Under Wisconsin law (Chapter 44, Subchapter II, Section 44.47), all qualified archaeologists conducting archaeological investigations on non-federal publicly owned land must complete the Public Lands Field Archaeological Permit. Archaeology includes, but is not limited to, all types of Phase I, Phase II and Phase III field investigations. Public Land refers to all land owned by the state, county, civil town or municipality.

Two sections of the permit are critical and need to be completed before the form is submitted to the Wisconsin Historical Society:

1. The location where the artifacts, notes, images, and other records are going to be curated must be specified before the permit can be signed by Society staff.
2. The property owner, or designated manager, must sign the form before submitting it to the Society.

The following conditions are appended to all projects:

1. One digital and one paper copy of the final report must be submitted to the State Historic Preservation Office.
2. All artifacts, notes, features/structures sheets, site plans, sketch maps, images, video and remote sensing data must be curated in accordance with guidelines found in 36 CFR Part 79, Curation of Federally-owned and Administered Archaeological Collections or by special arrangement with the Society. 

This permit does not cover the removal of human remains under s. 157.70 Wis. Stats.
For more information on conducting archaeological survey or testing of a burial site, please see our information on Human Burials, Mounds and Cemeteries.

Learn More

Information for Preservation Consultants and Archaeologists

Have Questions

Contact Amy Rosebrough, State Archaeologist, by phone at 608-264-6496 or by email below:

statearchaeologist@wisconsinhistory.org