Yes, you can buy liquor on Sunday in Wisconsin. Liquor stores sell spirits from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and bars and restaurants serve from 6:00 a.m. Sunday through 2:00 a.m. Monday.1Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 125.68 – General Restrictions and Requirements Cities, villages, and towns can set stricter hours than the state allows, so the store down the block may close earlier than the statewide cutoff.
Liquor Store Hours on Sunday
Off-premises retailers, the Class A license holders that include liquor stores, grocery stores, and convenience stores, can sell spirits and wine on Sunday from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Beer sales at those same stores run from 6:00 a.m. to midnight.1Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 125.68 – General Restrictions and Requirements These hours are identical every day of the week, so Sunday is not a shortened day at the statewide level.
The one thing to watch for is your local ordinance. A municipality can require its liquor stores to close earlier than 9:00 p.m., but it cannot push the cutoff later. If you’re driving to an unfamiliar town, a quick call to the municipal clerk saves the trip.
Sunday Hours at Bars and Restaurants
Bars, taverns, and restaurants with a Class B license can serve drinks Sunday from 6:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m. Monday morning.1Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 125.68 – General Restrictions and Requirements The bookends around Sunday differ slightly. Saturday-night service can run until 2:30 a.m. Sunday, a half-hour later than the weekday cutoff. Sunday night reverts to the standard 2:00 a.m. weekday close.
Wine-only establishments with a Class C license follow the same Sunday schedule as Class B bars.2State of Wisconsin Department of Revenue. Alcohol Beverage Laws for Retailers – Licensee Responsibilities
Carry-Out From a Bar on Sunday
A Class B bar or restaurant can also sell you packaged, unopened alcohol to take home, but the carry-out window is narrower than regular bar service. Packaged beer, wine, and liquor sales from a Class B establishment must stop at midnight and cannot resume until 6:00 a.m.2State of Wisconsin Department of Revenue. Alcohol Beverage Laws for Retailers – Licensee Responsibilities That rule applies Sunday just like every other day. Many municipalities set even tighter carry-out cutoffs, so don’t assume the bar can still hand you a six-pack at 11:00 p.m.
Delivery and Online Orders
Wisconsin doesn’t allow retail alcohol delivery. Retail sales have to happen face-to-face at the licensed premises, with buyer and seller physically present at the time of the transaction. A retailer cannot charge your card for an online or phone order and then ship or drop off the product.2State of Wisconsin Department of Revenue. Alcohol Beverage Laws for Retailers – Licensee Responsibilities So ordering Sunday liquor to your door isn’t an option in Wisconsin.
One narrow exception exists for wine. A licensed winery holding a direct shipper’s permit can ship up to 108 liters of wine per year to a customer of legal drinking age, on any day of the week. That permit covers wine from the winery itself, not spirits or beer from a retailer.
Two Holidays That Shift Sunday Closing
Two calendar events change the usual Sunday closing rules at bars and wine-only venues. On January 1, Class B and Class C premises aren’t required to close at all, so when New Year’s Eve lands on a Saturday, service can run straight through Sunday morning without the usual 2:30 a.m. cutoff.1Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 125.68 – General Restrictions and Requirements
On the Sunday that daylight saving time begins in spring, closing extends from 2:30 a.m. to 3:30 a.m. to account for the clock change.1Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 125.68 – General Restrictions and Requirements
No other statewide holiday rules apply. Wisconsin does not restrict alcohol sales on Election Day or any other holiday at the state level.
Local Rules Can Be Stricter
Wisconsin gives cities, villages, and towns broad authority to regulate alcohol sales beyond what state law requires, as long as local rules don’t contradict the state framework.3Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 125.10 – Municipal Regulation A municipality can require liquor stores to close at 7:00 p.m. instead of 9:00 p.m., set earlier carry-out cutoffs for bars, or add other Sunday restrictions. What it cannot do is stretch hours past the state maximum.
Variation from one community to the next can be significant. When in doubt, the municipal clerk’s office is the fastest way to confirm Sunday hours before you head out.