Tattoo Parlor 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. 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 Piercing 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 to that health department instead - in Dane County that is Public Health Madison & Dane County. 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.·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.

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

2. 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.

Official Sources

• Wisconsin Department of Health Services — Tattoo and Body Art Establishment Permit
• City of Madison Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development

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