Plumbing Contractor 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. Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services - Master Plumber License

   Plumbing contractors in Wisconsin must be licensed as Master Plumbers by DSPS. This requires at least 1,000 hours per year of experience as a licensed Wisconsin Journeyman Plumber for at least 3 years (or an approved engineering degree), and passing a state exam - not '5 years of apprenticeship.'

   Official government source

   $500 Master Plumber credential fee, renewing every 4 years on March 31 ($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.

   $500 Master Plumber credential fee, renewing every 4 years on March 31 ($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.

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.

3. City of Milwaukee - Plumbing Permit (per project)

   A plumbing permit must be pulled from the Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services for each job, applied for at the Development Center, 809 N. Broadway. Permits are not a county function - Milwaukee County is fully incorporated. Inspections are required on completion.

   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

• Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services — Master Plumber License
• City of Milwaukee Department of City Development

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