How To File

Online

Filing can be completed on the City of Madison Licenses & Permits portal. You will need to login, if you do not have an account, you will need to create an account to fill out the registration.

In Person, Fax or Mail

Return an original, signed Expense Statement Form to the City Clerk's Office. Read instructions for filing expense statements on behalf of the principal.

City of Madison Clerk's Office
210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Room 103
Madison, WI 53703

Who Must File?

Every principal who makes expenditures or incurs obligations in an aggregate amount exceeding $1,000 in any reporting period for the purpose of engaging in lobbying which is not exempt under Subsection (3) shall, for the remainder of that calendar year, file with the City Clerk an expense statement covering each preceding reporting period. Every registered principal who does not make expenditures or incur obligations in an aggregate amount exceeding $1,000 in any reporting period for the purpose of engaging in lobbying which is not exempt under Subsection (3) shall, file with the City Clerk an statement indicating that expenditures and obligations for the reporting period did not exceed $1,000. Such statement shall be filed on or before July 31 and January 31. The statement shall be signed under the penalty for making false statements provided in Subsection (13)(c), by the lobbyist, if so authorized by the principal, or by the principal.

When Must Statements Be Filed?

Expense statements for the January 1 - June 30 period are due on July 31; statements for July 1 - December 31 are due January 31.

What Expenses Have To Be Included in Calculating the Total?

  1. Compensation to each lobbyist for lobbying, whether in cash or in kind.
  2. Reimbursement to lobbyists for expenses.
  3. Reimbursement to the principal or officers or employees of the principal for lobbying or expenses.
  4. Expenditures and obligations incurred in preparing for lobbying.
  5. A reasonable estimate of lobbying expenditures and obligations incurred for conducting, compiling or preparing research, information, statistics, studies or analyses used in lobbying.
  6. If the research information, etc. is used both for lobbying and for other purposes, the principal should allocate the expenses and include the portion allocated to lobbying in the aggregate total.
  7. Lobbying expenditures made and obligations incurred for providing or using research, information, statistics, studies or analyses in lobbying should be included in the aggregate total.
  8. Lobbying expenditures made and obligations incurred for paid advertising and any other activities conducted for the purpose of urging members of the general public to attempt to influence City of Madison legislative or administrative action should be included in the aggregate total.
  9. Lobbying expenditures for office overhead, such as office space, utilities, supplies and compensation of employees who prepare lobbying communications, but only if the lobbyist is an employee, officer, or director of the principal, and only if the lobbyist is paid (other than reimbursement of expenses).
  10. Total lobbying expenditures made and obligations incurred for personal travel and living expenses.

What Expenses Should Not Be Included?

  1. Lobbying expenditures and obligations for the principal's clerical employees need not be included, except when the lobbyist is an employee, officer or director of a principal and the lobbyist is paid a salary or given other consideration. In that case, the total amount of lobbying expenditures made or obligations incurred by the principal for office space, utilities, supplies and compensation for employees who are used to prepare lobbying communications must be included in the aggregate total. See paragraph item 9 above.
  2. Expenses for research or preparation of information if the research or information is not used for lobbying within three (3) years after completion of the research or preparation.