Pet Sitting 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.

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. No Milwaukee kennel or animal-boarding license

   The City of Milwaukee City Clerk's License Division list of every license and permit it administers contains no kennel or animal-boarding license, and Milwaukee County runs no such program - MADACC (the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission) issues individual dog and cat licenses for area municipalities, not business licenses. At the state level, Wisconsin DATCP licenses dog sellers, breeders, dealers and animal shelters; check with DATCP's Dog Seller program at (608) 590-8519 whether your operation is covered. Zoning limits on keeping animals at a residence still apply.

   Official government source

   $0 for a city or county license (none exists). DATCP dog seller license fees apply only if your operation falls under that program.·Not applicable for a city or county license.

   $0 for a city or county license (none exists). DATCP dog seller license fees apply only if your operation falls under that program.

   Not applicable for a city or county license.

Official Sources

• City of Milwaukee Department of City Development
• Milwaukee County Animal Services

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