Personal Trainer 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. 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. 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. Zoning / Certificate of Occupancy

   If you run a personal training business from a commercial space in Milwaukee you need a Certificate of Occupancy from the Department of Neighborhood Services, applied for at the Development Center, 809 N. Broadway. Milwaukee issues no home occupation permit - a trainer working from home instead has to meet the zoning code's home occupation standards for an accessory use under Milwaukee Code of Ordinances s. 295-503 (no exterior signage, no outdoor storage, no employees at the residence, no traffic beyond normal residential levels).

   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. No home occupation permit fee exists because no such permit is issued.·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. No home occupation permit fee exists because no such permit is issued.

   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

Related Guides