subch. III of ch. 97SUBCHAPTER III
LODGING AND VENDING MACHINES
97.60397.603Motels. Upon the written request of the hotel operator made on forms furnished by the department, the department may classify a hotel as a “motel”, if the operator of the hotel furnishes on-premises parking facilities for the motor vehicles of the hotel guests as a part of the room charge, without extra cost.
97.603 HistoryHistory: 1983 a. 203 ss. 3, 5; 1983 a. 538 s. 67; 1993 a. 27 s. 66; Stats. 1993 s. 254.63; 2015 a. 55 s. 4079; Stats. 2015 s. 97.603.
97.60597.605Lodging and vending licenses.
97.605(1)(1)
97.605(1)(a)(a) No person may conduct, maintain, manage or operate a hotel, tourist rooming house, vending machine commissary or vending machine if the person has not been issued an annual license by the department or by a local health department that is granted agent status under s. 97.615 (2).
97.605(1)(b)(b) No person may maintain, manage or operate a bed and breakfast establishment for more than 10 nights in a year without having first obtained an annual license from the department.
97.605(1)(c)(c) Except as provided in s. 93.135, no license may be issued under this section until all applicable fees have been paid. If the payment is by check or other draft drawn upon an account containing insufficient funds, the license applicant shall, within 15 days after receipt of notice from the department of the insufficiency, pay by cashier’s check or other certified draft, money order or cash the fees, late fees and processing charges that are specified by rules promulgated by the department. If the license applicant fails to pay all applicable fees, late fees and processing charges within 15 days after the applicant receives notice of the insufficiency, the license is void. In an appeal concerning voiding of a license under this paragraph, the burden is on the license applicant to show that the entire applicable fees, late fees and processing charges have been paid. During any appeal process concerning payment dispute, operation of the establishment in question is deemed to be operation without a license.
97.605(1)(d)(d) If a person or establishment otherwise licensed under this chapter is incidentally engaged in an activity for which a license is required under this section, the department may, by rule, exempt the person or establishment from the license requirement under this section.
97.605(1m)(1m)No county, city, village or town may require any license of, or impose any license or inspection fee on, a vending machine operator, vending machine commissary or vending machine licensed under this chapter.
97.605(1p)(1p)Except as provided in s. 93.135, the department may condition the initial issuance, renewal or continued validity of a license issued under this section on correction by the licensee of a violation of this subchapter, rules promulgated by the department under this subchapter or ordinances or regulations adopted under s. 97.615 (2) (g), within a specified period of time. If the licensee fails to meet the condition within the specified period of time, the license is void.
97.605(2)(2)Except as provided in sub. (3), a separate license is required for each hotel, tourist rooming house, bed and breakfast establishment, or vending machine commissary.
97.605(3)(3)
97.605(3)(a)(a) A bulk milk dispenser may be operated in a restaurant without a vending machine or vending machine operator license.
97.605(3)(b)(b) A restaurant may operate as a vending machine commissary without a vending machine commissary license.
97.605(4)(4)
97.605(4)(a)(a) In this subsection:
97.605(4)(a)1.1. “Business entity” has the meaning given in s. 180.1100 (1g).
97.605(4)(a)2.2. “Immediate family member” means a spouse, grandparent, parent, sibling, child, stepchild, or grandchild or the spouse of a grandparent, parent, sibling, child, stepchild, or grandchild.
97.605(4)(b)(b) Except as provided in par. (d) or (e), no license is transferable from one premises to another or from one person to another.
97.605(4)(d)(d) The holder of a license issued under this section may transfer the license to an individual who is an immediate family member if the holder is transferring operation of the hotel, tourist rooming house, bed and breakfast establishment, or vending machine to the immediate family member.
97.605(4)(e)(e) A sole proprietorship that reorganizes as a business entity or a business entity that reorganizes as either a sole proprietorship or a different type of business entity may transfer a license issued under this section for operation of a hotel, tourist rooming house, bed and breakfast establishment, or vending machine commissary to the newly formed business entity or sole proprietorship if the following conditions are satisfied:
97.605(4)(e)1.1. The hotel, tourist rooming house, bed and breakfast establishment, or vending machine commissary remains at the location for which the license was issued.
97.605(4)(e)2.2. At least one individual who had an ownership interest in the sole proprietorship or business entity to which the license was issued has an ownership interest in the newly formed sole proprietorship or business entity.
