes or attempts to change an area of sales responsibility to avoid the requirements of sub. (7) .

(rm) Being a grantor, as defined in s. 218.0133 (1) (b) , except a motorcycle grantor, as defined in s. 218.0133 (1) (c) , who fails to pay a motor vehicle dealer franchise termination benefits under s. 218.0133 or being a motorcycle grantor who fails to pay a motor vehicle dealer agreement termination benefits under s. 218.0133 .

(s) Being a manufacturer or distributor who modifies a motor vehicle dealer agreement during the term of the agreement or upon its renewal without complying with sub. (8) .

(sm) Having violated s. 218.0172 .

(t) Being a manufacturer, importer or distributor who compels a dealer, through a financing subsidiary of the manufacturer, importer or distributor, to agree to unreasonable operating requirements or who directly or indirectly cancels or fails to renew a dealer’s franchise, except as allowed under par. (i) and s. 218.0132 , through the actions of a financing subsidiary of the manufacturer, importer or distributor. This paragraph does not limit the right of a financing subsidiary to engage in business practices in accordance with the usages of the trade in which it is engaged.

(tm) Being a licensee who willfully refuses or fails to participate in mediation pursuant to a demand for mediation served under s. 218.0136 (1) .

(u) Being a manufacturer, importer or distributor who uses a right of first refusal, granted to it under an agreement, to influence the consideration or other terms offered by a potential buyer for a dealership’s assets or stock or to influence a potential buyer to refrain from entering into, or to withdraw from, negotiations for the purchase of a dealership’s assets or stock.

(um)