ADVERTISEMENTS ON PUBLIC OR PRIVATE PROPERTY PROHIBITED.
Madison General Ordinances § 23.02
in effect23.02 - ADVERTISEMENTS ON PUBLIC OR PRIVATE PROPERTY PROHIBITED.
(1) No person, firm, corporation or organization shall place or cause to be placed in any manner any commercial, political or promotional advertising material upon any public property or public telephone booth in any street, alley or public grounds, or upon the exterior of any private property situated and fixed in or adjacent to any street, alley or public ground, unless proper sign permits, permission from the lawful owner or occupant of the premises where such material is to be displayed provided such signs are not otherwise prohibited by ordinance, or Council approval therefore is obtained. This prohibition shall include but not be limited to the placement in any manner of any advertising material upon trees. The placement prohibition shall not apply to placement of posters on kiosks, bulletin boards or other designated locations designed for said activity which are located upon public or private property. (Am. by Ord. 5572, 8-25-76 and Ord. 5573, 9-3-76)
(2) No person, firm, corporation or organization shall place any commercial advertising material upon any private property except in compliance with the following:
(a) Any plastic bag used in distribution shall be a minimum of 1mm in thickness and shall have a minimum of twenty (20) holes, each at least one-fourth (¼) inch in diameter;
(b) No toxic material or material injurious to health shall be distributed;
(c) All unclaimed material shall be collected by the distributor or their agent by 6:00 p.m. on the day following the day of distribution;
(d) No distribution of such material shall be made to any private dwelling if the owner or occupant thereof gives notice in any reasonable manner that they do not wish to receive such material;
(e) Every distribution of commercial advertising material shall include the name, address, and telephone number of person, firm, corporation or organization responsible for such distribution.
(3) This section shall not apply to the posting of notices required by law nor to materials distributed through the mail.
(4) The provisions of this Ordinance shall be severable and if any part of the ordinance shall be held in contravention of the Constitution and laws of the State of Wisconsin and the United States by a court of competent jurisdiction, the validity of the rest of the ordinance shall not be affected. It is hereby declared to be the intent of this Ordinance that the same would have been adopted had such unconstitutional or unlawful portion, if any, not been included herein. (Cr. by Ord. 5512, 6-19-76)
(5) Any person who violates any provision of this section, or fails to comply with any of its requirements shall upon conviction thereof, be subject to a forfeiture of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25) nor more than two hundred dollars ($200). (Am. by Ord. 5557, 8-13-76; Ord. 13,760, Adopted 12-14-04)
Source: City of Madison, Wisconsin, Madison General Ordinances (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/wi/madison/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COORMAWIVOIICH20--31_CH23OFAGPUPO_23.02ADPUPRPRPRFetched: 11/1/2026