97.605(5)(5)
97.605(5)(a)(a) Except as provided in par. (b), all licenses expire on June 30, except that licenses initially issued during the period beginning on April 1 and ending on June 30 expire on June 30 of the following year.
97.605(5)(b)1.1. The local health department of a city of the 1st class that has entered into an agreement with the department under s. 97.615 (2) may issue a license for a bed and breakfast establishment required under this section at any time during the year. A license issued under this subdivision shall expire one year from the date of its issuance.
97.605(5)(b)2.2. The holder of a license for a bed and breakfast establishment may request an extension to the term of a license issued under this section by the local health department of a city of the 1st class that has entered into an agreement with the department under s. 97.615 (2) for the purpose of aligning the annual term of any other license or permit issued to that license holder with the annual term of a license to be issued to that license holder under subd. 1. The local health department may require a license holder that receives an extension under this subdivision to pay a prorated fee in an amount determined by dividing the license fee imposed under s. 97.615 (2) by 12 and multiplying the quotient by the number of months by which the license issued under this section is extended under this subdivision.
97.605 HistoryHistory: 1975 c. 413 ss. 13, 18; Stats. 1975 s. 50.51; 1983 a. 163, 203; 1987 a. 27, 81, 399; 1989 a. 31; 1993 a. 16 ss. 1491, 1492; 1993 a. 27 s. 67; Stats. 1993 s. 254.64; 1993 a. 183, 491; 1997 a. 191; 2001 a. 16; 2005 a. 302; 2013 a. 298; 2015 a. 55 s. 4080; Stats. 2015 s. 97.6705; 2015 a. 197 s. 51; 2021 a. 258.
97.60797.607Pre-licensing inspection.
97.607(1)(1)The department or a local health department granted agent status under s. 97.615 (2) may not grant a license to a person intending to operate a new hotel, tourist rooming house, bed and breakfast establishment, or vending machine commissary or to a person intending to be the new operator of an existing hotel, tourist rooming house, bed and breakfast establishment, or vending machine commissary without a pre-licensing inspection. This section does not apply when a license is transferred under s. 97.605 (4) (d) or (e).
97.607(2)(2)Agents designated by the department under s. 97.615 (1) shall make pre-licensing inspections of vending machine commissaries as required under this subsection and shall be reimbursed for those services at the rate of 80 percent of the pre-licensing inspection fee designated in this subsection. Agents designated by the department under s. 97.615 (2) shall make pre-licensing inspections of hotels and tourist rooming houses and establish and collect pre-licensing inspection fees under s. 97.615 (2) (d).
97.607 HistoryHistory: 1983 a. 203 ss. 10, 16, 19; 1983 a. 538; 1987 a. 27, 81; 1993 a. 27 s. 68; Stats. 1993 s. 254.65; 2005 a. 302; 2015 a. 55 s. 4081; Stats. 2015 s. 97.607.
97.6197.61Vending machine commissary outside the state. Foods, beverages and ingredients from commissaries outside the state may be sold within the state if such commissaries conform to the provisions of the food establishment sanitation rules of this state or to substantially equivalent provisions. To determine the extent of compliance with such provisions, the department may accept reports from the responsible authority in the jurisdiction where the commissaries are located.
97.61 HistoryHistory: 1975 c. 413 s. 13; Stats. 1975 s. 50.52; 1993 a. 27 s. 70; Stats. 1993 s. 254.67; 2015 a. 55 s. 4083; Stats. 2015 s. 97.61.
97.61397.613Fees. Except as provided in s. 97.615 (2) (d) and (e), the department shall promulgate rules that establish, for licenses issued under s. 97.605, license fees, pre-licensing inspection fees, reinspection fees, fees for operating without a license, late fees for untimely renewal, fees for comparable compliance or variance requests, and fees for pre-license review of restaurant plans.
97.613 HistoryHistory: 1973 c. 333; 1975 c. 224; 1975 c. 413 s. 13; Stats. 1975 s. 50.53; 1977 c. 222; 1979 c. 34; 1981 c. 20; 1983 a. 27, 163, 203, 538; 1985 a. 135; 1987 a. 27, 399; 1991 a. 178; 1993 a. 16 s. 1493; 1993 a. 27 s. 71; Stats. 1993 s. 254.68; 1993 a. 183; 2001 a. 16; 2015 a. 55 s. 4084; Stats. 2015 s. 97.613.
97.61597.615Agent status for local health departments.
