Handyman Business 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 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. 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 Building Permit (for regulated work)

   Certain handyman tasks - including electrical, plumbing, HVAC work, or structural modifications - require permits pulled from the City of Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services (DNS), not from any county building department; Milwaukee County has no building department. Handymen should not perform licensed contractor work without the appropriate Wisconsin DSPS trade license.

   Official government source

   Not published in an accessible current schedule - permit fees vary by trade and scope under the Milwaukee Code of Ordinances permit fee schedule. Contact the Milwaukee Development Center, 809 N. Broadway, at (414) 286-8210 for your project's fee.·Not published - confirm with the Milwaukee Development Center.

   Not published in an accessible current schedule - permit fees vary by trade and scope under the Milwaukee Code of Ordinances permit fee schedule. Contact the Milwaukee Development Center, 809 N. Broadway, at (414) 286-8210 for your project's fee.

   Not published - confirm with the Milwaukee Development Center.

Official Sources

• City of Milwaukee Department of City Development
• Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services — Dwelling Contractor Certification

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