Polk County is a northwestern Wisconsin county of approximately 45,000 residents that shares the Twin Cities exurban character of St. Croix County to its south while retaining a more distinctly lake-district and small-city economic identity in its northern and interior portions. The county seat of Balsam Lake, a village of approximately 1,000 on Balsam Lake, is one of Wisconsin’s more unusual county seats — a very small community that serves primarily as the governmental center for a county whose economic activity is concentrated in larger communities. Amery, with approximately 2,900 residents, is the county’s most significant city. St. Croix Falls, at the county’s southern tip on the St. Croix River adjacent to Interstate State Park, is the county’s most dramatically situated community. The county’s economy combines dairy agriculture in its interior, a significant lakes recreation and second-home economy driven by hundreds of lakes that attract Twin Cities vacation property buyers, and the Twin Cities commuter dynamic that increasingly shapes the southern tier as Minneapolis-St. Paul workers seek Wisconsin residential locations at lower costs than Minnesota suburbs.
All residential landlord-tenant matters in Polk County are governed by Wis. Stat. Ch. 704 and ATCP 134. Eviction actions are filed at the Polk County Circuit Court in Balsam Lake. Wisconsin has no statewide rent control, and Wis. Stat. §66.1015 prohibits municipalities from enacting rent stabilization. No Polk County municipality has a just-cause eviction ordinance. Minnesota tenant protection laws do NOT apply to Wisconsin residential tenancies.
Dairy agriculture, Twin Cities commuter, lakes recreation, St. Croix tourism
Rent Control
None (banned statewide §66.1015)
Landlord Rating
5.5/10 — Growing Twin Cities exurb, lakes recreation, Interstate Park
⚖️ 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
Polk 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)
Polk County Local Ordinances
County and municipal rules that apply alongside Wisconsin state law
Category
Details
Rental Registration
No statewide rental registration in Wisconsin. Polk County and its municipalities including Amery, St. Croix Falls, and Osceola have not enacted mandatory landlord licensing. Code enforcement is complaint-driven. Pre-1978 properties in older community housing stock require lead paint disclosure under ATCP 134.04.
Rent Control
Banned statewide under Wis. Stat. §66.1015. No Polk 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.
St. Croix River, Lakes Recreation & Twin Cities Dynamic
Polk County’s St. Croix River border with Minnesota gives it one of Wisconsin’s most dramatic natural boundary features: the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway protects the river corridor as a federally designated Wild and Scenic River, and Interstate State Park at St. Croix Falls is Wisconsin’s oldest state park, preserving the dramatic potholes and basalt formations carved by glacial meltwater. The county’s interior lake district — hundreds of lakes including Apple River, Balsam Lake, and numerous smaller bodies — attracts Twin Cities vacation property buyers and summer tourists who provide a seasonal recreation economy alongside the dairy agriculture that remains the county’s permanent economic foundation. The Twin Cities commuter dynamic has penetrated Polk County’s southern tier, particularly Osceola and St. Croix Falls, as Minneapolis-St. Paul workers seek Wisconsin residential options. Minnesota law does not apply to Wisconsin tenancies regardless of the tenant’s Minnesota employment.
Just-Cause Eviction
No just-cause requirement in Polk 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 Polk 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.
St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, Interstate State Park (Wisconsin’s oldest), Apple River, Twin Cities exurban growth in south, Amery regional hub, Balsam Lake county seat. Dairy agriculture inland. Minnesota law does not apply. No rent control, 5-day pay/vacate.
Polk County
Screen Before You Sign
Twin Cities commuters in Osceola and St. Croix Falls, healthcare workers, county government employees, dairy farm workers, recreation economy employees, and Amery area manufacturing workers are your core renter profiles. Verify income at 3x rent, run Wisconsin circuit court records.
A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Polk County, Wisconsin
Polk County’s rental market reflects the layered character of northwestern Wisconsin’s most accessible rural counties — a county where dairy farming and small-city economies have been supplemented by a growing Twin Cities commuter demand and the year-round recreational economy of the St. Croix River corridor and interior lakes. For landlords, the county offers year-round rental demand anchored by Amery’s small-city economy and modest but growing commuter activity in the southern communities nearest the Twin Cities metro.
St. Croix River and Interstate State Park
The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway — a federally protected Wild and Scenic River that forms the Wisconsin-Minnesota border along Polk County’s western edge — is one of the Midwest’s premier river recreation corridors. Interstate State Park at St. Croix Falls preserves the dramatic potholes, basalt formations, and river gorge created by catastrophic glacial floods at the end of the last ice age — geological features that have made the park one of Wisconsin’s most visited state parks. Kayaking, rock climbing, fishing, and scenic hiking in the Interstate State Park area draw visitors from the Twin Cities metro throughout the warmer months, sustaining a seasonal hospitality and outdoor recreation economy that provides employment for Polk County residents.
Amery and the County’s Interior Economy
Amery, the county’s largest city, is a market center serving the dairy farming communities of the county’s interior with healthcare (Mayo Clinic Health System has a clinic presence in Amery), retail, county services, and educational employment that provides year-round residential rental demand. Amery’s rental market is modest in scale but serves a consistent permanent workforce that is less affected by seasonal tourism volatility than the lake and river communities.
Twin Cities Commuter Growth
The communities along US Highway 8 and the St. Croix River corridor in Polk County’s southern tier — particularly Osceola and St. Croix Falls — have benefited from the same Twin Cities commuter dynamic that drives growth in neighboring St. Croix County. Workers seeking Wisconsin residential options at lower costs than Minnesota suburbs can reach the Twin Cities from Osceola in approximately 45–60 minutes depending on route and traffic. This commuter demand has contributed modest but consistent residential growth to Polk County’s southern communities and is likely to continue as Twin Cities metro housing costs appreciate.
Wisconsin Legal Framework in Polk County
All residential tenancies in Polk 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 Polk County Circuit Court in Balsam Lake. Minnesota tenant protection laws do not apply to Polk County tenancies. ATCP 134 security deposit compliance is mandatory. No rent control (Wis. Stat. §66.1015). No just-cause eviction requirement.
Polk County landlord-tenant matters are governed by Wis. Stat. Ch. 704 and ATCP 134. Minnesota tenant law does not apply to Wisconsin tenancies. 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 Polk County Circuit Court, Balsam Lake. 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 Polk County, Wisconsin and is not legal advice. Minnesota tenant protection laws do not apply to Wisconsin tenancies. Laws change frequently. Always verify current requirements with a licensed Wisconsin attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: April 2026.
