Landlord-Tenant Law in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin
Sheboygan County is an eastern Wisconsin Lake Michigan county of approximately 115,000 residents anchored by the city of Sheboygan — Wisconsin’s eighth-largest city at approximately 49,000 residents and self-proclaimed Bratwurst Capital of the World. Sheboygan’s economy combines significant manufacturing depth (plastics, metal fabrication, recreational vehicles, food processing) with healthcare (Aurora Sheboygan Memorial Medical Center, Ascension), retail services, and the growing cultural and dining scene that has earned the city national attention as an unexpected culinary destination. The county also contains Kohler — one of Wisconsin’s most distinctive company towns, purpose-built by the Kohler Company to house its workforce and featuring an extraordinary concentration of amenities including the American Club resort, Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run golf courses (host to multiple major golf championships), and the Kohler Design Center. Kohler Company, a global manufacturer of plumbing products, power equipment, and hospitality services, is the county’s largest private employer and a presence that shapes the economic and cultural character of the entire region. Lakeland University in Plymouth adds educational employment and student housing demand to the county’s economy.
All residential landlord-tenant matters in Sheboygan County are governed by Wis. Stat. Ch. 704 and ATCP 134. Eviction actions are filed at the Sheboygan County Circuit Court in Sheboygan. Wisconsin has no statewide rent control, and Wis. Stat. §66.1015 prohibits municipalities from enacting rent stabilization. No Sheboygan County municipality has a just-cause eviction ordinance.
Kohler Company, manufacturing, Aurora/Ascension healthcare, Lakeland University
Rent Control
None (banned statewide §66.1015)
Landlord Rating
7/10 — Kohler anchor, Lake Michigan, strong manufacturing, bratwurst capital
⚖️ 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
Sheboygan County Circuit Court
Process Name
Eviction (formerly Forcible Entry & Detainer)
Post-Judgment Move-Out
As ordered by court; writ issued after judgment
Avg Timeline
4–7 weeks (active city docket)
Sheboygan County Local Ordinances
County and municipal rules that apply alongside Wisconsin state law
Category
Details
Rental Registration
No statewide rental registration in Wisconsin. Sheboygan County and the city of Sheboygan have not enacted mandatory landlord licensing. The City of Sheboygan has code enforcement operations. Pre-1978 properties in Sheboygan’s older neighborhoods require lead paint disclosure under ATCP 134.04. Sheboygan has a substantial inventory of early 20th century worker housing from its manufacturing era.
Rent Control
Banned statewide under Wis. Stat. §66.1015. No Sheboygan County municipality may enact rent stabilization. No local rent ordinance exists.
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.
Kohler Company & the County’s Anchor Economy
Kohler Company — the privately held global manufacturer of plumbing products, power systems, cabinetry, and hospitality services, founded in Sheboygan County in 1873 — is among the most economically significant private employers in Wisconsin and the dominant employer in Sheboygan County. The village of Kohler, purpose-built to Kohler Company specifications as a model worker community, is one of Wisconsin’s most architecturally distinctive villages, with its American Club (now a AAA Five Diamond resort), Riverbend (the Kohler family home, a National Historic Landmark), the Kohler Design Center, and the Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run golf courses that have hosted multiple PGA Championships, the 2021 Ryder Cup, and other major golf events. Kohler Company engineers, designers, manufacturing professionals, corporate managers, and resort staff represent the professional tier of Sheboygan County’s rental market. Sheboygan’s broader manufacturing base — plastics (Sargento Foods is also county-based), food processing, and metal fabrication — provides additional industrial employment. Aurora Sheboygan Memorial Medical Center and Ascension operations add healthcare employment.
Just-Cause Eviction
No just-cause requirement in Sheboygan County. Month-to-month tenancies may be terminated with 28-day written notice. Milwaukee’s just-cause ordinance (MCO §200-51.5) does NOT apply in Sheboygan County.
Wis. Stat. Ch. 704 and ATCP 134 statutes, notice requirements, and landlord rights that apply in Sheboygan 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.
Kohler Company global HQ, Whistling Straits/Blackwolf Run golf, Bratwurst Capital of the World, Lake Michigan shoreline, Sargento Foods, Lakeland University (Plymouth), Aurora/Ascension healthcare. No just-cause eviction, no rent control.
Sheboygan County
Screen Before You Sign
Kohler Company engineers, designers, and manufacturing professionals; Aurora/Ascension healthcare workers; Sargento and food processing employees; Lakeland University faculty and staff; and Sheboygan manufacturing workers are your strongest profiles. Verify income at 3x rent, run Wisconsin circuit court records.
A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin
Sheboygan County combines the industrial heritage and working-class character of a Lake Michigan manufacturing city with the global corporate presence of one of Wisconsin’s most significant family-owned companies — Kohler — and the unexpected culinary and cultural reputation that has made Sheboygan itself a destination of national interest. For landlords, the county offers a multi-layered rental market with stable major employer anchors, an active eviction docket that requires procedural precision, and a housing stock that ranges from Sheboygan’s older worker neighborhoods to the distinctive planned architecture of Kohler village.
Kohler Company: The County’s Defining Presence
Kohler Company was founded in Sheboygan County in 1873 when John Michael Kohler attached legs to a cast-iron horse trough to create a bathtub — an origin story that has grown into a global empire of plumbing fixtures, power equipment, cabinetry, hospitality, and golf that employs tens of thousands of people worldwide, with its largest concentration of employment in Sheboygan County. The company’s headquarters, manufacturing operations, and resort complex centered on the village of Kohler constitute one of the most economically concentrated corporate presences in any Wisconsin county. Kohler Company employees — engineers, industrial designers, manufacturing specialists, corporate managers, and hospitality professionals at the American Club resort — represent the most financially stable and professionally credentialed tier of Sheboygan County’s rental market.
Sheboygan: Bratwurst Capital and Culinary Destination
Sheboygan’s self-identification as the Bratwurst Capital of the World reflects a genuine cultural tradition — the city’s large German immigrant population established a bratwurst culture that has been institutionalized in annual festivals, legendary local butcher shops, and a genuine culinary identity that distinguishes the city from other Wisconsin industrial communities. In recent years, Sheboygan has developed a reputation as one of Wisconsin’s most interesting food cities, with nationally recognized restaurants that have attracted food media attention and tourism. This culinary identity has contributed to a gradual quality-of-life enhancement that supports residential desirability and modest rental appreciation.
Manufacturing Depth and Economic Resilience
Beyond Kohler, Sheboygan County retains substantial manufacturing employment across plastics, food processing, metal fabrication, and industrial production. Sargento Foods — a privately held cheese company headquartered in Plymouth — is one of Wisconsin’s significant food manufacturing employers. The broader manufacturing ecosystem employs production workers, skilled tradespeople, engineers, and managers at wages that support stable residential tenancies. This industrial employment diversity gives the county an economic resilience that single-industry communities lack.
Wisconsin Legal Framework in Sheboygan County
All residential tenancies in Sheboygan 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 Sheboygan County Circuit Court. ATCP 134 security deposit compliance is mandatory. No rent control (Wis. Stat. §66.1015). No just-cause eviction requirement.
Sheboygan 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 Sheboygan County Circuit Court. 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 Sheboygan 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.
