Landlord-Tenant Law in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
Trempealeau County is a western Wisconsin county of approximately 30,000 residents situated in the Driftless Area between the Mississippi River bluffs on its western edge and the upland ridges and coulees of the interior — a dramatically beautiful landscape of towering ridges, spring-fed streams, and deep wooded valleys carved by glacial meltwater. The county seat of Whitehall, with approximately 1,600 residents, is one of Wisconsin’s smaller county seats: a compact village on the South Fork of the Trempealeau River that serves governmental, small commercial, and community functions for the surrounding dairy farming townships. Arcadia, with approximately 3,000 residents, is the county’s largest community and is well known for its large Hispanic and Latino population, anchored by employment at the Ashley Furniture Industries facilities that have made Arcadia one of Wisconsin’s most significant Hispanic agricultural and manufacturing communities outside of Waukesha and Milwaukee Counties. Blair and Independence are the county’s other communities of note. The county’s economy is primarily dairy farming, with manufacturing employment in Arcadia and some La Crosse commuter activity in the eastern portions of the county. The Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge along the Mississippi River and Perrot State Park provide recreational access and natural heritage assets.
All residential landlord-tenant matters in Trempealeau County are governed by Wis. Stat. Ch. 704 and ATCP 134. Eviction actions are filed at the Trempealeau County Circuit Court in Whitehall. Wisconsin has no statewide rent control, and Wis. Stat. §66.1015 prohibits municipalities from enacting rent stabilization. No Trempealeau County municipality has a just-cause eviction ordinance. The Fair Housing Act applies in full to all rental transactions.
4.5/10 — Agricultural Driftless, Arcadia manufacturing, La Crosse commuter fringe
⚖️ 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
Trempealeau 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 (light docket)
Trempealeau County Local Ordinances
County and municipal rules that apply alongside Wisconsin state law
Category
Details
Rental Registration
No statewide rental registration in Wisconsin. Trempealeau County and its municipalities including Arcadia and Whitehall have not enacted mandatory landlord licensing. Code enforcement is complaint-driven. Pre-1978 properties require lead paint disclosure under ATCP 134.04.
Rent Control
Banned statewide under Wis. Stat. §66.1015. No Trempealeau County municipality may enact rent stabilization. No local rent ordinance exists. Arcadia’s rents are among the lowest in western Wisconsin.
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.
Arcadia, Ashley Furniture & Hispanic Community
Arcadia is one of Wisconsin’s most demographically distinctive communities — a small city whose Hispanic and Latino population, drawn initially by employment at Ashley Furniture Industries’ major manufacturing facilities, now makes up a substantial and growing share of the city’s permanent population. Ashley Furniture, the world’s largest furniture manufacturer, operates significant production facilities in Arcadia that employ hundreds of workers in manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics roles. The Hispanic community’s growth has transformed Arcadia’s commercial landscape with Spanish-language businesses, restaurants, churches, and community organizations that serve residents from Mexico and Central America. For landlords in Arcadia, the Fair Housing Act and Wisconsin open housing law apply fully — national origin, language, and immigration status are not permissible screening factors. Arcadia’s rental market is shaped by Ashley Furniture employment, agricultural employment, and the service economy that serves the community’s diverse population.
Just-Cause Eviction
No just-cause requirement in Trempealeau 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 Trempealeau 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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tenant screening in Wisconsin —
including background checks, credit history, income verification, and rental references — is one of the most
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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.
Driftless Area bluffs and coulees, Mississippi River corridor, Perrot State Park, Arcadia (Ashley Furniture, large Hispanic community), dairy agriculture dominant, Whitehall county seat, La Crosse commuter fringe. Fair Housing Act applies fully. No rent control.
Trempealeau County
Screen Before You Sign
Ashley Furniture manufacturing workers, dairy farm employees, county government and school district staff, healthcare workers, and La Crosse commuters are your core profiles. Apply Fair Housing Act standards consistently to all applicants regardless of national origin or language. Verify income at 3x rent.
A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Trempealeau County, Wisconsin
Trempealeau County offers a rental market defined by the intersection of two very different economic forces: the traditional dairy farming economy that has shaped western Wisconsin’s ridge and coulee landscape for generations, and the Ashley Furniture manufacturing presence that has transformed Arcadia into one of Wisconsin’s most significant Hispanic and Latino communities outside the major metropolitan areas. For landlords in Arcadia in particular, understanding the Fair Housing Act and Wisconsin open housing law is as important as understanding Wisconsin’s landlord-tenant statutes — both apply equally and fully.
Arcadia and Ashley Furniture
Ashley Furniture Industries, headquartered in Arcadia, is the world’s largest furniture manufacturer by revenue — a fact that makes the county seat of this small agricultural county a surprising entry on any list of Wisconsin’s significant manufacturing communities. Ashley’s Arcadia operations include large production facilities where upholstered furniture, bedroom furniture, and home furnishings are manufactured for domestic and international markets. This manufacturing employment attracted Hispanic and Latino workers from Mexico and Central America beginning in the 1990s, creating a population shift that has made Arcadia one of Wisconsin’s most demographically transformed small cities. The community’s Hispanic population now supports a vibrant ecosystem of Spanish-language businesses, Catholic parishes, restaurants, and cultural institutions that give Arcadia a character quite unlike any other Driftless Area community.
Fair Housing Compliance in Arcadia
For landlords in Arcadia, Fair Housing Act compliance is not an abstract legal obligation but a practical daily reality. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in rental housing based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability. Wisconsin open housing law adds additional protections. National origin — a protected class under the Fair Housing Act — covers discrimination based on a person’s country of birth or ancestry. Language-based discrimination is generally treated as a proxy for national origin discrimination and is similarly prohibited. Landlords must apply identical screening criteria — income verification at 3x rent, credit history, rental history, criminal background, lease compliance — consistently to all applicants regardless of language, national origin, or immigration status.
The Driftless Area Landscape
Trempealeau County’s Driftless Area terrain — deep coulees, towering limestone ridges, spring-fed streams, and the dramatic bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River corridor — is among the most visually striking in Wisconsin. Perrot State Park at the confluence of the Trempealeau and Mississippi Rivers preserves exceptional river views and hiking access to the dramatic bluffs. The Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge along the Mississippi provides migratory bird habitat that attracts birdwatchers and nature tourists. These landscape assets contribute a modest outdoor recreation and tourism economy that supplements the agricultural and manufacturing base.
Wisconsin Legal Framework
All residential tenancies in Trempealeau 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 Trempealeau County Circuit Court in Whitehall. ATCP 134 security deposit compliance is mandatory. No rent control (Wis. Stat. §66.1015). No just-cause eviction requirement.
Trempealeau 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. Fair Housing Act and Wisconsin open housing law apply to all rental transactions. Eviction actions filed at Trempealeau County Circuit Court, Whitehall. 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 Trempealeau County, Wisconsin and is not legal advice. The Fair Housing Act and Wisconsin open housing law apply fully to all rental transactions. Laws change frequently. Always verify current requirements with a licensed Wisconsin attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: April 2026.
