Assigning of House Numbers.
Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 113-2
in effect113-2. Assigning of House Numbers.
1. BY CITY ENGINEER. The city engineer shall make the necessary survey and assign to each house and building located on any street, avenue or highway in the city, its respective number under the uniform system provided for in s. 113-1. House number assignments shall not use honorary street names. When the city engineer shall have completed the survey and assigned to each house and building so located its respective number or numbers, the owner, occupant or agent shall place or cause to be placed upon each house or building controlled by him or her the number or numbers assigned by the city engineer under the uniform system provided for in s. 113-1. Such number or numbers shall be placed within 15 days after the city engineer has assigned the proper numbers. The cost of any number or numbers on any new house, building or structure erected shall be borne entirely by the owner or occupant of any house or building, the numbers in all instances to comply with the standard set forth in s. 113-1.
2. MAINTAINING OLD NUMBERS. It shall be the duty of the owner, occupant or agent of any house or building, to which a new number is assigned as provided in this chapter, to maintain the old number now upon said house or building, together with the new number for a period of 6 months after the said city engineer has assigned the new number or numbers to the premises, after at which time the old number or numbers shall be removed, and thereafter it shall be unlawful to maintain any number other than the new number, as designated by the city engineer.
3. SUFFIXES. Where only one number is available for any house or building, the owner, occupant or agent of the house or building who shall desire distinctive numbers for the upper and lower portion of the house or building, or for any house or building, fronting on any street, the owner, occupant or agent shall use the suffixes A, B, C, etc. as may be required. These suffixes shall only be used if the required number or numbers are not available.
4. IMPROPER NUMBERS. It shall be unlawful for any person to alter any number or retain any improper number, other than the one given by virtue of s. 113-1 and this section.
5. SIZE AND LOCATION OF NUMBERS. All numbers placed on houses and buildings in accordance with s. 113-1 and this section shall not be less than 3 inches, including background, in height and shall be distinctly legible and shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the front of each house or building, and at the rear or side of properties that abut or are adjacent to alleys, so as to be easily seen and read from such public ways. In no event shall the number proper, where a background is used, be less than 2 inches in height.
6. INFORMATION. It shall be the duty of the city engineer to inform any party applying therefor, the number or numbers belonging or embraced within the limits of said lot or property, as provided in s. 113-1.
7. NEW BUILDINGS. No building permit shall be issued for any house, building or structure until the city engineer or person designated by the city engineer has assigned an official number for the premises. Whenever any new house, building or structure shall be erected in the city, in order to preserve the continuity and uniformity of numbers of the houses, buildings and structures, it shall be the duty of the owner or his or her agent, to procure the correct number or numbers, as designated by the city engineer, for the property and the owner or agent shall immediately fasten the number or numbers so assigned upon the house, building or structure in a conspicuous place at the entrance of the house, building or structure; and display the designated number at the rear of side of properties that abut or are adjacent to alleys.
8. DUTY OF POLICEMEN. It shall be the duty of all policemen of the city to report violations of s. 113-1 and this section, inclusive.
9. VIOLATIONS. Any owner, occupant or agent of any house or building failing or refusing to comply with s. 113-1 and this section, inclusive, shall, upon conviction thereof be punished by a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $50 and costs of prosecution for each such neglect and refusal, and in default of payment of such fine and costs, by imprisonment in the house of correction of Milwaukee county for not exceeding 2 days.
Source: City of Milwaukee Legislative Reference Bureau, Milwaukee City Charter and Code of Ordinances (city.milwaukee.gov master PDFs)URL: https://city.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary/Groups/ccClerk/Ordinances/Volume-1/CH113.pdf#page=1Fetched: 10/26/2026