Littering
Wis. Stat. 287.81 — a forfeiture of up to $500, and $1,000 for a couch or a tire
A person may be required to forfeit not more than $500 for depositing or discharging solid waste on or along a highway, in the state's waters, on the ice of those waters, or on any other public or private property, or for letting solid waste be thrown from a vehicle the person is driving.
Who handles this in Wisconsin: State Bar of Wisconsin Lawyer Referral Service; and legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Wisconsin directory.
A large item doubles it. Depositing a large item, which the section defines as an appliance, furniture, a tire, a vehicle, a boat, an aircraft, building materials or demolition waste, in the same places carries a forfeiture of not more than $1,000.
Leaving a vehicle or boat in the water, or a crashed aircraft, is covered too, as the odd laws page sets out. Whether a particular citation fits is a question for a licensed Wisconsin attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Wis. Stat. 287.81 — Littering
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Wisconsin attorney.