Not legal advice. This page explains Wisconsin's rental rules in plain English, for tenants and landlords alike. Your lease and facts matter, so for your own situation talk to one of the free services below.
The Year at a Glance
September to November: Next year's leases
Many campus-area properties open leasing for the next year early in the fall semester, UW–Madison's housing office says.(UW–Madison Housing) It advises not signing until you fully understand the lease.(UW–Madison Housing)
State law lets a landlord show a unit, and sign a lease with the next tenant, while the current tenant still lives there; cities can't restrict either.(Wis. Stat. 66.0104) Each showing still needs at least 12 hours' notice unless the tenant agrees to less.(ATCP 134.09)
Before your notice deadline: Renewals
If the lease renews automatically unless someone gives notice, that clause binds the tenant only if the landlord sends a separate written reminder 15 to 30 days before the tenant's deadline.(Wis. Stat. 704.15) Month-to-month tenancies end with at least 28 days' written notice, at the end of a rental period.(Wis. Stat. 704.19)
Spring and summer: Sublets
UW's Off-Campus Housing Marketplace carries sublet, roommate, parking and housing listings.(UW–Madison Housing) Under state law, a month-to-month tenant needs the landlord's consent to sublet; a tenant on a lease can sublet unless the lease restricts it. Either way, the original tenant stays liable unless the landlord releases them.(Wis. Stat. 704.09)
July 26 to August 14, 2026: Large-item work orders
The window for properties in the student move area to create large-item work orders. Appliances and special items, such as microwaves, refrigerators, air conditioners and dehumidifiers, need one.(City of Madison Streets)
August 3 to 21, 2026: Move-out collections
Extra collections in the student move area, the only part of the city that gets them. Crews pick up couches, chairs, box springs, mattresses, bookshelves, tables and rugs without a work order. Electronics can't go to the curb.(City of Madison Streets) The Madison trash and recycling guide covers the rules the rest of the year.
August 14, 2026: Donation day
Mooveapalooza, a one-day donation event at the Alliant Energy Center.(City of Madison Streets)
August 15: Turnover
Most leases in the downtown student moving area end on August 15, and thousands of people move within the area in the first weeks of August.(City of Madison) The landlord must hand over the new unit on the agreed date unless something beyond their control prevents it.(ATCP 134.09)
7 days after move-in: Check-in sheet due
Tenants get 7 days from the day they move in to return the check-in sheet. For a tenant moving in on August 15, 2026, that's Saturday, August 22.(Wis. Stat. 704.08) Build one with the check-in sheet builder.
21 days after the lease ends: Deposits due back
For a tenant who moved out when the lease ended on August 15, 2026, the deposit and any statement of deductions are due by Saturday, September 5.(Wis. Stat. 704.28) Other move-out dates: use the deposit deadline checker.
Moving Day Tips
- Fill carts and roll them to the curb by 6:30 a.m. on collection day, and keep piles 5 feet from hydrants, poles and signs.(City of Madison Streets)
- Before moving out, DATCP suggests asking for a walkthrough, taking photos as you leave, and giving the landlord your new address for the deposit.(DATCP)
- For the year-round rules, see renting in Wisconsin.
Free Help
- Tenant Resource Center, a Madison nonprofit with information for tenants and landlords.(Tenant Resource Center) Rental Rights Hotline: 608-257-0006. It also offers housing counseling for both sides and mediation for disputes such as security deposits and lease violations.(City of Madison)
- Legal Action of Wisconsin: apply for free legal help at (855) 947-2529. Its housing work covers evictions, housing conditions and security deposits.(Legal Action of Wisconsin)
- DATCP Consumer Protection, the state agency that enforces ATCP 134: (800) 422-7128 or DATCPHotline@wisconsin.gov. Its landlord-tenant guide is at LandlordTenant.wi.gov.(DATCP)
- City of Madison: Building Inspection takes housing code complaints at 608-266-4551,(City of Madison) and the Department of Civil Rights takes housing discrimination complaints at 608-266-4910.(City of Madison)
Questions
When do Madison leases end?
Most leases in the downtown student moving area end on August 15, according to the City of Madison.
When should I start looking for off-campus housing at UW–Madison?
UW–Madison's housing office says many properties open leasing for the next year early in the fall semester, so options are widest in the fall. Don't sign until you fully understand the lease.
Can my landlord show my apartment while I still live there?
Yes, with at least 12 hours' notice at reasonable times, unless you agree to a shorter time. Wisconsin bars cities from limiting showings or new leases during a current tenancy.
Can I sublet my Madison apartment for the summer?
On a lease, yes, unless the lease restricts it; on a month-to-month tenancy, only with the landlord's consent. You stay responsible under the lease unless the landlord releases you.