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License Division

Licenses and Permits

The City of Milwaukee - License Division issues over 50 different kinds of business licenses. Select the business activity from the list below to view what licenses are required and how to apply for a license.

New business applications may be submitted online. Individual license applications must be submitted online.

Applicants who have questions and prefer to submit in person must submit a completed application to the License Division, located at 200 E Wells St, Room 105, Milwaukee, WI 53202. 

 

Licenses and Permits

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Individual Licenses (Bartenders, Bar Managers, Public Passenger Vehicle Drivers, Home Improvement Salespersons, Ice Cream Peddlers, Mobile Sellers)
Alcohol Beverage Business Licenses
Amusement Machine Distributor License
Center for Visual or Performing Arts Establishment License

 

  • Center for Visual or Performing Arts Establishment License 

    • License required for licensees who hold both Class "B" Tavern and Public Entertainment Premises licenses who wish to be granted the designation as a Center for the Visual and Performing Arts under state law and city ordinance, and be exempt from certain restrictions relating to the presence of underage persons on a Class "B" premises.
    • Apply online: Information | Online application user guide
    • Apply in-person or by mail: ccl-businfo | ccl-busplan (required only if plan of operation is different than that filed with Class "B" License) |ccl-ctrpaplan
Cigarette, Tobacco, or Electronic Vaping Devices License
Dwelling Facilities License (including hotels, motels, and rooming houses)

  • Dwelling Facility (including hotels, motels, and rooming houses) Business License

    • License required for any for-profit business which operates a premise used for living or sleeping by occupants, includes hotels, motels and rooming houses. Fees: $200 for Rooming Houses, $600 for Hotels and Motels, $250 Preinspection fee for Hotels and Motels with 50 or fewer rooms, $350 Preinspection fee for Hotels and Motels with more than 50 rooms. 

    • Apply online: Information | Online application user guide

    • Apply in-person or by mail: ccl-businfo | ccl-busplan | ccl-dwell

Extended Hours Establishment License
Filling (Gas) Stations License
Food Business Licenses (including restaurants, stores, temporary events, food trucks, and micro markets)

  • Food Dealer License (Retail, Restaurant, Bed & Breakfast)

    • A license is required of every person, partnership, association, or corporation that manufactures, offers for sale, stores, distributes, or sells food in the City of Milwaukee.  This application is for use by businesses operating in their own space. Fee: $385 application fee, license fee varies based upon items sold and anticipated gross annual sales.
    • Apply online: Information | Online application user guide
    • Apply in-person or by mail: ccl-businfo | ccl-busplan | ccl-foodplan

  • Food Dealer Temporary Event Permit

  • Food Peddler License (Food Trucks, Food Carts, Carried Containers)

    • A permit is required of every person who sells food in the City of Milwaukee from a pushed, pedaled, pulled or motorized vehicle or from a carried container on the public way. Fee: license fee varies based upon the mobile unit.
    • Apply online: Information | Online application user guide
    • Apply in-person or by mail: ccl-businfo | ccl-foodped

  • Micro Market

    • A license is required for indoor, unstaffed, self-service areas not accessible to the general public where a customer may obtain food or beverage by automated payment without the necessity of replenishing the area between each transaction. Fee: $40 for one, $60 for two (in the same building).
    • Apply online: Information | Online application user guide
    • Apply in-person or by mail: ccl-businfo | ccl-busplan | ccl-foodplan
Home Improvement Contractor License

  • Home Improvement Contractor Business License

    • License required for those engaged in the business of installing, repairing, servicing, improving, or remodeling any permanent installation or improvement attached to an existing home or building used for residence purposes but not exceeding 6 living units. Fee: $250.
    • Apply online: Information | Online application user guide
    • Apply in-person or by mail: ccl-businfo | ccl-hicapp
Mobile Home Park License

  • Mobile Home Park

    • License required for any person or business operating a manufactured home community upon which 3 or more manufactured homes are occupied for dwelling or sleeping purposes. Fees: $150 per 50 sites.

    • Apply online: Information | Online application user guide

    • Apply in-person or by mail: ccl-businfo | ccl-mhp

Personal Services Licenses (including Massage Establishments, Self-Service Laundry, Tattoo and Body Piercing)

  • Massage Establishment License

  • Self-Service Laundry Registration

  • Tattoo and Body Piercing Establishment License

    • License required for those inserting pigment under the skin of a person by needle or otherwise to leave a permanent mark or those perforating any body part or tissue, except an ear,  to insert a foreign object to prevent the perforation from closing. Fee: license fee varied based upon services offered. 
    • Apply online: Information | Online Application User Guide 
    • Apply in-person or by mail: ccl-businfo | ccl-busplan | ccl-tbp

  • Temporary Tattoo and Body Piercing Establishment License

    • License required for those inserting pigment under the skin of a person by needle or otherwise to leave a permanent mark or those perforating any body part or tissue, except an ear,  to insert a foreign object to prevent the perforation from closing at a temporary event. Fee: $250.
    • Apply online: Information | Online Application User Guide 
    • Apply in-person or by mail: ccl-temptbp
Private Alarm and First Responder Services Licenses

