Wis. Stat. § 125.32 — WI Code / Chapter 125 / Section 125.32
General restrictions and requirements.
Status: in_force

(1) Managers’ licenses; class “B” licenses.

(a) If a municipal governing body elects to issue managers’ licenses under s. 125.18 , no person may manage premises operating under a Class “B” license or permit, unless the person is the licensee or permittee, an agent of a corporation or limited liability company appointed as required by s. 125.04 (6) or the holder of a manager’s license. A manager’s license issued in respect to a vessel under s. 125.27 (2) is valid outside the municipality that issues it. A person manages Class “B” premises if that person has responsibility or authority for:

1. Personnel management of all employees, whether or not the person is authorized to sign employment contracts;

2. The terms of contracts for the purchase or sale of goods or services, whether or not the person is authorized to sign the contracts; or

3. The daily operations of the Class “B” premises.

(b) The municipal governing body may, by ordinance, define factors in addition to those listed in par. (a) which constitute management of Class “B” premises.

(2) Operators licenses and permits; Class “A,” Class “B,” and other premises. Except as provided under sub. (3) (b) and ss. 125.07 (3) (a) 10. and 125.26 (6) , no premises operated under a Class “A” or Class “B” license or permit may be open for business, and no person who holds a brewer’s permit, manufacturer’s or rectifier’s permit, or winery permit may allow the sale or provision of taste samples of fermented malt beverages on the brewery premises, manufacturing or rectifying premises, winery premises, or any retail outlet operated by the brewer, manufacturer, rectifier, or winery under s. 125.29 (7) , 125.52 (4) , or 125.53 (3) , unless there is upon the premises the licensee or permittee, the agent named in the license or permit if the licensee or permittee is a corporation or limited liability company, or some person who has an operator’s license or operator’s permit and who is responsible for the acts of all persons serving any fermented malt beverages to customers. An operator’s license issued in respect to a vessel under s. 125.27 (2) is valid outside the municipality that issues it. For the purpose of this subsection, any person holding a manager’s license under s. 125.18 or any member of the licensee’s or permittee’s immediate family who has attained the age of 18 shall be considered the holder of an operator’s license. No person other than the licensee, permittee, or agent may serve fermented malt beverages in any place operated under a Class “A” or Class “B” license or permit or on brewery premises, manufacturing or rectifying premises, winery premises, or any retail outlet operated by a brewer, manufacturer, rectifier, or winery under s. 125.29 (7) , 125.52 (4) , or 125.53 (3) unless he or she has an operator’s license or operator’s permit, is considered to have an operator’s license under this subsection, or is at least 18 years of age and is under the immediate supervision of the licensee, permittee, agent, or a person holding an operator’s license or operator’s permit, who is on the premises at the time of the service.

(2m) Use by another prohibited.

(a) No person may allow another to use his or her Class “A” or Class “B” license or permit to sell alcohol beverages.

(b) The license or permit of a person who violates par. (a) shall be revoked.

(3) Closing hours.

(a) No premises for which a Class “B” license or permit is issued may remain open between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., except as provided in this paragraph and par. (c) . On Saturday and Sunday, the closing hours shall be between 2:30 a.m. and 6 a.m. except that, on the Sunday that daylight saving time begins as specified in s. 175.095 (2) , the closing hours shall be between 3:30 a.m. and 6 a.m. On January 1 premises operating under a Class “B” license or permit are not required to close.

(am) Between 12 midnight and 6 a.m. no person may sell fermented malt beverages on Class “B” licensed premises in an original unopened package, container or bottle or for consumption away from the premises.

(b) Class “A” premises may remain open for the conduct of their regular business but may not sell fermented malt beverages between 12 midnight and 6 a.m. Subsection (2) does not apply to Class “A” premises between 12 midnight and 6 a.m. or at any other time during which the sale of fermented malt beverages is prohibited by a municipal ordinance adopted under par. (d) .

(c) Hotels and restaurants the principal business of which is the furnishing of food and lodging to patrons, bowling centers, movie theaters, painting studios, indoor golf and baseball facilities, racetrack grounds, as defined in s. 125.27 (5) (a) , indoor horseshoe-pitching facilities, curling clubs, golf courses and golf clubhouses may remain open for the conduct of their regular business but may not sell fermented malt beverages during the hours specified in par. (a) .

(d) A municipality may, by ordinance, impose more restrictive hours than those provided in par. (am) or (b) , but may not impose different hours than those provided in par. (a) or (c) .

(3m) Limitations on other business; Class “B” premises. No Class “B” license or permit may be granted for any premises where any other business is conducted in connection with the premises, except that this restriction does not apply if the premises for which the Class “B” license or permit is issued is connected to premises where other business is conducted by a secondary doorway that serves as a safety exit and is not the primary entrance to the Class “B” premises. No other business may be conducted on premises operating under a Class “B” license or permit. These restrictions do not apply to any of the following:

(a) A hotel.

(b) A restaurant, whether or not it is a part of or located in any mercantile establishment.

(c) A combination grocery store and tavern.

(d) A combination sporting goods store and tavern in towns, villages and 4th class cities.

(e) A combination novelty store and tavern.

(f) A bowling center or recreation premises.

(g) A club, society or lodge that has been in existence for 6 months or more prior to the date of filing application for the Class “B” license or permit.

(h) A movie theater.

(i) A painting studio.

(j) Premises for which a temporary Class “B” license is issued under s. 125.26 (6) if the license is one of multiple licenses issued by the municipality to the same licensee for the same date and times, the licensee is the sponsor of an event held at multiple locations within the municipality on this date and at these times, and an admission fee is charged for participation in the event and no additional fee is charged for service of alcohol at the event.

(k) Premises for which a Class “B” permit is issued under s. 125.27 (5) .

(L) An axe throwing facility.

(5) Signs near taps and brands on tap; Class “B” premises. Every Class “B” licensee or permittee selling or offering for sale draught fermented malt beverages shall display a sign on or near each tap or faucet disclosing the brand of fermented malt beverage drawn from the tap or faucet and the name of the brewer or brewpub that manufactured it. No Class “B” licensee or permittee may substitute any other brand of fermented malt beverage in place of the brand designated on the sign with the intent to defraud or deceive the customer.

(6) Limitations on beverages on wholesale and retail premises.

(a) Except as provided in s. 125.33 (2) (o) or (12) , 125.69 (9) , or 125.70 , and subject to par. (c) , no person may possess on the premises covered by a retail or wholesale fermented malt beverages license or permit any alcohol beverages not authorized by law for sale on the premises.

(b) No fermented malt beverage licensee or permittee may keep any beverages of an alcoholic content prohibited by federal law on the premises covered by the license or permit.

(c) Paragraph (a) does not prohibit a licensee under s. 125.26 from allowing, if the licensed premises are located in a public park within a 1st class city, a person who does not hold a license or permit under this chapter to possess and consume on the licensed premises fermented malt beverages that were not purchased from the licensee.

(7) Labels.

(a) No fermented malt beverages may be sold, offered, or exposed for sale, kept in possession with intent to sell, or served on any premises for which a license or permit for the sale of fermented malt beverages has been issued unless each barrel, keg, cask, bottle, or other container bears a label or other identification with the name and address of the brewer or brewpub that manufactured it. The possession of any fermented malt beverages which are not so identified on any premises for which a license or permit for the sale of fermented malt beverages has been issued is prima facie evidence that the fermented malt beverages are possessed with intent to sell, offer for sale, display for sale, or give away.

(b) No container containing fermented malt beverages may be sold, offered or exposed for sale, kept in possession with intent to sell or served on any premises for which a license or permit for the sale of fermented malt beverages has been issued unless there is a label or other identification on the container bearing a statement of its contents in fluid ounces in plain legible type.

History: 1981 c. 79 ; 1983 a. 27 , 74 , 192 , 452 ; 1985 a. 28 , 33 , 221 , 317 ; 1987 a. 27 , 121 ; 1989 a. 253 ; 1991 a. 28 , 39 , 315 ; 1993 a. 112 ; 1995 a. 320 ; 2007 a. 3 , 9 , 20 ; 2009 a. 128 ; 2011 a. 32 , 97 ; 2013 a. 268 ; 2015 a. 8 , 62 , 221 ; 2021 a. 39 ; 2023 a. 73 .