Handyman Business Permit Requirements in Madison, 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 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). There is no general or blanket business license and no annual renewal or display requirement for most business types. The Clerk's Office licenses only specific regulated activities - alcohol, tobacco and vaping, adult entertainment, secondhand dealers, transportation and tattooing among them. A Certificate of Occupancy from the Building Inspection Division is still required for a commercial space.

   Official government source

   $0 - Madison has no general or blanket business license. Fees apply only to the specific regulated activities the Clerk's Office licenses. If you are taking a commercial space, the Certificate of Occupancy is $10.00 first certificate, $150.00 each additional, or $75.00 for a zoning change of use or occupancy (City of Madison Building Inspection fee schedule).·Not applicable - there is no general city license to apply for.

   $0 - Madison has no general or blanket business license. Fees apply only to the specific regulated activities the Clerk's Office licenses. If you are taking a commercial space, the Certificate of Occupancy is $10.00 first certificate, $150.00 each additional, or $75.00 for a zoning change of use or occupancy (City of Madison Building Inspection fee schedule).

   Not applicable - there is no general city license to apply for.

2. City of Madison Building Permit (for regulated work)

   Certain handyman tasks - electrical, plumbing, HVAC work or structural modifications - require permits pulled from the City of Madison Building Inspection Division (Dane County does not permit work inside the city). A handyman must not perform work reserved to a licensed trade without the appropriate state credential from DSPS.

   Official government source

   City of Madison Building Inspection fee schedule: plumbing $8.00 per new or altered fixture, $25.00 minimum; electrical $25.00 for the first ten new or altered openings and $1.00 for each additional opening; alterations and repairs to an existing structure $11.00 per $1,000 of value or fraction thereof, $25.00 minimum. New construction and additions are charged per square foot by building group instead.·Not published - confirm current inspection scheduling with the City of Madison Development Services Center.

   City of Madison Building Inspection fee schedule: plumbing $8.00 per new or altered fixture, $25.00 minimum; electrical $25.00 for the first ten new or altered openings and $1.00 for each additional opening; alterations and repairs to an existing structure $11.00 per $1,000 of value or fraction thereof, $25.00 minimum. New construction and additions are charged per square foot by building group instead.

   Not published - confirm current inspection scheduling with the City of Madison Development Services Center.

Official Sources

• City of Madison Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development
• Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services — Dwelling Contractor Certification

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