# Wisconsin — Franchise termination notice and good-cause requirements by US state — quoted from the state franchise relationship statute

For Wisconsin, good cause required to terminate is Yes, for termination, cancellation, non-renewal or a substantial change in competitive circumstances; relationship the statute covers is Dealerships, as defined in Wis. Stat. § 135.02(3); notice period before termination is at least 90 days’ prior written notice; cure period is 60 days in which to rectify any claimed deficiency; statute is Wis. Stat. §§ 135.03 and 135.04 (Wisconsin Fair Dealership Law), recorded from its source on 2026-09-02.

- **State:** Wisconsin _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Good cause required to terminate:** Yes, for termination, cancellation, non-renewal or a substantial change in competitive circumstances _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Relationship the statute covers:** Dealerships, as defined in Wis. Stat. § 135.02(3) _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Notice period before termination:** at least 90 days’ prior written notice _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Cure period:** 60 days in which to rectify any claimed deficiency _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Statute:** Wis. Stat. §§ 135.03 and 135.04 (Wisconsin Fair Dealership Law) _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_

## What the source says

> Except as provided in this section, a grantor shall provide a dealer at least 90 days’ prior written notice of termination, cancellation, nonrenewal or substantial change in competitive circumstances. The notice shall state all the reasons for termination, cancellation, nonrenewal or substantial change in competitive circumstances and shall provide that the dealer has 60 days in which to rectify any claimed deficiency. If the deficiency is rectified within 60 days the notice shall be void. The notice provisions of this section shall not apply if the reason for termination, cancellation or nonrenewal is insolvency, the occurrence of an assignment for the benefit of creditors or bankruptcy. If the reason for termination, cancellation, nonrenewal or substantial change in competitive circumstances is nonpayment of sums due under the dealership, the dealer shall be entitled to written notice of such default, and shall have 10 days in which to remedy such default from the date of delivery or posting of such notice.

## Where each value comes from

This source states these in separate places, so each value is shown with the passage that states it.

### Good cause required to terminate

> Cancellation and alteration of dealerships. No grantor, directly or through any officer, agent or employee, may terminate, cancel, fail to renew or substantially change the competitive circumstances of a dealership agreement without good cause. The burden of proving good cause is on the grantor.

### Relationship the statute covers

> “Dealership” means any of the following: 135.02(3)(a) (a) A contract or agreement, either expressed or implied, whether oral or written, between 2 or more persons, by which a person is granted the right to sell or distribute goods or services, or use a trade name, trademark, service mark, logotype, advertising or other commercial symbol, in which there is a community of interest in the business of offering, selling or distributing goods or services at wholesale, retail, by lease, agreement or otherwise.

## Source

- https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/135/04
- https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/135/02

Last verified: 2026-09-02. Review by: 2027-09-02.
Part of [Franchise termination notice and good-cause requirements by US state — quoted from the state franchise relationship statute](https://referencesource.org/franchise-termination-notice-and-good-cause-requirements-by-state/).