97.615(1)(1)Vending operations. In the administration and enforcement of this subchapter, the department may use local health departments as its agents in making inspections and investigations of vending machine commissaries, vending machine operators and vending machines if the jurisdictional area of the local health department has a population greater than 5,000. If the designation is made and the services are furnished, the department shall reimburse the local health department furnishing the service at the rate of 80 percent of the net license fee per license per year issued in the jurisdictional area.
97.615(2)(2)Hotels, tourist rooming houses, and other establishments.
97.615(2)(am)(am) In the administration of this subchapter or s. 97.67, the department may enter into a written agreement with a local health department with a jurisdictional area that has a population greater than 5,000, which designates the local health department as the department’s agent in issuing licenses to and making investigations or inspections of hotels, tourist rooming houses, bed and breakfast establishments, campgrounds and camping resorts, recreational and educational camps, and public swimming pools. In a jurisdictional area of a local health department without agent status, the department may issue licenses, collect fees established by rule under s. 97.613 and make investigations or inspections of hotels, tourist rooming houses, bed and breakfast establishments, campgrounds and camping resorts, recreational and educational camps, and public swimming pools. If the department designates a local health department as its agent, the department or local health department may require no license for the same operations other than the license issued by the local health department under this subsection. The department shall oversee the designation of agents under this subsection to ensure that, to the extent feasible, the same local health department is granted agent status under this subsection and under s. 97.41.
97.615(2)(b)(b) A local health department granted agent status under this subsection shall meet standards promulgated, by rule, by the department. The department shall annually evaluate the licensing, investigation and inspection program of each local health department granted agent status. If, at any time, a local health department granted agent status fails to meet the standards, the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection may revoke its agent status.
97.615(2)(c)(c) The department shall provide education and training to agents designated under this subsection to ensure uniformity in the enforcement of this subchapter, s. 97.67 and rules promulgated under this subchapter and s. 97.67.
97.615(2)(d)(d) Except as provided in par. (dm), a local health department granted agent status under this subsection shall establish and collect the license fee for each type of establishment specified in par. (am). The local health department may establish separate fees for pre-licensing inspections of new establishments, for pre-licensing inspections of existing establishments for which a person intends to be the new operator or for the issuance of duplicate licenses. No fee may exceed the local health department’s reasonable costs of issuing licenses to, making investigations and inspections of, and providing education, training and technical assistance to the establishments, plus the state fee established under par. (e). A local health department granted agent status under this subsection or under s. 97.41 may issue a single license and establish and collect a single fee which authorizes the operation on the same premises of more than one type of establishment for which it is granted agent status under this subsection or under s. 97.41.
97.615(2)(dm)(dm) A local health department granted agent status under this subsection may contract with the department for the department to collect fees and issue licenses. The department shall collect from the local health department the actual and reasonable cost of providing the services.
97.615(2)(e)(e) The department shall establish state fees for its costs related to setting standards under this subchapter and s. 97.67 and monitoring and evaluating the activities of, and providing education and training to, agent local health departments. Agent local health departments shall include the state fees in the license fees established under par. (d), collect the state fees and reimburse the department for the state fees collected. For each type of establishment specified in par. (am), the state fee may not exceed 20 percent of the license fees charged under ss. 97.67 and 97.613.
97.615(2)(f)(f) If, under this subsection, a local health department becomes an agent or its agent status is discontinued during a licensee’s license year, the department and the local health department shall divide any license fee paid by the licensee for that license year according to the proportions of the license year occurring before and after the local health department’s agent status is granted or discontinued. No additional fee may be required during the license year due to the change in agent status.
97.615(2)(g)(g) A village, city or county may adopt ordinances and a local board of health may adopt regulations regarding the licensees and premises for which the local health department is the designated agent under this subsection, which are stricter than this subchapter, s. 97.67, or rules promulgated by the department under this subchapter or s. 97.67. No such provision may conflict with this subchapter or with department rules.
97.615(2)(h)(h) This subsection does not limit the authority of the department to inspect hotels, tourist rooming houses, bed and breakfast establishments, or vending machine commissaries in jurisdictional areas of local health departments where agent status is granted if it inspects in response to an emergency, for the purpose of monitoring and evaluating the local health department’s licensing, inspection and enforcement program or at the request of the local health department.
