Alcohol Beverage Service Permits are required for alcohol service at all university events, both on and off campus, with exceptions for certain events as outlined in the UW-Madison-Specific Alcohol Beverage Regulations, Section II: 1-4.
Questions?
Email alcoholpermit@uhs.wisc.edu or mairin.hesselbein@wisc.edu for assistance.
Important Note: Apply for a permit at least two weeks in advance of your event to allow sufficient time for Responsible Employees, the Approving Sponsor, and UHS staff to review and advance the application, and/or to make necessary changes.
Application Process
- Familiarize yourself with the campus alcohol policy. Applicants are encouraged to read the campus alcohol policy. Online training is not required before applying for a permit. Responsible Employees and Approving Sponsors are required to read the policy.
- Fill out an online application. Log in to the application using your NetID and password. Applicants, Responsible Employees, and Approving Sponsors must be employees of UW–Madison.
- Approval by Responsible Employee(s) and Approving Sponsor. Submitting an application will trigger automatic approval notices to the Responsible Employee(s) and Approving Sponsor. As the applicant, you are responsible for identifying the correct Approving Sponsor for your campus unit. If you are both the applicant and Responsible Employee, you must approve your role as a Responsible Employee.
- UHS approval of permit. Once all Responsible Employees have accepted their roles and the Approving Sponsor has approved the permit, UHS reviews the permit to make sure the application complies with the policy.
- If the permit is in compliance with the campus alcohol policy, an automated email will be sent to the applicant and the Approving Sponsor indicating that the permit has been granted.
- If the permit is not in compliance with the policy or if any of the information provided requires clarification, UHS will contact the applicant.
- Print and display permit at event. Once permit is issued, a copy of the permit will be sent to the applicant. The permit must be displayed at the event. You are also encouraged to print and display the Alcohol Beverage Responsibility Sign.
Checking Your Permit Application Status
You can view your application status on the UW-Madison Alcohol Service Permit portal. See the image below for an example of how an application status is displayed.
If you do not receive confirmation that your permit application has been approved, contact alcoholpermit@uhs.wisc.edu to inquire about the status of your application, and check with your Responsible Employee(s) and Approving Sponsor to be sure they have indicated their approval.
Tips for a Smooth Application Process
- Read the campus alcohol policy. The permit application contains prompts that help ensure your application complies with the policy.
- Apply for a permit at least two weeks in advance of your event to allow sufficient time for Responsible Employees, the Approving Sponsor, and UHS staff to review and advance the application, and/or to make necessary changes.
- Keep in mind that special rules apply for Picnic Point and the Lakeshore Nature Preserve. Please see the Lakeshore Nature Preserve alcohol permit protocol for more information.
Additional Information
Some departments have a KnowledgeBase or additional resources related to alcohol permit applications, which provide department-specific guidance: