Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. The jail figures are from the Vera Institute of Justice's Incarceration Trends data. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and October 9, 2026.
Vernon County, Wisconsin, has about 31,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). An OWI arrest in Vernon County starts two cases, a criminal case in the Vernon County Circuit Court and a license case before the Division of Motor Vehicles, and leaves three records. This guide follows the arrest from the roadside to the court file and the driving record.
This guide covers the law, the arrest, booking, the court case, the license case, the records and common questions.
Related guides: Vernon County public records, Vernon County arrest records, Vernon County warrants, Vernon County inmate search, Vernon County criminal records, Wisconsin arrest records and Wisconsin inmate search.
The OWI Law in Wisconsin
In Wisconsin the offense is OWI, and the limit is 0.08.
Driving in Wisconsin is consent to a breath or blood test when an officer has cause to suspect OWI; the license case that follows a refusal or a failed test is run by the Division of Motor Vehicles, separately from the criminal case.
Wisconsin sets no time limit on prior offenses: every earlier conviction counts toward a repeat charge.
Who Makes OWI Arrests in Vernon County
The Vernon County Sheriff's Office and the agencies that report for Viroqua, Westby, Hillsboro, La Farge and Readstown make the OWI arrests in Vernon County.
Together, the two agencies in Vernon County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 306 arrests to the FBI that year, all offenses together; the FBI's count for Vernon County does not break OWI out.
Booking After an OWI Arrest in Vernon County
A driver arrested for OWI and kept in custody goes to the county jail, whichever agency made the arrest. The jail, run by the Vernon County Sheriff's Office, held about 76 people on an average day in 2025 by the Vera Institute of Justice's count and has a jail page SearchSystems verified at vernoncountywi.gov/departments/sheriff_s_office/jail.php, phone 608-638-5780. The Vernon County inmate search guide covers the jail in full.
The Court Case
An OWI charge from Vernon County is brought by the District Attorney in the Vernon County Circuit Court.
The District Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at vernoncountywi.gov.
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at vernoncountywi.gov/departments/county_clerk/index.php, phone 608-637-5380.
Statewide, Wisconsin Circuit Court Access is the free statewide case search of every circuit court.
The License Case
An OWI arrest starts two cases: the criminal one above and an administrative one over the license, run by the Division of Motor Vehicles. The driving record, kept by the Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles, carries the result of both.
The Records an OWI Leaves
- The arrest report: from the agency that made the arrest, under the Wisconsin Public Records Law.
- The court file: from the Vernon County Circuit Court, kept by the Clerk of Circuit Court.
- The driving record: from the Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles.
More on each: Vernon County arrest records, Vernon County police reports and Vernon County court records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the OWI limit in Wisconsin?
0.08 percent blood alcohol.
Where is an OWI case from Vernon County heard?
In the Vernon County Circuit Court, brought by the District Attorney. The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at vernoncountywi.gov.
Where is a person arrested for OWI in Vernon County held?
At the county jail, run by the Vernon County Sheriff's Office, if kept in custody.
Who handles the license after an OWI arrest in Wisconsin?
The Division of Motor Vehicles, in an administrative case separate from the court case.
How long does an OWI count as a prior in Wisconsin?
There is no time limit; every prior conviction counts.
Is this the official Vernon County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.