Wis. Stat. » CHAPTER 941 — CRIMES AGAINST PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY
Wisconsin Statutes

Wis. Stat. § 941.237 (2026)

Carrying handgun where alcohol beverages may be sold and consumed

✓ current as of July 2026
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941.237941.237 Carrying handgun where alcohol beverages may be sold and consumed.
941.237(1)(1) In this section:
941.237(1)(a)(a) “Alcohol beverages” has the meaning given in s. 125.02 (1).
941.237(1)(b)(b) “Correctional officer” means any person employed by the state or any political subdivision as a guard or officer whose principal duties are the supervision and discipline of inmates.
941.237(1)(c)(c) “Encased” has the meaning given in s. 167.31 (1) (b).
941.237(1)(cm)(cm) “Firearms dealer” means any person engaged in the business of importing, manufacturing or dealing in firearms and having a license as an importer, manufacturer or dealer issued by the federal government.
941.237(1)(d)(d) “Handgun” has the meaning given in s. 175.35 (1) (b).
941.237(1)(dm)(dm) “Hotel” has the meaning given in s. 97.01 (7).
941.237(1)(dr)(dr) Notwithstanding s. 939.22 (22), “peace officer” does not include a commission warden who is not a state-certified commission warden.
941.237(1)(e)(e) “Premises” has the meaning given in s. 125.02 (14m), but excludes any area primarily used as a residence.
941.237(1)(em)(em) “Private security person” has the meaning given in s. 440.26 (1m).
941.237(1)(f)(f) “Target range” means any area where persons are allowed to use a handgun to fire shots at targets.
941.237(1)(fm)(fm) “Tavern” means an establishment, other than a private club or fraternal organization, in which alcohol beverages are sold for consumption on the premises.
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941.237(1)(g)(g) “Unloaded” means any of the following:
941.237(1)(g)1.1. Having no shell or cartridge in the chamber of a handgun or in the magazine attached to a handgun.
941.237(1)(g)2.2. In the case of a caplock muzzle-loading handgun, having the cap removed.
941.237(1)(g)3.3. In the case of a flintlock muzzle-loading handgun, having the flashpan cleaned of powder.
941.237(2)(2) Whoever intentionally goes armed with a handgun on any premises for which a Class “B” or “Class B” license or permit has been issued under ch. 125 is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
941.237(3)(3) Subsection (2) does not apply to any of the following:
941.237(3)(a)(a) A peace officer.
941.237(3)(b)(b) A correctional officer while going armed in the line of duty.
941.237(3)(c)(c) A member of the U.S. armed forces or national guard while going armed in the line of duty.
941.237(3)(cm)(cm) A private security person meeting all of the following criteria:
941.237(3)(cm)1.1. The private security person is covered by a license or permit issued under s. 440.26.
941.237(3)(cm)2.2. The private security person is going armed in the line of duty.
941.237(3)(cm)3.3. The private security person is acting with the consent of the person specified in par. (d).
941.237(3)(cr)(cr) A qualified out-of-state law enforcement officer, as defined in s. 941.23 (1) (g), to whom s. 941.23 (2) (b) 1. to 3. applies.
941.237(3)(ct)(ct) A former officer, as defined in s. 941.23 (1) (c), to whom s. 941.23 (2) (c) 1. to 7. applies.
941.237(3)(cx)(cx) A licensee, as defined in s. 175.60 (1) (d), or an out-of-state licensee, as defined in s. 175.60 (1) (g), if the licensee or out-of-state licensee is not consuming alcohol on the premises.
941.237(3)(d)(d) The licensee, owner, or manager of the premises, or any employee or agent authorized to possess a handgun by the licensee, owner, or manager of the premises.
941.237(3)(e)(e) The possession of a handgun that is unloaded and encased in a vehicle in any parking lot area.
941.237(3)(f)(f) The possession or use of a handgun at a public or private gun or sportsmen’s range or club.