97.615(2)(j)(j) The department shall hold a hearing under ch. 227 if any interested person, in lieu of proceeding under ch. 68, appeals to the department alleging either of the following:
97.615(2)(j)1.1. A license fee established by a local health department granted agent status exceeds the reasonable costs described under par. (d).
97.615(2)(j)2.2. The person issuing, refusing to issue, suspending or revoking a license or making an investigation or inspection of the appellant has a financial interest in a regulated establishment specified in par. (am) which may interfere with his or her ability to properly take that action.
97.615 Cross-referenceCross-reference: See also ch. ATCP 74, Wis. adm. code.
97.61797.617Application; lodging and vending.
97.617(1)(1)An applicant for a license under this subchapter shall complete the application prepared by the department or the local health department granted agent status under s. 97.615 (2) and provide, in writing, any additional information the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection or local health department issuing the license requires.
97.617(2)(2)Upon receipt of an application for a vending machine operator license, the department may cause an investigation to be made of the applicant’s commissary, servicing and transport facilities, if any, and representative machines and machine locations. The operator shall maintain at his or her place of business within this state a list of all vending machines operated by him or her and their location. This information shall be kept current and shall be made available to the department upon request. The operator shall notify the department of any change in operations involving new types of vending machines or conversion of existing machines to dispense products other than those for which such machine was originally designed and constructed.
97.617 HistoryHistory: 1975 c. 413 s. 13; Stats. 1975 s. 50.54; 1983 a. 163, 203, 538; 1987 a. 27 s. 3200 (24) (am); 1993 a. 27 s. 73; Stats. 1993 s. 254.70; 1995 a. 27 s. 9126 (19); 2007 a. 20 s. 9121 (6) (a); 2015 a. 55 s. 4086; Stats. 2015 s. 97.617.
97.6297.62Health and safety; standard. Every hotel, tourist rooming house, bed and breakfast establishment, vending machine commissary and vending machine shall be operated and maintained with a strict regard to the public health and safety and in conformity with this subchapter and the rules and orders of the department.
97.62 HistoryHistory: 1975 c. 413 s. 13; Stats. 1975 s. 50.55; 1983 a. 163, 203, 538; 1987 a. 27; 1993 a. 27 s. 75; Stats. 1993 s. 254.72; 2015 a. 55 s. 4089; 2015 Stats. s. 97.62.
97.62 Cross-referenceCross-reference: See also chs. ATCP 72, 73, 74, and 75, Wis. adm. code.
97.62397.623Hotel safety.
97.623(1)(1)Every hotel with sleeping accommodations with more than 12 bedrooms above the first story shall, between the hours of 12 midnight and 6 a.m. provide a system of security personnel patrol, or of mechanical and electrical devices, or both, adequate, according to standards established by the department of safety and professional services, to warn all guests and employees in time to permit their evacuation in case of fire.
97.623(2)(2)Every hotel shall offer to every guest, at the time of registration for accommodation and of making a reservation for accommodation, an opportunity to identify himself or herself as a person needing assistance in an emergency because of a physical condition and shall keep a record at the registration desk of where each person so identified is lodged. No hotel may lodge any person so identified in areas other than those designated by the local fire department as safe for persons so identified, based on the capabilities of apparatus normally available to the fire company or companies assigned the first alarm. A person who does not identify himself or herself as permitted in this subsection may be lodged in the same manner as any other guest. Violation of this subsection shall be punished by a forfeiture of not more than $50 for the first violation and not more than $100 for each subsequent violation.
97.623 HistoryHistory: 1975 c. 112, 199; 1975 c. 413 s. 13; Stats. 1975 s. 50.56; 1985 a. 135; 1993 a. 27 s. 76; Stats. 1993 s. 254.73; 1995 a. 27 ss. 6343, 9116 (5); 2011 a. 32; 2015 a. 55 s. 4090; 2015 Stats. s. 97.623.
97.62597.625Powers of the department and local health departments.
97.625(1)(1)The department shall do all of the following:
97.625(1)(a)(a) Administer and enforce this subchapter, the rules promulgated under this subchapter and any other rules or laws relating to the public health and safety in hotels, tourist rooming houses, bed and breakfast establishments, vending machine commissaries, vending machines and vending machine locations.
97.625(1)(b)(b) Require hotels, tourist rooming houses, vending machine operators and vending machine commissaries to file reports and information the department deems necessary.
97.625(1)(c)(c) Ascertain and prescribe what alterations, improvements or other means or methods are necessary to protect the public health and safety on those premises.
