99% of new businesses are required to get a(n) , Milwaukee business tax id registration (business license).
Businesses with an trade firm name other than the owner's legal name are required to get a(n) Milwaukee County DBA ( doing business as ) fictitious business name.
You may also need a resale license if you selling touchable items. (A.K.A WI seller's permit, state id, wholesale, resale, reseller certificate).
In addition you will need a federal and a state EIN if you will hire employees. I.e., a WI Federal Tax Id Number and a(n) WI State Employer Tax Number
Instead of filing an Assumed Trade Firm business name ("DBA" Doing Business As) in Milwaukee, set up a coporation in WI or set up a(n) WI LLC
Here's How to Get Your WI Seller's Permit and Other permits and Registrations You May Need.
WI Seller's Permit, LLC, DBA, Licenses & Tax IDs Requirements:
Do you need a federal EIN, or can you use your SSN as a sole proprietor?
Here’s the checklist to keep your creative empire sparkling and compliant:
Obtain all licenses and registrations here online—no standing in line required! 🎨
Obtain everything online—no paperwork avalanches.
The Wisconsin (WI) state Sales Tax (get Seller's Permit) rate is currently 5%. Depending on local municipalities, the total tax rate can be as high as 5.6%. Other, local-level tax rates in the state of Wisconsin are quite complex compared against local-level tax rates in other states.
Who must obtain a Seller's permit ?
A Seller's permit is required for every individual, partnership, corporation, or other organization making retail sales, leases, or rentals of tangible personal property or taxable services in Wisconsin, unless all sales are exempt from sales or use tax.
NOTE: A Seller's permit will not be issued to wholesalers, manufacturers and other businesses not making direct retail sales of tangible property or taxable services. Apply for a Seller's permit at least three weeks before you open your business. If you buy an existing business, the Seller's permit cannot be transferred to you.
You must apply for a new permit. If you applied for a Seller's permit before you opened your business but did not receive the permit at the time of opening the business, you are allowed to make retail sales of tangible personal property and taxable services. However, you are liable for the sales and use taxes and for keeping proper records from the date of opening the business.
After receiving the Application for Business Tax Registration and the security deposit (if requested), a Seller's permit will be issued to you by the department. You must display the Seller's permit in a prominent location at your place of business. If that is not a fixed location, it should be displayed or carried at the various events. A personal wallet copy will be sent with your Seller's permit to provide you with easy access to your permit number.
First decide on a business structure Caterer as a Sole Proprietor, LLC/Corp, or Partnership.
✔ Step 2 All Caterer Businesses need a , Business tax registration also called an occupation business License ✔ Step 3 Selling/Leasing or if wanting to buy or sell Caterer merchandise, food, equipment requires a Seller's Permit. ✔ Step 4 All Caterer Businesses Using a DBA doing business as name need a DBA Fictitious Business Name ✔ Step 5 Hiring Caterer Workers Requires a Federal EIN and a State Tax Number EIN
Selling/Leasing or if wanting to buy or sell Caterer merchandise, food, equipment requires a Seller's Permit.
All Caterer Businesses Using a DBA doing business as name need a DBA Fictitious Business Name
Hiring Caterer Workers Requires a Federal EIN and a State Tax Number EIN
As of 6/14/2025 9:18:28 AM, you can obtain your MILWAUKEE seller's permit here at $39 plus any tax you may have to pay in advance. To set up your reseller license is inexpensive but starting your business may cost you about (figures vary depending on area and type of business ) $3322.57 or $6653219.66 depending on your start up money. Getting a license in GREENFIELD MILWAUKEE MILWAUKEE, 53219 You will have many potential clients in this city. In fact, as much as 33714 but about 16053 are families in this area in WI. In addition, getting a 414 cell phone area code may help increase the idea that you operate from the city because you can text your clients as a local vendor (remember, everyone is texting these days). You can lease a space to operate your business from but if buying a house, the prices are (about $ 53219 99800 avergage value) , which you can use as a home operated business as well.
Your actual location in MILWAUKEE will be your business address. E.g., your business location could be 6593 MILWAUKEE Road/Avenue or 66TH Way/Ct or MILWAUKEE, WI . Operating from a 53219 P.O. Box location purported as your business mailing address. E.g. P.O Box 47293 MILWAUKEE,WI 53219 . However this turns out, in 242 considering demographics is intelligent. For example,
before iinvesting in getting a wholesale license there, there are about 31830, Whites, 1565 Hispanics, and 332 Blacks in the 53219 area. Another important consideration is that of the residents' income in the wingspan of your business location. Each family here earns about $40598 per household and has about 2.57 residents per family. However, is the weather nice? Consider that the altitude is 593 feet, and you getting a seller's license in 6 time zone.