Wisconsin Eviction Notice for Unpaid Rent

What Wisconsin law says

• Wis. Stat. 704.17(1p)(a): month-to-month tenant who fails to pay rent can get notice to pay or vacate on or before a date at least 5 days after notice is given.
• Same subsection: a month-to-month tenant in default can instead get a notice to vacate at least 14 days after notice, with no chance to pay.
• 704.17(2)(a): leases of one year or less need the 5-day notice; a 14-day notice is allowed only if a later installment is late within one year of a prior default notice.
• Notice must be in writing and given as 704.21 allows: personal delivery, family member age 14 or older at home, certified or registered mail, or posting plus mailing if others are impractical.
• Mailed notice counts from the 2nd day after mailing within Wisconsin (704.19(7)); 704.17(1g) counts late fees as rent.

Steps for a landlord

• Choose the notice type that fits the tenancy type.
• Put the notice in writing with a date at least 5 or 14 days out.
• Deliver it by a method listed in 704.21 and keep proof.
• If the tenant stays, file in small claims court; do not self-evict.

What to put in the notice

• The names of the tenants and the address of the rental
• The amount of rent owed and the rental period it covers
• The number of days the tenant has to pay or move out, and the date that period ends
• The date, how the notice was delivered, and who delivered it
• Your name and contact details, with your signature

Things to watch

• The page we read does not list required notice contents beyond writing and the date.
• A wrong amount in the notice is still valid unless intentionally wrong or the tenant tendered what they believed was due (704.17(4m)).
• Check local ordinances or a local attorney.
• Cities and counties can add their own rules, including rent control and extra notice requirements. Check your local rules too.

About this page

We checked this page against the official sources listed below in November 2026. Where an official page did not say something, we say so. Laws change and courts read them differently, so confirm the current rule with the statute, the court or a local attorney before you act. This is general information, not legal advice.