Rental application & screening fee law in Wisconsin
Fixed dollar cap
Wisconsin caps what a landlord may charge for a credit or background check under an administrative rule, and the applicant must receive a copy of the report — though sources conflict on the exact figure.
What the law says
Wisconsin regulates application-related charges through an administrative rule, ATCP § 134.05, rather than a statute. The rule caps what a landlord may charge an applicant for a credit or background check and requires the landlord to give the applicant a copy of the resulting report.
Published sources conflict on the exact dollar figure of the cap, so confirm the current amount against the official ATCP 134.05 text.
Beyond the fee limit
The price rule is only part of the law. Wisconsin also imposes these obligations:
- The applicant must receive a copy of the report.
Read the law
What's the actual limit in Wisconsin?
Fee limits change with inflation adjustments, local ordinances, and new legislation. Use our free calculator to look up the current limit for your rental's ZIP code.
Calculate your fee limitsThis page is provided for general information only and is not legal advice. Fee rules change — caps re-index to inflation, new legislation takes effect, and cities adopt their own ordinances — so always confirm against the official statutory text linked above before relying on it. The federal Fair Housing Act applies everywhere, regardless of state or local fee rules.