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Wisconsin camps
Summer camps in Wisconsin: state rules
Wisconsin doesn't publish a statewide camp list, so we have no camp listings here yet. This page explains the state's camp rule and links to the official sources.
Wisconsin camp rules
Only some camp types need a camp license or permit. Overnight camps (recreational and educational camps with overnight living quarters and planned group programs) need an annual license from DATCP or its agent local health department, whether free or fee-based (Wis. Stat. 97.67; ATCP 78.03, 78.07). Day camps caring for 4 or more children under 7 need a DCF day camp license under DCF 252, which covers seasonal, outdoor-oriented programs for children 3 and older. Day camps run by a county, city, village, town, school district or library mainly for recreation are exempt by statute, as are seasonal programs of 10 days or less in any 3-month period (DCF 252.03).
Official sources: DATCP Recreational and Educational Camps · ATCP 78.03, definitions (recreational and educational camp) · ATCP 78.07, license required · DCF 252.04, day camp definition
All Wisconsin rules for child care and camps · Camp license rules in every state · Checked October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
More for Wisconsin families
- 568 school-age and after-school programs in Wisconsin, from state child care licensing data.
- Child care and after-school programs in Wisconsin
- Free summer meals for kids in Wisconsin: USDA meal sites. These are not camps.
- Youth, sports and camp nonprofits in Wisconsin, from IRS data. Being listed there doesn't mean a camp is licensed.
Camp not listed?
If you run a camp in Wisconsin that isn't here, send us its details. It's free. A person at BackPR reviews every submission before anything is published, and not every camp gets listed.