Question: do you need a license to open carry in wisconsin

title: Gun laws in Wisconsin
text: Subject / Law Long guns Handguns Relevant Statutes Notes Constitutional right to bear arms Yes 1 : 25 `` The people have the right to keep and bear arms for security , defense , hunting , recreation or any other lawful purpose . '' State preemption of local restrictions ? Yes 66.0409 State permit to purchase ? No No 175.35 Concealed carry license required ? No Yes 175.60 Permit is given on a shall - issue basis . Concealed carry of knives ( not intended for use as weapons ) is legal without a permit . Campus carry is allowed , but buildings may be exempted if signs forbidding firearms are posted . Owner license required ? No No 941.29 Open carry permitted ? Yes Yes 947.01 66.0409 Open carry of loaded handguns and long guns and knives is permitted without a license . Castle Doctrine / Self Defense Statutes Yes 895.62 Immunity from prosecution and civil damages in the home , with conditions and exceptions 939.48 No duty to retreat in the `` dwelling '' or owned / operated place of business . No deadly force solely to protect property . 3rd party protection . If attack is provoked , self defense may only be used if reasonable belief of imminent death or great bodily harm . If attack is provoked deadly force only allowed if all other reasonable means of avoidance exhausted . 940.01 `` the state must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the facts constituting the defense did not exist in order to sustain a finding of guilt '' Firearm registration ? No No Assault weapon law ? No No Magazine capacity restrictions ? No No NFA weapons restricted ? No No 941.298 941.26 Machine guns allowed , but may not shoot pistol cartridges and may not be possessed aggressively or offensively . Suppressors , SBR , and SBS are allowed if NFA rules followed , otherwise felony . Background checks required for private sales ? No 

Answer: answer: Campus carry is allowed , but buildings may be exempted if signs forbidding firearms are posted . Open carry of loaded handguns and long guns and knives is permitted without a license .