Fitness Studio Permit Requirements in Madison, WI

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required for LLCs, corporations, and any business with employees. Free from the IRS. You will need this to open a business bank account, hire staff, and file taxes.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

2. ADA Compliance

   Fitness studios open to the public must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This includes accessible entrances, restrooms, parking, and accessible fitness equipment (where feasible). Compliance is enforced by the Department of Justice.

   Official government source

   Cost of accessible design (varies)·Required before opening

   Cost of accessible design (varies)

   Required before opening

1. Wisconsin DFI - Register Your Business Entity

   File with the Department of Financial Institutions to create the legal entity: Articles of Organization for an LLC, or Articles of Incorporation for a corporation. Wisconsin has no state-level license for fitness studios or health clubs - no gym, health club, personal trainer or fitness instructor credential appears in DSPS's A-Z list of licensed professions - so DFI registration plus DOR tax registration is the state-level baseline. A sole proprietor or general partnership files nothing with DFI to exist, but also gets no liability shield.

   Official government source

   Domestic LLC Articles of Organization: $130.00 filed online, $170.00 on paper. Domestic business corporation Articles of Incorporation: $100.00 either way. Annual report thereafter: $25.00 online or $40.00 on paper. Optional expedited counter service is $250.00 for four-hour or $500.00 for one-hour handling.·Online filings are processed through DFI's online system; DFI publishes no standard paper turnaround, which is what the $250/$500 expedited options exist for.

   Domestic LLC Articles of Organization: $130.00 filed online, $170.00 on paper. Domestic business corporation Articles of Incorporation: $100.00 either way. Annual report thereafter: $25.00 online or $40.00 on paper. Optional expedited counter service is $250.00 for four-hour or $500.00 for one-hour handling.

   Online filings are processed through DFI's online system; DFI publishes no standard paper turnaround, which is what the $250/$500 expedited options exist for.

2. Wisconsin Seller's Permit / Business Tax Registration (required for a fitness studio)

   This is not optional for a gym. Wisconsin taxes 'the privilege of access to or the use of amusement, entertainment, athletic, or recreational facilities for dues, fees, or other considerations' (DOR Publication 201, Part 11.A(1)), which covers memberships, class fees and drop-in charges, alongside any merchandise or drinks sold on site. The rate is 5% state plus a 0.5% county tax in the seventy counties that impose one. The two exceptions to that 0.5%: Milwaukee County is 0.9%, and the City of Milwaukee adds a 2% city tax - the only municipal sales tax in Wisconsin - for 7.9% inside the city.

   Official government source

   $20 one-time Business Tax Registration (BTR) fee, then $10 to renew every two years. The $20 is the same regardless of how many locations need a seller's permit.·Register online through My Tax Account before you take your first membership payment. DOR does not publish a guaranteed processing time.

   $20 one-time Business Tax Registration (BTR) fee, then $10 to renew every two years. The $20 is the same regardless of how many locations need a seller's permit.

   Register online through My Tax Account before you take your first membership payment. DOR does not publish a guaranteed processing time.

3. Personal Trainer / Group Fitness Certifications - an employer standard, not a Wisconsin license

   Wisconsin does not license personal trainers or group fitness instructors: neither appears in DSPS's A-Z list of the professions the department licenses, so no state credential, exam or CE requirement exists. Certification is a hiring and insurance standard instead. Studios and their liability carriers typically want an NCCA-accredited credential - NASM, ACE, ACSM, NSCA or ISSA - plus current CPR/AED for all floor staff. Because there is no state standard, which credential is accepted is set by the employer or the insurer, so confirm before paying for a program.

   Official government source

   No state fee. Exam and course prices are set by each private certifying body and change with their promotions; Wisconsin publishes no schedule, so price the specific body you intend to use rather than relying on a range.·Set by the certifying body, not the state - self-study programs are typically sold with a fixed study window ending in a proctored exam.

   No state fee. Exam and course prices are set by each private certifying body and change with their promotions; Wisconsin publishes no schedule, so price the specific body you intend to use rather than relying on a range.

   Set by the certifying body, not the state - self-study programs are typically sold with a fixed study window ending in a proctored exam.

1. City of Madison - No General Business License

   The City of Madison does not have a general/generic business license. Per the city's own guidance: "The City of Madison does not have a generic business license. Most licenses issued by the Clerk's Office are for things that need to be inspected" (e.g. restaurants, pools, hotels). A fitness studio needs no city business or occupational license. What you do need for a commercial space is a Certificate of Occupancy from the Building Inspection Division before you open. If you operate from home, Madison issues no home occupation permit - you simply have to meet the zoning code's home occupation standards.

   Official government source

   $0 - Madison has no general business or occupational license. For a commercial space, the Certificate of Occupancy is $10.00 for the first certificate and $150.00 each additional, or $75.00 for a zoning change of use or occupancy (City of Madison Building Inspection fee schedule).·Not applicable for a business license - none exists. Building inspection lead times are not published; confirm with the City of Madison Development Services Center.

   $0 - Madison has no general business or occupational license. For a commercial space, the Certificate of Occupancy is $10.00 for the first certificate and $150.00 each additional, or $75.00 for a zoning change of use or occupancy (City of Madison Building Inspection fee schedule).

   Not applicable for a business license - none exists. Building inspection lead times are not published; confirm with the City of Madison Development Services Center.

2. City of Madison - Building Permit & Certificate of Occupancy

   If you are building out, renovating, or changing the use of a commercial space for your fitness studio, you will need building permits from the City of Madison Building Inspection Division (Development Services Center). Dane County does not issue building permits inside the City of Madison. A Certificate of Occupancy is required for a zoning change of use or occupancy, and building, electrical, plumbing and HVAC inspections apply.

   Official government source

   Alterations and repairs to existing structures: $11.00 for each $1,000 of value or fraction thereof, $25.00 minimum. Zoning review fee $0.03/sq ft, $25.00 minimum (MGO 28.206). Certificate of Occupancy: $10.00 first certificate, $150.00 each additional; $75.00 per certificate for a zoning change of use or occupancy. Commercial plan review $.04/sq ft ($100 minimum).·Not published - confirm current plan review and inspection lead times with the City of Madison Development Services Center.

   Alterations and repairs to existing structures: $11.00 for each $1,000 of value or fraction thereof, $25.00 minimum. Zoning review fee $0.03/sq ft, $25.00 minimum (MGO 28.206). Certificate of Occupancy: $10.00 first certificate, $150.00 each additional; $75.00 per certificate for a zoning change of use or occupancy. Commercial plan review $.04/sq ft ($100 minimum).

   Not published - confirm current plan review and inspection lead times with the City of Madison Development Services Center.

3. Madison Fire Department - Special Occupancy License (Places of Assembly)

   Madison General Ordinance 34 and the International Fire Code require a Special Occupancy License from the Madison Fire Department's Fire Prevention Division for the operation of a place of assembly, which covers fitness studios open to the public. Some licenses require an inspection before they are issued; occupancy limits, exits, extinguishers, sprinkler systems and egress paths are checked. Licenses are valid no more than one year, run July 1 to June 30, are not transferable, and must be displayed prominently.

   Official government source

   Most Madison Fire Department license fees are $125 per license (permit fees vary). Checks are made out to the City of Madison Treasury.·Apply at least 30 days in advance (City of Madison Fire Department requirement).

   Most Madison Fire Department license fees are $125 per license (permit fees vary). Checks are made out to the City of Madison Treasury.

   Apply at least 30 days in advance (City of Madison Fire Department requirement).

Official Sources

• Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions
• Madison Business Licensing
• ADA.gov — Fitness Facilities

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