State rules
Wisconsin
Wisconsin splits asbestos between the Department of Health Services and the Department of Natural Resources. DHS certifies people and companies that do regulated work, approves training, and handles school information and complaints. Its page says to report unsafe asbestos or lead work online or at 608-261-6876. DNR is the agency EPA delegated to enforce the federal asbestos rule, and DNR says owners or operators must inspect before removal, file notices, and follow handling rules. Notices go through DNR’s asbestos renovation and demolition system. Wisconsin is not an AHERA waiver state. The two agencies are not interchangeable.
Checked against official sources on October 11, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who runs the asbestos program
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services for certification; Department of Natural Resources for NESHAP demolition and renovation notices
- Who must be licensed or accredited
- DHS certifies people and companies that do regulated asbestos work. DNR, as the delegated NESHAP authority, requires inspection and notification for demolition and renovation.
- Official program page
- Official page →
DHS describes its role as protecting people during renovation and demolition by requiring training and certification. The page links statutes, trainer approval, company-certification checks, laboratories, training schedules, and school requirements. Certification is the credential you ask a contractor to show. A company certification check is separate from an individual’s card. Complaints about unsafe work use the 608-261-6876 line, which EPA also lists for the DHS asbestos and lead program.
DNR’s page says the Clean Air Act delegation is what authorizes the state air program. Facility owners or operators involved in demolition and renovation must inspect the affected facility before trying to remove asbestos and must file the proper notification. The renovation and demolition notification system recently added a document-upload menu so file names are consistent. DNR also hosts an asbestos conference for contractors and building managers, which is training outreach, not a permit. A DHS certificate does not appear on that page as a substitute for the DNR notice.
Schools are a DHS topic and, because Wisconsin is not a waiver state, they remain under federal AHERA. OSHA’s construction standard applies to workers. Before a project, check DHS certification for the company and the people, then file the DNR notice after the inspection. Use 608-261-6876 for a certification or complaint question and the DNR notification system for the demolition filing. The upload menu in that system does not itself certify the company.
Official resources in Wisconsin
Certification, training, schools, and the 608-261-6876 line.
Delegated NESHAP inspections and demolition notifications.
DHS and DNR contacts. Wisconsin is not an AHERA waiver state.
Federal standard DNR implements.
Key facts for Wisconsin
- DHS certifies people and companies that do regulated asbestos work.
- Unsafe-work reports go to DHS at 608-261-6876.
- DNR says EPA delegated the federal asbestos rule to DNR.
- Owners or operators must inspect before removal and file DNR notifications for demolition and renovation activities the page covers.
- DNR’s notification system includes a document-upload menu for consistent file names.
- Company certification and individual certification are both part of the DHS program.
- Wisconsin is not on EPA’s list of twelve AHERA waiver states.
What to do next
- Check DHS certification and file the DNR notice as two steps.
- Inspect before you try to remove asbestos, as DNR instructs.
- Use 608-261-6876 for certification questions or to report unsafe work.
- Keep school requirements on the DHS school page and on AHERA.
Looking for your city or county in Wisconsin?
We haven't found official program-level pages for Wisconsin we can verify yet, so we don't show local numbers here rather than guess. Here's what to use instead, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above. It applies across Wisconsin, but cities and counties can add their own steps, fees or deadlines.
- Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.Wisconsin Department of Health Services
Website →Phone: (608) 261-6876 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Wisconsin page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us and include a link to the official page. We check every tip before it goes up.
Helpful guides
- What an asbestos inspection is
- NESHAP notification before demolition
- Asbestos rules for schools
- OSHA rules that protect asbestos workers