Lincoln County is a north-central Wisconsin county of approximately 28,000 residents with two significant communities — the county seat of Merrill (approximately 9,600) and the city of Tomahawk (approximately 3,400) — anchoring a county whose economic character combines Northwoods timber and recreation with a manufacturing sector of notable depth for a county of its size. Merrill, on the Wisconsin River at its crossing with US Highway 51, is one of the Wisconsin River’s most storied communities — a city whose paper mill heritage, the Lincoln County Cheese Factory district, and the T.B. Scott mansion attest to the era when the Wisconsin River’s power and the region’s timber resources created significant industrial wealth. Today Merrill’s economy is anchored by Aspirus Merrill Hospital, manufacturing (including Ashley Furniture’s significant operations and other industrial employers), county government, and the recreation economy of the surrounding Northwoods lake district. Tomahawk, on the Wisconsin River further north, has its own manufacturing base and the recreational character of the Nokomis and Lake Tomahawk resort areas.
All residential landlord-tenant matters in Lincoln County are governed by Wis. Stat. Ch. 704 and ATCP 134. Eviction actions are filed at the Lincoln County Circuit Court in Merrill. Wisconsin has no statewide rent control, and Wis. Stat. §66.1015 prohibits municipalities from enacting rent stabilization. No Lincoln County municipality has a just-cause eviction ordinance. The county’s rental market is concentrated in Merrill and Tomahawk, driven by manufacturing employment, healthcare, county government, and the recreation economy of the surrounding Northwoods.
5.5/10 — Manufacturing depth unusual for Northwoods, healthcare anchor
⚖️ Eviction At-a-Glance
Nonpayment Notice
5-Day Pay or Vacate
Lease Violation
5-Day Cure or Vacate
No-Cause (Month-to-Month)
28-Day Written Notice
Court
Lincoln County Circuit Court
Process Name
Eviction (formerly Forcible Entry & Detainer)
Post-Judgment Move-Out
As ordered by court; writ issued after judgment
Avg Timeline
3–5 weeks (uncontested)
Lincoln County Local Ordinances
County and municipal rules that apply alongside Wisconsin state law
Category
Details
Rental Registration
No statewide rental registration in Wisconsin. Lincoln County, Merrill, and Tomahawk have not enacted mandatory landlord licensing. Code enforcement is complaint-driven. Pre-1978 properties in Merrill’s older working-class neighborhoods and Tomahawk’s housing stock require lead paint disclosure under ATCP 134.04.
Rent Control
Banned statewide under Wis. Stat. §66.1015. No Lincoln County municipality may enact rent stabilization. No local rent ordinance exists or is legally permissible.
Security Deposit
No statutory cap in Wisconsin. ATCP 134.06 requires return within 21 days of tenancy end with itemized written deduction statement. Wrongful withholding: double damages plus attorney’s fees. Written check-in sheet at move-in required; tenant has 7 days to note disagreements.
Landlord Entry
Minimum 12 hours’ advance notice for non-emergency entry under Wis. Stat. §704.05(2). Emergency entry permitted without notice. Entry at reasonable times only.
Ashley Furniture & Manufacturing Economy
Lincoln County’s manufacturing sector is more developed than most Northwoods counties, anchored significantly by Ashley Furniture Industries, which operates manufacturing and distribution facilities in the Merrill area employing hundreds of workers in production, logistics, and support roles. Ashley Furniture is one of the world’s largest furniture manufacturers, and its Merrill operations represent a major private employer whose workforce creates stable, working-class rental demand in Merrill and the surrounding area. Aspirus Merrill Hospital adds a professional healthcare employer, and the county’s timber processing and wood products manufacturing sector complements the broader industrial base.
Just-Cause Eviction
No just-cause requirement in Lincoln County. Month-to-month tenancies may be terminated with 28-day written notice. Milwaukee’s just-cause ordinance (MCO §200-51.5) has no application here.
Wis. Stat. Ch. 704 and ATCP 134 statutes, notice requirements, and landlord rights that apply in Lincoln County
⚡ Quick Overview
5 (first offense with cure); 14 (repeat within 1 year - no cure)
Days Notice (Nonpayment)
5 (first curable violation); 14 (repeat within 1 year - no cure); 5 (criminal/drug-gang activity - no cure)
Days Notice (Violation)
21-45
Avg Total Days
$$94.50-$114.50
Filing Fee (Approx)
💰 Nonpayment of Rent
Notice Type5-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate (first offense) / 14-Day Notice to Vacate (repeat within 1 year)
Notice Period5 (first offense with cure); 14 (repeat within 1 year - no cure) days
Tenant Can Cure?Yes for first 5-day notice - tenant can pay all rent to stop eviction; No for 14-day notice (repeat nonpayment within 1 year)
Days to Hearing5-25 (hearing 5-25 days after filing; tenant has 5 days to answer after service) days
Days to WritWrit of Restitution issued after judgment; sheriff executes days
Total Estimated Timeline21-45 days
Total Estimated Cost$200-500
⚠️ Watch Out
5-day pay or vacate for first nonpayment. CRITICAL: If landlord has given 5-day notice within past year, can instead give 14-day notice to vacate with NO cure right (§ 704.17(2)(a)). Acceptance of rent during nonpayment action does NOT waive right to proceed (§ 799.40(1m)). Eviction records appear on CCAP (public court records website) for 2-10 years - significant consequence for tenants. Small Claims Court handles all evictions. Declaration of Non-Military Service required (GF-175 form). If tenant wrongfully overstays, landlord can recover 2x daily rent for each day (§ 799.44(3)). 12-hour advance notice required for landlord entry (unless emergency or shorter notice agreed in lease). Some leases with terms >1 year can override statutory notice provisions (§ 704.17(5)).
