If you’re planning on starting a new business in the Badger State, there are a few important things you’ll need to do. Along with registering your business with the state, one step that often gets overlooked is obtaining the necessary business licenses and permits. But which ones does a Wisconsin business need, and how do you get them?
It turns out that the answer can depend on several different factors. To help you figure out the licensing requirements for your new business, this article will cover everything you need to know about how to get small business licenses and permits in Wisconsin.
Many business owners sometimes wonder what the point of business licenses and permits is. While they may seem like unnecessary red tape, there is one primary reason why the government requires businesses to have them. Business licenses and permits allow government agencies to regulate the businesses in their jurisdiction and ensure that they are compliant with all laws and regulations. When you apply for or renew a business license or permit, you are usually required to provide a lot of information about your business, and this information is used to ensure ongoing compliance.
Business licenses and business permits may serve the same general purpose, but they tend to have their own specific applications. Business licenses usually provide businesses authorization to operate in a specific area, while business permits are used to regulate specific business activities.
Here’s a little more info on the differences between them:
In many cases, businesses in Wisconsin will need a combination of business licenses and permits, and these can come from agencies at all levels of government. For example, a brewery that brews and sells its own beer might need a general business license from the county where it’s located, a health permit from the state, and a federal permit from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).
Like we just mentioned, there are a lot of different business licenses and permits that a Wisconsin business might need depending on where it is located and the industry that it operates in. This can sometimes make figuring out which licenses and permits your business needs a little challenging.
While the vast majority of Wisconsin businesses will only need one or two licenses and permits (and some, depending on where they are located, might not need any at all), here are all the types of business licenses and permits your business could potentially need:
Along with general business licenses, there are also numerous types of business permits that are issued at both the state and local levels in Wisconsin. These include permits such as:
Federal permits may also be required if your business engages in any federally regulated activities such as:
You can check out the Small Business Administration (SBA) federal licenses and permits page to learn more about federal licensing requirements.
With so many different licenses and permits that a Wisconsin business might need (and different agencies issuing them), the exact process for obtaining business licenses and permits in Wisconsin varies from one business to another. Generally speaking, however, here are the steps that you will need to follow:
Figuring out exactly which licenses and permits you need will guide the rest of the process. Keep in mind that there are two main factors that determine a business’s licensing requirements: where it is located and the activities that it engages in.
That said, here’s how to figure out which licenses and permits your business needs from different levels of government:
Once you’ve figured out which licenses and permits your business is required to have, you can begin the application process by following these steps:
After submitting your application, you can monitor its progress by contacting the issuing agency. Many state and federal agencies offer online portals where you can check the status of your business license application. If that isn’t an option, you can contact the agency directly to check the status of your application.
The processing time for business licenses and permits can vary. Generally, state and local licenses are processed within 10-15 business days, while federal licenses may take longer.
Most business licenses and permits in Wisconsin will need to be renewed periodically. Annual renewal is a common requirement, however, different licenses and permits will have their own renewal deadlines. Be sure to carefully keep up with these deadlines for all of your licenses and permits to avoid the potential fees that can come from not renewing on time.
There are a lot of different things that new business owners must do to set their businesses up for success, but obtaining all necessary licenses and permits is an important part of the process. While how to obtain small business licenses and permits in Wisconsin ultimately depends on which ones you need, we hope that you’ve found this guide helpful and are ready to get your new business up and running!
Apply for any small business licenses and permits your business needs, and do so before you’re actually operating. Leave enough time for these to be approved. That way, you’ll be able to legally operate without potential licensing issues starting on day one.
You should never begin operating your business until you are sure you have all the required licenses and permits. Operating a business without the necessary licenses and permits can lead to numerous consequences, including fines and business closure.
Yes, sole proprietors in Wisconsin are treated just like any other business when it comes to licensing requirements. That means that the licenses and permits you will need as a sole proprietor depend on where you are conducting business and the nature of your business activities, just like it does for LLCs and corporations.
Yes, most business licenses and permits have to be renewed periodically. You can check the renewal deadline on a license or permit to see how often renewal is required.
This portion of our website is for informational purposes only. Tailor Brands is not a law firm, and none of the information on this website constitutes or is intended to convey legal advice. All statements, opinions, recommendations, and conclusions are solely the expression of the author and provided on an as-is basis. Accordingly, Tailor Brands is not responsible for the information and/or its accuracy or completeness. It also does not indicate any affiliation between Tailor Brands and any other brands, services or logos.
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