Eye On Lobbying

When do you need to be licensed as a lobbyist and authorized by a lobbying principal?

If an individual’s duties on behalf of the principal are exclusively limited to attempting to influence legislative or administrative action, the individual must be registered as a lobbyist and authorized to lobby on behalf of that principal prior to engaging in any lobbying communication. For these individuals, lobbying communication is not allowed before authorization.

If an individual’s duties are not exclusively limited to attempting to influence legislative or administrative action, the individual must be registered as a lobbyist and authorized to lobby on behalf of that principal prior to her or his fifth day of lobbying communication. For these individuals, lobbying communication is permitted on four separate days before being required to obtain a lobbyist license and authorization from a principal.

An organization employing a lobbyist for compensation in Wisconsin must do four things:

1) license its lobbyist(s),

2) register the lobbying principal, 

3) authorize its lobbyist(s), and

4) pay all applicable fees.

Registration is not complete until all four steps have been completed and all required fee payments have been made.

There are two types of lobbyist licenses. For a lobbyist who works on behalf of only one principal, the license fee is $250 (a “single license”). For a lobbyist with more than one client, the license fee is $400 (a “multiple license”).

There are also two types of principal registrations. An organization intending to spend less than $500 in a calendar year on lobbying expenses may register as a “limited lobbying principal” for a fee of $20. All other organizations register as full lobbying principals for a fee of $385. 

NOTE: lobbyists representing limiting lobbying principals are prohibited by the same statutes as lobbyists of full lobbying principals. 

Every lobbyist must be authorized to lobby on behalf of each principal they represent. This fee is $135 per lobbyist. For information on the Veterans Professional/Occupational Licensure Fee Waiver Program, please click here.

Lobbying Fee Schedule