Thursday, Nov 12, 2026
Can gasoline prices at the pump in Wisconsin be changed more than once a day?
On the retail sale of gasoline in Wisconsin, state law states:
“All prices posted shall remain in effect for at least 24 hours after they are posted.”
The law is aimed at protecting consumers from deceptive advertising.
In 2026, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection issued a warning to at least one gas retailer after receiving complaints that prices were raised more than once in 24 hours.
Gas prices have been volatile since the start of the Iran war in February.
As of Nov. 9, the average price for a gallon of regular gas in Wisconsin was $3.92, according to AAA.
A week earlier, the average was $4.23.
A year earlier, it was $2.85.
The record-high average gas price in Wisconsin hit $4.92 in June 2022, but exceeded $5 in six southeastern counties.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- Wisconsin State Legislature: Fraudulent representations
- Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection: Changing Fuel Price More Than Once in 24 Hours
- Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection: Complaint Form: Changing Fuel Price More Than Once In 24 Hours
- Justia.com: 2025 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations Chapter 100 - Marketing; trade practices. 100.18 - Fraudulent representations
- WTMJ-TV: Hartford Kwik Trip cited for raising fuel prices more than once in 24 hours, state says
- Wisconsin Revenue Department: Monthly Economic Update
- Wisconsin Public Radio: Average gas price in Wisconsin climbs to more than $4 per gallon
- AAA: Wisconsin Average Gas Prices
- Wisconsin Watch: Did gas prices in Wisconsin top $5 a gallon in June 2022?
- Appleton Post-Crescent: Can Wisconsin gas stations raise their prices more than 5 cents a day? There's no law against it
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Fact briefs are bite-sized, well-sourced explanations that offer clear "yes" or "no" answers to questions, confusions, and unsupported claims circulating online. They rely on publicly available data and documents, often from the original source. Fact briefs are written and published by newsrooms in the Gigafact network.
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Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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