  • Private Alarm System Business License

    • License required for those engaged in the selling, leasing, renting, installing, monitoring, servicing, altering, moving or causing any alarm system to be sold, leased, rented, installed, monitored, serviced or altered in or on any building, place of business, structure, residence or other facility. Included in this definition are holders of alarm system contracts. Fee: $300.
    • Apply online: Information | Online application user guide 
    • Apply in-person or by mail: ccl-businfo | ccl-pasapp

  • Private Alarm Sales Business License

    • License required for activities related to marketing and sales, rental or leasing of alarm systems, alarm systems installation, and maintenance intended for residential or business alarm users. Fee: $450
    • Apply online: Information | Online application user guide 
    • Apply in-person or by mail: ccl-businfo | ccl-pasapp

  • Private First Responded Business License

    • License required for services that verify, in the case of an activated burglary alarm, that an attempted or actual crime has occurred at the alarm site before the alarm signal is transmitted to the police department. Fee: $300. 
    • Apply online: Information | Online application user guide 
    • Apply in-person or by mail: ccl-businfo | ccl-pasapp
Public Entertainment Premises Licenses (for establishments with bands/musicians, dancing, disc jockey, hookah service)
Recycling, Salvaging, or Towing Licenses

  • Recycling, Salvaging, or Towing Premises License

  • Recycling, Salvaging, or Towing Premises License - Additional Yard

  • Recycling, Salvaging, or Towing Vehicle License

    • License Required for any vehicle used in the business of recycling, salvaging or non-consensual towing of repossessed vehicles where the business does not have a premises in the city. Fees: $215, $395 for 2 or more vehicles.
    • Apply online: Information | Online application user guide
    • Apply in-person or by mail: ccl-businfo | ccl-rstv
Secondhand Dealers and Secondhand Motor Vehicle Dealers Licenses
Temporary Licenses (including Food Dealer, Public Entertainment, Tattoo and Body Piercing, and Change of Plan)

  • Temporary Change of Plan Permit

    • Authorizes the licensee to temporarily deviate from the plan of operation on file with our office.  Deviations include change of hours or age restriction, extension of premises, change of capacity, and change of entertainment. Fee: $75.
    • Apply online: Information | Online application user guide 
    • Apply in-person or by mail: ccl-tcop

  • Food Dealer Temporary Event

  • Temporary Public Entertainment Premises License

    • License required to permit--on a temporary basis--dancing by patrons and to permit the holding of certain shows and exhibitions upon premises. Fee: $75 for applications filed before the deadline; $100 for applications filed after the deadline.
    • Apply online: Information | Online application user guide
    • Apply in-person or by mail: ccl-tpep

  • Temporary Tattoo and Body Piercing Establishment License

    • License required for those inserting pigment under the skin of a person by needle or otherwise to leave a permanent mark or those perforating any body part or tissue, except an ear,  to insert a foreign object to prevent the perforation from closing at a temporary event. Fee: $250.
    • Apply online: Information | Online application user guide
    • Apply in-person or by mail: ccl-temptbp
Vehicle Related Licenses (including Public Passenger Vehicles, Snow Plowing Vehicles, and Private Waste Collectors)

  • Public Passenger Vehicle License (includes Taxis, Shuttles, Pedicabs, Horse & Surrey Livery, and Motorcycles)

    • A permit is required of every vehicle used for the transportation of passengers for hire, including limousines, horse and surrey livery, pedicabs, taxicabs, shuttles, motorcycles used for tours, and human service vehicles operating on the streets of the city of Milwaukee. Fees: $284 per limousine, shuttle, pedicab, horse and surrey, or touring motorcycle vehicle, $400 per taxicab vehicle.
    • Apply online: Information | Online application user guide 
    • Apply in-person or by mail: ccl-businfo | ccl-ppvapp | ccl-ppvintent (if applicable) | ccl-taxiintent (if applicable)

  • Snow Plowing Business License

  • Private Waste Collector


All Licenses and Permits

Red Tape Rescue

Red Tape Rescue

The License Division continually seeks to promote entrepreneurship and improve customer service. Take a look at a few of the ways we are cutting the red tape

Start Smart Start Smart Online Tool

Pivot Program Pivot Program Business Workshops

Clerk Notes Instructional Videos

 

License Division Newsletter

Each quarter, our staff publishes the most helpful content and delivers it right to your inbox! To sign up, select "License Division News" at milwaukee.gov/e-notify.

Fall 2025

Summer 2025

Spring 2025

Winter 2025

2024 Newsletters

 

 

 

Additional Information

Access all forms and applications used by the License Division, as well as information regarding many of the licenses issued.

Services

We offer a number of services to help make your licensing process easy and convenient.

Issued by Other City Departments

Follow the links below for more information on other City licenses or permits.

Frequently Requested but Handled Elsewhere

Fingerprinting Requirements

The Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) is required to conduct an investigation of the criminal history of applicants for certain new and renewal licenses and permits.

Applicants previously fingerprinted by the MPD can contact the MPD at 414-935-7281 to determine whether their fingerprints are still on file. 

All applicants whose fingerprints are not already on file with the Milwaukee Police Department must report to the Police Administration Building at the following address and times in order to be fingerprinted:

Police Administration Building, Room 330

951 James Lovell St.
Monday - Friday (excluding holidays)
8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Fees must be paid in cash. 

Customer Service Survey

Please take a minute to complete our online customer service survey. Your comments will help us to monitor our customer service and find out how we can improve our licensing services. We appreciate your time and feedback.