Wisconsin's principal firearm-storage statute is Wis. Stat. § 948.55, which criminalizes leaving a loaded firearm where a child under 14 can access it,...
Reviewed by Will Luker, Founder of CCW Hub. USCCA Training Counselor, USCCA Certified Instructor, NRA Certified Instructor, Law Enforcement.
Wisconsin's principal firearm-storage statute is Wis. Stat. § 948.55, which criminalizes leaving a loaded firearm where a child under 14 can access it, if the child subsequently uses the firearm to cause harm. Wisconsin does NOT impose a mandatory safe-storage requirement in the abstract - the offense triggers only when a child gains access and uses the firearm. This is meaningfully different from states like Washington (RCW 9.41.360) or California, which impose general unsafe-storage offenses.
Wis. Stat. § 948.55(2) provides: any person who recklessly stores or leaves a loaded firearm within the reach or easy access of a child under 14 years is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor IF the child obtains the firearm AND:
Wis. Stat. § 948.55(3) escalates the offense to a Class C felony if the child's use of the firearm results in great bodily harm or death.
Wisconsin does NOT require:
This is by legislative design. The Wis. Stat. § 948.55 framework focuses on the outcome (a child obtained the firearm and caused harm) rather than the method of storage. A firearm stored on a closet shelf, in a holster on a nightstand, or in a quick-access safe are all lawful methods of storage in Wisconsin.
Although Wisconsin lacks a general unsafe-storage statute, common-law negligence principles apply. A firearm owner who fails to secure a firearm and whose unsecured firearm causes harm may face civil liability under tort law. Best practice is to use:
The castle doctrine at Wis. Stat. § 939.48(1m) provides a presumption favoring an actor's reasonable belief that deadly force was necessary against an unlawful and forcible intruder. This presumption operates regardless of whether the actor's defensive firearm was stored in a safe or on a nightstand. Storage method does not affect the legal analysis under the castle doctrine.
That said, an actor who fails to secure a firearm and whose unsecured firearm is later used by an intruder, a household member, or a guest may face other liabilities outside the castle-doctrine framework.
A firearm stored in a motor vehicle should be secured against theft. Wisconsin does not impose a specific motor-vehicle storage statute, but Wis. Stat. § 948.55 applies if a child obtains a loaded firearm left accessible in a vehicle and causes harm. Best practice:
A CCL holder whose workplace posts against firearms under Wis. Stat. § 943.13 typically must secure the firearm in their vehicle in the parking area. Wisconsin does not have a "parking lot bill" of the kind enacted in some southern states that would override a workplace ban on vehicle-stored firearms; the workplace policy controls.
Many Wisconsin workplaces accommodate CCL holders by permitting vehicle storage in the parking area while restricting carry on the premises.
A Wis. Stat. § 941.29 prohibited person (which includes anyone subject to a qualifying domestic-abuse injunction) may not possess a firearm. The non-prohibited spouse or partner who possesses firearms in a shared household must take care that the prohibited person does not have access to those firearms. A loaded firearm in a place accessible to a prohibited household member can create criminal exposure for the lawful owner under federal law (18 U.S.C. § 922(g) constructive-possession theories).
Best practice in a household with a prohibited member: keep firearms in a safe to which only the lawful owner has access (key, combination, or biometric).
Common-sense storage during routine cleaning:
Wisconsin imposes no statutory rule specific to cleaning, but Wis. Stat. § 948.55 would apply if a child obtained the firearm during the cleaning interlude.
Wisconsin does NOT require trigger locks or cable locks. Many Wisconsin firearm purchasers receive a trigger lock at point of sale (federal regulation under 18 U.S.C. § 922(z) requires FFLs to provide a "secure gun storage or safety device" with each handgun sale). Use of the supplied device is voluntary under Wisconsin law.
For Wisconsin CCL instructors and licensees, recommended storage practices:
Wisconsin's general negligence framework applies. A firearm owner whose negligent storage results in harm may face civil suit. Recent Wisconsin cases have addressed parental liability for a minor child's use of an unsecured firearm. Civil judgments can exceed homeowner's insurance limits.
Federal law at 18 U.S.C. § 922(z) requires FFLs to provide a "secure gun storage or safety device" with each handgun sale. There is no federal use mandate - the federal rule is a point-of-sale provisioning rule, not a use mandate. Wisconsin layers no additional state requirement on top.
| Scenario | Issue |
|---|---|
| Loaded handgun on a nightstand, child under 14 in household, no safe | Risk under Wis. Stat. § 948.55 if child accesses and harm follows |
| Loaded handgun in glove compartment, child passenger, vehicle unattended | Risk under Wis. Stat. § 948.55 |
| Firearm visible in unattended vehicle window | Theft risk and potential downstream liability |
| Loaded firearm accessible to a prohibited household member | Federal 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) constructive-possession risk |
| Trigger lock provided at sale, never used | Lawful under Wisconsin law but not best practice if children are in household |
This page covers one part of our Wisconsin concealed carry guide.
Read the complete Wisconsin guideBrowse local instructors offering state-approved training in your area. Book online, complete your training, and get one step closer to your concealed carry permit.