General Information

Wisconsin State Facilities User Permit Summary

A Permit from the State Capitol Police is generally required for public use of State facilities owned, managed, or leased by the Department of Administration, including the State Capitol and State Capitol Grounds. For example, you need to apply for a permit if you wish to:

Hold any event (such as a performance, wedding ceremony, presentation, meeting, or rally) in the interior of a building, including the State Capitol.
Hold any event on the exterior State Capitol Grounds where you reasonably expect 100 or more people to attend.
Hold any event on the grounds of any building other than the State Capitol.
Display any exhibit (such as signs, artwork, banners, etc.) in the interior or exterior of any building.
Use sound amplification equipment in any building or on the grounds of any building.
Enter into any or on any such facility after it is locked and closed.
Serve food or drink in or on the grounds of such facility.

Please also note:

Individuals seeking a permit are encouraged to contact the State Capitol Police well in advance of any event or exhibit to allow for appropriate planning.
Requests to use State Capitol areas under the control of the Assembly, the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Senate, or the Supreme Court should be addressed to that office instead of the State Capitol Police.
Individuals obtaining a permit may be required to pay the costs of damage, repair, equipment set-up, clean-up, or excess security costs associated with the event or exhibit.
Please see Appendix A of the Wisconsin State Facilities Event and Exhibit Policy for a complete list of buildings and grounds covered by the Policy.
Exceptions to the permit requirement may be available for "spontaneous events". Please see p.5 of the Policy for the definition of "spontaneous event", and review applicable guidelines found in the Policy.

Capitol Permit FAQs

What are the total attendee requirements for a permit application?

For indoor events with 12 or more people, and for outdoor events with 100 or more people, a permit application is required.

Note: Indoor weddings have a maximum attendance of 50 people, including the wedding party.

For indoor events, when is amplified noise allowed?

During the noon hour (12 p.m. - 1 p.m.) and after 4:30 p.m.

When paying for equipment rental, who do I make the check out to?

Please make checks out to the Wisconsin Department of Administration.

Where should I mail check payments for events to?

Wisconsin State Capitol Police 17 W. Main St., Ste. 301 Madison, WI 53703.

How long will it take for me to hear whether my application was approved or not?

Generally, permit applications are processed within 10 business days. However, where the proposed event requires extensive space, particularly during the busier times of the year, applicants are strongly encouraged to submit applications 30 days in advance.

Can I submit a permit for an event that is two days away?