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the Small Claims Court (Circuit Court) - Eviction Action (Wis. Stat. Ch. 799, §§ 799.40-799.45). Pay the filing fee (~$$94.50-$114.50).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Wisconsin eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Wisconsin attorney or local legal aid organization.
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⚠️ Disclaimer: These calculations are estimates based on state statutes and typical court timelines. Actual results vary by county, court backlog, and case specifics. Always verify current requirements with your local courthouse. This is not legal advice.
Wisconsin River corridor, US Highway 51 spine, Ashley Furniture major employer, Aspirus Merrill Hospital, Tomahawk resort area. Manufacturing depth unusual for Northwoods county. No rent control. 5-day pay/vacate, 28-day no-cause notice.
Lincoln County
Screen Before You Sign
Ashley Furniture production and logistics workers, Aspirus Merrill healthcare staff, county government employees, timber and wood products industry workers, and Tomahawk-area recreation sector employees are your core profiles. Verify income at 3x rent, run Wisconsin circuit court records.
A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Lincoln County, Wisconsin
Lincoln County distinguishes itself from many Wisconsin Northwoods counties by having a manufacturing employment base that gives its rental market more depth and stability than the purely recreation-and-timber economies of some neighboring counties. The presence of Ashley Furniture Industries — one of the world’s largest furniture manufacturers, with significant Wisconsin operations — in the Merrill area creates a substantial workforce housing demand that anchors the county’s rental market through furniture production cycles rather than through the seasonal rhythms that dominate more purely recreational Northwoods counties.
Merrill: Manufacturing and Healthcare Combined
Merrill’s character as a small city is shaped by its dual identity as both a manufacturing center and a Wisconsin River community. The city’s position on US Highway 51 — the major north-south highway corridor through central Wisconsin — gives it commercial access and transportation connectivity that reinforces its manufacturing economy. Ashley Furniture’s production operations in the area employ hundreds of production workers, assembly line employees, logistics coordinators, and administrative staff who represent the backbone of Merrill’s year-round working-class rental market. Aspirus Merrill Hospital, as part of the Aspirus regional healthcare network, adds a professional healthcare employer whose physicians, nurses, and allied health staff represent the professional tier of Merrill’s rental demand.
Tomahawk and the Wisconsin River Recreation Corridor
Tomahawk, approximately 18 miles north of Merrill on the Wisconsin River, has a distinct character shaped more by recreation and the Wisconsin River reservoir system than by manufacturing. The Lake Mohawksin and Nokomis flowages created by dams on the Wisconsin River form the Tomahawk area’s recreational backbone — boating, fishing, and lakefront property that have made Tomahawk a modest resort destination. Tomahawk also has its own manufacturing base, including a paper mill heritage and current industrial operations, that provides year-round employment anchoring its residential market beyond the seasonal recreation economy.
Wisconsin Legal Framework in Lincoln County
All residential tenancies in Lincoln County follow the standard Wisconsin Ch. 704 and ATCP 134 framework. The 5-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate for nonpayment, 5-Day Notice to Cure or Vacate for lease violations, and 28-Day Written Notice for no-cause month-to-month termination are the operative notice timelines. Eviction actions are filed at the Lincoln County Circuit Court in Merrill. ATCP 134 security deposit compliance is mandatory: 21-day return deadline, itemized written deduction statement, check-in sheet at move-in, double damages for wrongful withholding. Wisconsin’s rent control prohibition under §66.1015 and the absence of any just-cause eviction requirement outside Milwaukee both apply throughout Lincoln County.
Lincoln County landlord-tenant matters are governed by Wis. Stat. Ch. 704 and ATCP 134. Nonpayment notice: 5-day pay or vacate. Lease violation: 5-day cure or vacate. No-cause termination: 28-day written notice. Security deposit return: 21 days; double damages for wrongful retention. Landlord entry: 12 hours’ advance notice required. No rent control (Wis. Stat. §66.1015). No just-cause eviction requirement. Eviction actions filed at Lincoln County Circuit Court, Merrill. Milwaukee just-cause ordinance (MCO §200-51.5) does not apply. Last updated: April 2026.
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about landlord-tenant law in Lincoln County, Wisconsin and is not legal advice. Laws change frequently. Always verify current requirements with a licensed Wisconsin attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: April 2026.
