Handyman Business Permit Requirements in Green Bay, WI

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC or corporation. Free from the IRS.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. Wisconsin Department of Revenue - Seller's Permit

   Required of every individual, partnership, corporation or other organization with a Wisconsin sales location making retail sales of taxable products or taxable services, with limited exceptions for wholesalers, manufacturers and certain marketplace sellers. The permit is issued through Business Tax Registration, which also covers withholding and use tax accounts. Rates: 5% state; seventy counties add 0.5%; Milwaukee County is 0.9% and the City of Milwaukee adds 2%, both effective January 1, 2024, so the rate inside Milwaukee is 7.9% - the only Wisconsin city with a municipal sales tax.

   Official government source

   $20 one-time Business Tax Registration fee, then $10 to renew every two years - it is not free. The $20 is the same regardless of how many locations need a seller's permit. DOR can additionally require a security deposit of up to $15,000 in some cases, returned after 24 consecutive months of compliance.·Register online through My Tax Account. DOR does not publish a guaranteed processing time - contact [email protected] or 608-266-2776 to check status.

   $20 one-time Business Tax Registration fee, then $10 to renew every two years - it is not free. The $20 is the same regardless of how many locations need a seller's permit. DOR can additionally require a security deposit of up to $15,000 in some cases, returned after 24 consecutive months of compliance.

   Register online through My Tax Account. DOR does not publish a guaranteed processing time - contact [email protected] or 608-266-2776 to check status.

2. Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services - Dwelling Contractor Certification

   Anyone pulling a building permit for a one- or two-family dwelling in Wisconsin must either hold a Dwelling Contractor certification or employ a certified Dwelling Contractor Qualifier. The Qualifier credential requires a 12-hour approved course; no exam is documented for the Dwelling Contractor credential itself.

   Official government source

   $25 Dwelling Contractor (renews annually from the date of issuance) or $30 Dwelling Contractor Qualifier (renews every 2 years, $25 late CE fee); $200 reinstatement fee - DSPS Trades Renewal Dates and Fees.·Not published by DSPS - initial applications are filed at license.wi.gov.

   $25 Dwelling Contractor (renews annually from the date of issuance) or $30 Dwelling Contractor Qualifier (renews every 2 years, $25 late CE fee); $200 reinstatement fee - DSPS Trades Renewal Dates and Fees.

   Not published by DSPS - initial applications are filed at license.wi.gov.

1. City of Green Bay Office of the City Clerk — Business License

   Green Bay does not require a general/all-purpose business license. The City Clerk's office (Green Bay Municipal Code Ch. 10) licenses only specific regulated categories (e.g. Adult Entertainment, Alarm Business, Direct Seller/Solicitor, Entertainment Facility, Home-Based Businesses, Junk Collector, Massage Establishments, Mobile Food Vendor, Public Vehicle, Salvage, Secondhand Dealer, Tree & Brush Trimmer). Most business types listed here (barber shop, yoga studio, home bakery, daycare, handyman, cleaning service, photography, auto repair, electrical contractor, tutoring, nail salon, tattoo parlor, pet sitting, catering, personal trainer, hair salon, landscaping, plumbing) do NOT require a general city business license. Massage-therapy businesses need a specific Massage Establishment License, mobile-dog-grooming/pet-sitting need an Animal Establishment License, and food trucks need a Mobile Food Vendor License — each covered separately. Confirm with the City Clerk if unsure.

   Official government source

   no general license fee applies to most business types listed here·not applicable for most listed business types

   no general license fee applies to most business types listed here

   not applicable for most listed business types

2. City of Green Bay Building Permit (for regulated work)

   Certain handyman tasks - including electrical, plumbing, HVAC work, or structural modifications - require permits pulled from the City of Green Bay's Department of Community & Economic Development, not from Brown County. Handymen should not perform licensed contractor work without the appropriate Wisconsin DSPS trade license.

   Official government source

   City of Green Bay Fee Schedule, one- and two-family residential: general electrical $0.05/sq ft, electrical service $50.00, air conditioning addition $75.00; general plumbing $7.00 per fixture, water heater replacement $50.00; general HVAC $0.05/sq ft, heating unit replacement $75.00. Commercial electrical permits run $100.00 (project cost $0-$10,000) to $600.00 (over $300,000).·Not published - confirm current review times with the City of Green Bay Department of Community & Economic Development.

   City of Green Bay Fee Schedule, one- and two-family residential: general electrical $0.05/sq ft, electrical service $50.00, air conditioning addition $75.00; general plumbing $7.00 per fixture, water heater replacement $50.00; general HVAC $0.05/sq ft, heating unit replacement $75.00. Commercial electrical permits run $100.00 (project cost $0-$10,000) to $600.00 (over $300,000).

   Not published - confirm current review times with the City of Green Bay Department of Community & Economic Development.

Official Sources

• City of Green Bay Office of the City Clerk
• Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services — Dwelling Contractor Certification

Related Guides