Tattoo Parlor 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. Bloodborne Pathogen Training (per artist)

   Employers of tattoo artists must comply with the federal OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030, which requires bloodborne pathogen training for employees with occupational exposure. This is a federal workplace-safety requirement, not a Wisconsin-specific credential, and it is not administered by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

   Official government source

   No government fee - OSHA does not charge for training. Course prices are set by private training providers.·Training must be provided at the time of initial assignment to tasks with occupational exposure and at least annually thereafter (29 CFR 1910.1030(g)(2)).

   No government fee - OSHA does not charge for training. Course prices are set by private training providers.

   Training must be provided at the time of initial assignment to tasks with occupational exposure and at least annually thereafter (29 CFR 1910.1030(g)(2)).

1. Wisconsin DSPS - Tattoo and Body Art Establishment License

   Tattoo establishments in Wisconsin are licensed by the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS), not the Department of Health Services. In counties where the local health department acts as DSPS's agent you apply there instead - Brown County Health & Human Services licenses body art establishments for the Green Bay area, and its 2026-2027 fee schedule had not been posted as of September 2026. Individual artists are licensed separately as Tattooists, and everyone working there must complete bloodborne pathogen and infection control training.

   Official government source

   $220 Tattoo and/or Body Piercing Establishment credential fee, renewing annually on June 30 ($245 with late fee). Individual practitioners are licensed separately: Tattooist $60 and Body Piercer $60, also renewing June 30 annually - DSPS Renewal Dates and Fees. Where a county health department licenses as DSPS's agent, its own fee applies instead - call Brown County Health & Human Services at (920) 448-6400 for the current amount.·Not published by DSPS - initial applications are filed at license.wi.gov.

   $220 Tattoo and/or Body Piercing Establishment credential fee, renewing annually on June 30 ($245 with late fee). Individual practitioners are licensed separately: Tattooist $60 and Body Piercer $60, also renewing June 30 annually - DSPS Renewal Dates and Fees. Where a county health department licenses as DSPS's agent, its own fee applies instead - call Brown County Health & Human Services at (920) 448-6400 for the current amount.

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

2. 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

Official Sources

• Wisconsin Department of Health Services — Tattoo and Body Art Establishment Permit
• City of Green Bay Office of the City Clerk

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