941.237(3)(g)(g) The possession or use of a handgun on the premises if authorized for a specific event of limited duration by the owner or manager of the premises who is issued the Class “B” or “Class B” license or permit under ch. 125 for the premises.
941.237(3)(h)(h) The possession of any handgun that is used for decoration if the handgun is encased, inoperable or secured in a locked condition.
941.237(3)(i)(i) The possession of a handgun in any portion of a hotel other than the portion of the hotel that is a tavern.
941.237(3)(j)(j) The possession of a handgun in any portion of a combination tavern and store devoted to other business if the store is owned or operated by a firearms dealer, the other business includes the sale of handguns and the handgun is possessed in a place other than a tavern.
941.237 HistoryHistory: 1993 a. 95, 491; 1995 a. 461; 2007 a. 27; 2011 a. 35; 2015 a. 22, 55; 2021 a. 238 s. 44.
941.237 AnnotationSub. (3) does not allow going armed with a concealed handgun in violation of s. 941.23. State v. Mata, 199 Wis. 2d 315, 544 N.W.2d 578 (Ct. App. 1996), 95-1336.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 8 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1996–2026 · leading case: State v. Hamdan, 2003 WI 113 (Wis. 2003).
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State v. Hamdan, 2003 WI 113 (Wis. 2003). · cites it 6× “The court held that a tavern owner carrying a handgun is required to openly display the handgun in order to carry it lawfully under § 941.”
State v. Fisher, 2006 WI 44 (Wis. 2006). · cites it 6× “[5] Under Wis. Stat. § 941.237 (3)(d), tavern licensees, owners, and certain of their agents are exempted from the general statutory prohibition on possessing a handgun on the tavern premises.”
State v. Mata, 544 N.W.2d 578 (Wis. Ct. App. 1996). · cites it 17× “Section 941.237, Stats., was enacted in 1993.”
Roric Gibbs v. Brooke Lomas, 755 F.3d 529 (7th Cir. 2014). “Wisconsin also prohibits entering a bar with a handgun under most circumstances, see Wis. Stat. § 941.237 (2), and the facts known to Officer Lomas when she arrested Mr.”
State v. Perez, 2000 WI App 115 (Wis. Ct. App. 2000). · cites it 4× “§ 941.237(2), which outlaws carrying a handgun in a tavern, are all statutes that are violated by the passive presence of a firearm.”
Robert, Dashawn v. Visions Night Club (W.D. Wis. 2019). · cites it 2× “63(1)(a); carrying a handgun where alcohol is sold or consumed, in violation of Wis. Stat. § 941.237 (2); disorderly conduct and use of a dangerous weapon, in violation of Wis.”
Robert, Dashawn v. Visions Night Club (W.D. Wis. 2022). · cites it 2× “” Wis. Stat. § 941.237 (2). Because it served alcohol, Visions may have had a Class B liquor license, meaning it would have been illegal to carry a concealed armed weapon onto the premises.”
State v. Joseph A. Wheat (Wis. Ct. App. 2026). · cites it 2× “§ 941.237,] has ‘committed a crime involving the use of the dangerous weapon,’ because ‘the use’ of the dangerous weapon is an indispensable element of a [§ 941.”
— Wis. Stat. § 941.237(2) — 2 cases
State v. Mata, 544 N.W.2d 578 (Wis. Ct. App. 1996). “Section 941.237, Stats., was enacted in 1993.”
State v. Perez, 2000 WI App 115 (Wis. Ct. App. 2000). “§ 941.237(2), which outlaws carrying a handgun in a tavern, are all statutes that are violated by the passive presence of a firearm.”
— Wis. Stat. § 941.237(3) — 1 case
State v. Mata, 544 N.W.2d 578 (Wis. Ct. App. 1996). “Section 941.237, Stats., was enacted in 1993.”
— Wis. Stat. § 941.237(3)(d) — 2 cases
State v. Hamdan, 2003 WI 113 (Wis. 2003). “The court held that a tavern owner carrying a handgun is required to openly display the handgun in order to carry it lawfully under § 941.”
State v. Mata, 544 N.W.2d 578 (Wis. Ct. App. 1996). “Section 941.237, Stats., was enacted in 1993.”
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