Landscaping 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 Pesticide Applicator License

   If you apply pesticides or herbicides as part of landscaping services in Wisconsin you must be certified and licensed through the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). Pass the commercial applicator certification exam for each category you work in, then hold an Individual Commercial Applicator License (ICAL). If you run the application business yourself rather than working for someone else's licensed business, the company also needs a Pesticide Business License.

   Official government source

   $45.00 per year for the Individual Commercial Applicator License ($40 base fee plus a $5 ACCP surcharge). The certification exam is free on paper at proctored locations or $45.00 computer-based through Pearson VUE. Pesticide Business License: $80.00 per year non-bulk, $92.50 per year if you handle bulk pesticide.·Not published - licenses run January 1 to December 31 and are renewed annually; certification itself is valid for five years.

   $45.00 per year for the Individual Commercial Applicator License ($40 base fee plus a $5 ACCP surcharge). The certification exam is free on paper at proctored locations or $45.00 computer-based through Pearson VUE. Pesticide Business License: $80.00 per year non-bulk, $92.50 per year if you handle bulk pesticide.

   Not published - licenses run January 1 to December 31 and are renewed annually; certification itself is valid for five years.

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. Green Bay - No General Landscaping Contractor Registration

   Green Bay's City Clerk license list (Municipal Code Ch. 10) does not include a general landscaping or irrigation contractor registration, and the City's building permits page does not impose one. Landscapers doing planting, mowing and grounds maintenance need no city contractor registration. Two adjacent city licenses do exist and may apply to your scope of work: an Underground Sprinkler License (Sec. 10-514) for irrigation systems, and a Tree and Brush Trimmer License (Sec. 10-599).

   Official government source

   $0 for general landscaping - no registration exists. Underground Sprinkler License $25.00 and Tree and Brush Trimmer License $25.00 if that work applies (City of Green Bay Fee Schedule).·Not applicable for general landscaping; confirm processing for the sprinkler or trimmer license with the Green Bay City Clerk's Office.

   $0 for general landscaping - no registration exists. Underground Sprinkler License $25.00 and Tree and Brush Trimmer License $25.00 if that work applies (City of Green Bay Fee Schedule).

   Not applicable for general landscaping; confirm processing for the sprinkler or trimmer license with the Green Bay City Clerk's Office.

Official Sources

• City of Green Bay Office of the City Clerk
• Wisconsin Department of Revenue — Seller's Permit

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