97.625(1)(d)(d) Prescribe rules and fix standards, including rules covering the general sanitation and cleanliness of premises regulated under this subchapter, the proper handling and storing of food on such premises, the construction and sanitary condition of the premises and equipment to be used and the location and servicing of equipment. The rules relating to the public health and safety in bed and breakfast establishments may not be stricter than is reasonable for the operation of a bed and breakfast establishment, shall be less stringent than rules relating to hotels, tourist rooming houses, and vending machine commissaries regulated by this subchapter and may not require 2nd exits for a bed and breakfast establishment on a floor above the first level.
97.625(1)(e)(e) Hold a hearing under ch. 227 if, in lieu of proceeding under ch. 68, any interested person in the jurisdictional area of a local health department not granted agent status under s. 97.615 appeals to the department alleging that a license fee for a hotel, tourist rooming house, campground, camping resort, recreational or educational camp or public swimming pool exceeds the license issuer’s reasonable costs of issuing licenses to, making investigations and inspections of, and providing education, training and technical assistance to the establishment.
97.625(1g)(1g)The department may inspect hotels, tourist rooming houses, and bed and breakfast establishments to ensure compliance with s. 101.149 (2) and (3).
97.625(1p)(1p)
97.625(1p)(a)(a) The department may grant the holder of a license for a bed and breakfast establishment a waiver from the requirement specified under s. 97.01 (1g) (b) to allow the holder of a license for a bed and breakfast establishment to serve breakfast to other tourists or transients if all of the following conditions are met:
97.625(1p)(a)1.1. The department determines that the public health, safety or welfare would not be jeopardized.
97.625(1p)(a)2.2. The other tourists or transients are provided sleeping accommodations in a tourist rooming house for which the license holder for the bed and breakfast establishment is the license holder.
97.625(1p)(a)3.3. The tourist rooming house is located on the same property as the bed and breakfast establishment or on property contiguous to the property on which the bed and breakfast establishment is located.
97.625(1p)(a)4.4. The number of rooms offered for rent in the bed and breakfast establishment combined with the number of rooms offered for rent in the tourist rooming house does not exceed 8.
97.625(1p)(a)5.5. The number of tourists or transients who are provided sleeping accommodations in the bed and breakfast establishment combined with the number of tourists or transients who are provided sleeping accommodations in the tourist rooming house does not exceed 20.
97.625(1p)(b)(b) A waiver granted under par. (a) is valid for the period of validity of a license that is issued for the bed and breakfast establishment under s. 97.605 (1) (b).
97.625(2)(2)A local health department designated as an agent under s. 97.615 (2) may exercise the powers specified in sub. (1) (a) to (d), consistent with s. 97.615 (2) (g).
97.625 HistoryHistory: 1975 c. 413 s. 13; Stats. 1975 s. 50.57; 1983 a. 163, 203, 538; 1985 a. 29; 1985 a. 332 s. 251 (1); 1987 a. 27; 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 27 s. 77; Stats. 1993 s. 254.74; 1995 a. 27 ss. 6343m, 9126 (19); 1995 a. 417; 1997 a. 43; 2007 a. 20 s. 9121 (6) (a); 2007 a. 205; 2011 a. 32, 78; 2015 a. 55 s. 4091; 2015 Stats. s. 97.625; 2017 a. 330.
97.625 Cross-referenceCross-reference: See also chs. ATCP 72, 73, 74, and 75, Wis. adm. code.
97.62797.627Causing fires by tobacco smoking.
97.627(1)(1)Any person who, by smoking, or attempting to light or to smoke cigarettes, cigars, pipes or tobacco, in any manner in which lighters or matches are employed, shall, in a careless, reckless or negligent manner, set fire to any bedding, furniture, curtains, drapes, house or any household fittings, or any part of any building specified in sub. (2), so as to endanger life or property in any way or to any extent, shall be fined not less than $50 nor more than $250, together with costs, or imprisoned not less than 10 days nor more than 6 months or both.
97.627(2)(2)In each sleeping room of all hotels, rooming houses, lodging houses and other places of public abode, a plainly printed notice shall be kept posted in a conspicuous place advising tenants of the provisions of this section.
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2023-24 Wisconsin Statutes updated through all Supreme Court and Controlled Substances Board Orders filed before and in effect on January 1, 2025. Published and certified under s. 35.18. Changes effective after January 1, 2025, are designated by NOTES. (Published 1-1-25)