No person shall keep, maintain, conduct or operate any public dance hall or place for holding public dances without first securing a license therefore (except that this subsection shall not apply to any cabaret duly licensed under this Code).

For more information, refer to Ch. 10, Art. VI of the La Crosse Municipal Code.

License Period

Every license shall terminate on the 30th day of June following the issuance of the same.

License Fee

$110.00 is due at the time of application (cash, check payable to City Treasurer or credit with convenience fee).

How to Apply

Applications shall be made in writing on the form prescribed by law and filed with the City Clerk's Office who may issue the same after appropriate review by the La Crosse County Health Department, Police Department and Fire Prevention and Building Safety Bureau, and approval by the Common Council. All applications for this license must be filed with the City Clerk not less than fifteen (15) days prior to the granting of this license.

• Download Application

Closing Hours

No public dance shall continue or be held or conducted by anyone between the hours of 2:00 a.m. - 6:00 a.m., Monday - Friday; or between the hours of 2:30 a.m. - 6:00 a.m., Saturday and Sunday (except on January 1st when the premises may remain open).

Regulations Regarding Minors

It shall be unlawful between 12:00 a.m. (midnight) - 6:00 a.m. to permit any person who has not reached the age of 18 years to attend or take part in any public dance unless such person is accompanied by a parent, guardian or some person of lawful age having legal custody of such minor. Every licensee shall post in two (2) or more conspicuous places in his dance hall a printed notice specifically setting forth in large type the restrictions herein established.

Notices of Dances

Any person who shall conduct a regular or special series of dances to which the public generally is invited shall keep on file in the office of the Chief of Police, a calendar or list of the dances and hours during which and the place at which said dances are proposed to be given. Any person who shall give a single dance shall apply to the Chief of Police for permission so to do, setting forth the date when and hours during which and the place at which it is proposed to give such dance. In all cases, the name or names of the persons proposing to give the dance or dances, and the name of the manager in charge of such dance or dances shall be given. If the Chief of Police shall be of the opinion that the giving of such dance or dances would result in disorder, or that persons in charge thereof would not make proper efforts to observe the provisions of this Code, he may order that such dances be not held, either as to specific dances, specific places of specific sponsors, and the holding of such dance after written notice of such order has been served upon the sponsors or owners of the dance hall by the Chief of Police or his subordinates shall subject the violators to the penalties provided in this section.

Questions?

For more information, contact the City Clerk's Office at (608) 789-7510.

Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.
They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below.

Acrobat Reader Windows Media Player Word Viewer Excel Viewer PowerPoint Viewer