Auto Repair Shop Permit Requirements in Milwaukee, 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 DNR - Used Oil and Hazardous Waste

   Wisconsin auto repair shops must comply with DNR used oil and hazardous waste management standards (Wis. Admin. Code ch. NR 679). Used oil, antifreeze and other automotive fluids must be stored in appropriate containers and recycled or disposed of properly; landfilling used oil and filters is banned. This is an ongoing compliance obligation, not a one-time state registration or permit for typical small-quantity generators.

   Official government source

   No DNR registration or permit fee for typical small-quantity generators; collection, recycling and disposal are priced by private used-oil haulers and recyclers.·Ongoing compliance - no separate registration or permit application for typical shops.

   No DNR registration or permit fee for typical small-quantity generators; collection, recycling and disposal are priced by private used-oil haulers and recyclers.

   Ongoing compliance - no separate registration or permit application for typical shops.

1. No general business license in Milwaukee

   Milwaukee has no general business license. The City Clerk's License Division publishes the complete list of licenses and permits it administers, and every entry is a specific regulated activity (alcohol, cigarette and tobacco, food dealer, massage establishment, secondhand dealer, home improvement contractor, public entertainment premises, snow plowing, weights and measures and the like). The Department of City Development does not issue business licenses at all. What most businesses actually need from the City is a Certificate of Occupancy from the Department of Neighborhood Services before opening a commercial space, plus any specific license that matches their activity.

   Official government source

   $0 for a general license (none exists). Certificate of Occupancy fee varies by proposed use, size of space and how long it was vacant, plus a $6 processing fee and a 1.6% IT and Training surcharge.·Not applicable for a general license.

   $0 for a general license (none exists). Certificate of Occupancy fee varies by proposed use, size of space and how long it was vacant, plus a $6 processing fee and a 1.6% IT and Training surcharge.

   Not applicable for a general license.

2. City of Milwaukee - Zoning and Certificate of Occupancy

   Auto repair shops must operate in properly zoned commercial or industrial areas. Confirm the zoning with the City of Milwaukee Department of City Development and obtain a Certificate of Occupancy from the Department of Neighborhood Services, applied for at the Development Center, 809 N. Broadway. This is a city function - Milwaukee County has no unincorporated territory and issues no building or occupancy approvals. If the use is not permitted by right in the district, Board of Zoning Appeals authorization is required first.

   Official government source

   Certificate of Occupancy fee varies by proposed use, size of the space occupied, and how long the space was vacant; every application also carries a $6 processing fee plus a 1.6% IT and Training surcharge. Call the Development Center Plan Examination staff at (414) 286-8210 for your project's amount.·Not published. The City states that if the use requires Board of Zoning Appeals authorization, that step alone generally takes about 6-8 weeks.

   Certificate of Occupancy fee varies by proposed use, size of the space occupied, and how long the space was vacant; every application also carries a $6 processing fee plus a 1.6% IT and Training surcharge. Call the Development Center Plan Examination staff at (414) 286-8210 for your project's amount.

   Not published. The City states that if the use requires Board of Zoning Appeals authorization, that step alone generally takes about 6-8 weeks.

Official Sources

• City of Milwaukee Department of City Development
• Wisconsin DNR — Used Oil and Hazardous Waste

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