Wisconsin Statutes
Wis. Stat. § 236.03 (2026)
Survey and plat; when required
✓ current as of July 2026
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236.03(1)(1) Any division of land that results in a subdivision as defined in s. 236.02 (12) (am) 1. shall be, and any other division may be, surveyed and a plat thereof approved and recorded as required by this chapter. No map or survey purporting to create divisions of land or intending to clarify metes and bounds descriptions may be recorded except as provided by this chapter.
236.03(2)(2) This chapter does not apply to cemetery plats made under s. 157.07 and assessors’ plats made under s. 70.27, but such assessors’ plats shall, except in counties having a population of 750,000 or more, comply with ss. 236.15 (1) (ac) to (g) and 236.20 (1) and (2) (a) to (e), unless waived under s. 236.20 (2) (L).
236.03(3)(3) Subsection (1) shall not apply to the sale or exchange of parcels of public utility or railroad right-of-way to adjoining property owners if the governing body of the municipality or town in which the property is located and the county planning agency, where such agency exists, approves such sale or exchange on the basis of applicable local ordinances or the provisions of this chapter.
236.03 HistoryHistory: 1983 a. 189 s. 329 (23); 1983 a. 473; 1993 a. 490; 2013 a. 272, 358; 2017 a. 207 s. 5.
236.03 AnnotationThe provisions of s. 236.41 relating to vacation of streets are inapplicable to assessors’ plats under s. 70.27. Once properly filed and recorded, an assessor’s plat becomes the operative document of record, and only sections specified in sub. (2) apply to assessors’ plats. Schaetz v. Town of Scott, 222 Wis. 2d 90, 585 N.W.2d 889 (Ct. App. 1998), 98-0841.
236.03 AnnotationA replat of a recorded subdivision must comply with the formal platting requirements of this chapter relating to new subdivision plats, including those relating to the survey, approval, and recording. 63 Atty. Gen. 193.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 8
cases, 1961–2008 · leading case: Wood v. City of Madison, 2003 WI 24 (Wis. 2003).
Wood v. City of Madison, 2003 WI 24 (Wis. 2003). “The approvals to be obtained by the subdivider as required in this chapter shall be based on requirements designed to accomplish the aforesaid purposes.”
Wisconsin Builders Ass'n v. Wisconsin Dep't of Transp., 2005 WI App 160 (Wis. Ct. App. 2005). “The circuit court concluded that Wis. Stat. § 236.03 (1) authorized DOT to regulate land divisions abutting highways only if they are subdivisions as defined in Wis.”
Gordie Boucher Lincoln-Mercury Madison, Inc. v. City of Madison Plan Comm'n, 503 N.W.2d 265 (Wis. Ct. App. 1993). “A city, village, town or county which has established a planning agency may by ordinance require that "other divisions" be surveyed and a plat or map thereof approved and recorded as required by chapter 236 and the local ordinance.”
Solowicz v. Forward Geneva Nat'l, 2009 WI App 9 (Wis. Ct. App. 2008). “See Wis. Stat. §§ 236.03 , 703.11. Until the third party developer plats the parcel, the density of that particular parcel is unknown.”
Scheer v. Weis, 108 N.W.2d 523 (Wis. 1961). “Sec. 236.03, Stats., is mandatory as to any division of land which results in a subdivision as defined in sec.”
Manthe v. Town Bd., 555 N.W.2d 167 (Wis. Ct. App. 1996). “Section 236.03(1), Stats., requires that any subdivision 2 shall be surveyed and a plat thereof approved and recorded as required by Chapter 236.”
Schaetz v. Town of Scott, 585 N.W.2d 889 (Wis. Ct. App. 1998). “Furthermore, § 236.03(2), Stats., states: This chapter does not apply to cemetery plats made under s.”
Manthe v. Town Bd. of Town of Windsor, 555 N.W.2d 167 (Wis. Ct. App. 1996). “Section 236.03(1), STATS., requires that any subdivision [2] shall be surveyed and a plat thereof approved and recorded as required by Chapter 236.”
— Wis. Stat. § 236.03(1) — 4 cases
Gordie Boucher Lincoln-Mercury Madison, Inc. v. City of Madison Plan Comm'n, 503 N.W.2d 265 (Wis. Ct. App. 1993). “A city, village, town or county which has established a planning agency may by ordinance require that "other divisions" be surveyed and a plat or map thereof approved and recorded as required by chapter 236 and the local ordinance.”
Wisconsin Builders Ass'n v. Wisconsin Dep't of Transp., 2005 WI App 160 (Wis. Ct. App. 2005). “The circuit court concluded that Wis. Stat. § 236.03 (1) authorized DOT to regulate land divisions abutting highways only if they are subdivisions as defined in Wis.”
Manthe v. Town Bd., 555 N.W.2d 167 (Wis. Ct. App. 1996). “Section 236.03(1), Stats., requires that any subdivision 2 shall be surveyed and a plat thereof approved and recorded as required by Chapter 236.”
Manthe v. Town Bd. of Town of Windsor, 555 N.W.2d 167 (Wis. Ct. App. 1996). “Section 236.03(1), STATS., requires that any subdivision [2] shall be surveyed and a plat thereof approved and recorded as required by Chapter 236.”
— Wis. Stat. § 236.03(2) — 1 case
Schaetz v. Town of Scott, 585 N.W.2d 889 (Wis. Ct. App. 1998). “Furthermore, § 236.03(2), Stats., states: This chapter does not apply to cemetery plats made under s.”
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