Updated June 2026.
Wisconsin uses two off-premise clocks. Class A beer (grocery, c-store) may not be sold from midnight to 6:00 a.m. (Wis. Stat. § 125.32(3)(b)). Wine, cider, and liquor on a “Class A” license may not be sold from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. (§ 125.68(4)(b)). Municipalities may tighten those Class A windows; they cannot invent a looser one. No statewide 9:00 p.m. grocery-beer cutoff. No statewide Sunday package ban. Age 21.
A grocery can stay open all night and still have to stop beer at midnight and wine/spirits/cider at 9:00 p.m. On-premise Class B taverns use a different close (2:00 a.m. weeknights, 2:30 a.m. Saturday/Sunday mornings; 3:30 a.m. the Sunday daylight-saving begins; January 1 not required to close). Municipalities may not change that Class B close (§§ 125.32(3)(d), 125.68(4)(c)5). This page is the carry-out question. Neighbor: Illinois.
Off-premise defaults
| License / product | Statewide no-sale window | Local power |
|---|---|---|
| Class “A” beer (grocery, c-store) | Midnight–6:00 a.m. (§ 125.32(3)(b)) | Municipality may impose more restrictive hours (§ 125.32(3)(d)) |
| “Class A” intoxicating liquor (wine, cider, spirits) | 9:00 p.m.–6:00 a.m. (§ 125.68(4)(b)) | Municipality may impose more restrictive hours |
| Class “B” packaged beer to-go | Midnight–6:00 a.m. (§ 125.32(3)(am)) | Can be tighter locally |
| Sunday / holidays | No separate statewide package Sunday or holiday ban in those sections | Local ordinance can still shrink the window |
| “Locals close beer at 9 p.m.” | Not a state clock | A city may tighten Class A beer; do not reprint 9:00 p.m. as Wisconsin grocery law |
Between 9:00 p.m. and midnight a store can still ring a six-pack and must refuse the wine. Delivery apps are still sales. See gas stations for the same rule: license plus clock, not a brand memo. No 72-county table.
Sources
- Wis. Stat. § 125.32(3)(b), (am), (d): Class A/B beer hours; locals may tighten Class A, not change Class B close. Statutes updated through Aug. 5, 2026 (2025 Wis. Act 247).
- Wis. Stat. § 125.68(4)(b), (c)5: Class A liquor/wine/cider 9 p.m.–6 a.m.; Class B close may not be rewritten by ordinance.
- Wisconsin DOR retailer FAQ (guidance dated Nov. 21, 2023) and Pub 302 (Feb. 2025): same two clocks; cider rides the liquor license.