Nail Salon 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 Nail Technician License (per technician)

   Each nail technician must hold a valid Wisconsin Manicurist License from DSPS. It requires completion of a nail technology program of at least 300 training hours and passing a state board exam. Manicuring Establishments and Manicuring Schools are separately credentialed.

   Official government source

   $11 Manicurist credential fee, renewing 3/31 of odd-numbered years ($36 with late fee) - DSPS Renewal Dates and Fees.·Not published by DSPS - initial applications are filed at license.wi.gov.

   $11 Manicurist credential fee, renewing 3/31 of odd-numbered years ($36 with late fee) - DSPS Renewal Dates and Fees.

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

2. 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.

1. Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services - Manicuring Establishment License

   Nail salons in Wisconsin are licensed by DSPS as a Manicuring Establishment - a distinct category from the general Cosmetology Establishment license, which covers a full-service salon. An inspection is required before the license is issued, and the credential renews biennially on March 31 of odd-numbered years. Each nail technician also holds an individual Manicurist credential.

   Official government source

   $11 Manicuring Establishment credential fee, renewing biennially on 3/31 of odd-numbered years ($36 with late fee). A Cosmetology Establishment license, if the salon offers full cosmetology services, is also $11 on the same cycle - DSPS Renewal Dates and Fees.·Not published by DSPS - initial applications are filed at license.wi.gov.

   $11 Manicuring Establishment credential fee, renewing biennially on 3/31 of odd-numbered years ($36 with late fee). A Cosmetology Establishment license, if the salon offers full cosmetology services, is also $11 on the same cycle - DSPS Renewal Dates and Fees.

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

2. 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.

Official Sources

• Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services — Cosmetology Salon License
• City of Milwaukee Department of City Development

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