Personal Trainer 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. No Wisconsin Personal Trainer License Required

   Wisconsin does not license personal trainers. The profession does not appear in DSPS's A-Z list of the credentials the department issues, so there is no state exam, application, renewal or continuing education requirement. National certification from an NCCA-accredited body such as NASM, ACE, ACSM, NSCA or ISSA, together with current CPR/AED, is what gyms and liability carriers ask for - a private hiring standard, not a legal one. Confirm which credential your intended employer or insurer accepts before paying for a program.

   Official government source

   No state fee, because there is no state credential. Certification exam and course prices are set by each private certifying body and change with their promotions; Wisconsin publishes no schedule.·Not applicable at the state level - nothing to file with Wisconsin. Study and exam scheduling is set by the certifying body you choose.

   No state fee, because there is no state credential. Certification exam and course prices are set by each private certifying body and change with their promotions; Wisconsin publishes no schedule.

   Not applicable at the state level - nothing to file with Wisconsin. Study and exam scheduling is set by the certifying body you choose.

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. Zoning / Facility Use Permit

   If you run a personal training business from a commercial space in Madison you need a Certificate of Occupancy from the City of Madison Building Inspection Division. Madison issues no home occupation permit - a trainer working from home instead has to meet the zoning code's home occupation standards, which the Zoning counter can confirm at (608) 266-4551 ext. 3.

   Official government source

   Certificate of Occupancy: $10.00 first certificate, $150.00 each additional; $75.00 per certificate for a zoning change of use or occupancy. Zoning review is $0.03 per sq ft, $25.00 minimum, and any buildout is charged separately at $11.00 per $1,000 of value, $25.00 minimum (City of Madison Building Inspection fee schedule). No home occupation permit fee exists because no such permit is issued.·Not published - confirm current plan review and inspection lead times with the City of Madison Development Services Center.

   Certificate of Occupancy: $10.00 first certificate, $150.00 each additional; $75.00 per certificate for a zoning change of use or occupancy. Zoning review is $0.03 per sq ft, $25.00 minimum, and any buildout is charged separately at $11.00 per $1,000 of value, $25.00 minimum (City of Madison Building Inspection fee schedule). No home occupation permit fee exists because no such permit is issued.

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

Official Sources

• City of Madison Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development

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