Licenses & Permits

On this page:

General Licensing
Alcohol Licensing

Questions about locating, opening, or expanding your business within the City of Madison? The Office of Business Resources can help.

General Licensing

All license applications require a copy of your State Seller's Permit ID certificate.

Unless otherwise specified, all licenses expire June 30.

View License and Permit Fees.

Clerk Licenses

General Application Form
Includes: Outdoor Wood Boilers, and Trapping
Adult Entertainment Establishment Application
Affiliated Organization Registration
Raising funds for City operations
Amusement Devices
Auto Salvage Dealer
Cigarette, Tobacco, & Electronic Vaping Device Retail Products Application
- Sole proprietor, partners, or officers/members and appointed agents must each complete the individual questionnaire for a background check.
- LLCs and Corporations must appoint an agent responsible for sale of cigarette, tobacco, and/or electronic vaping devices.
- Renewing licensees should complete a Cigarette, Tobacco, & Electronic Vaping Device conviction supplemental if any sole proprietor, partner, officer/member, or appointed agent have been convicted of a crime since the last license renewal.
Close Out Sale
Room Tax Packet
Room Tax Application
Solicitor Application
Door to door, no merchandise in hand
Solicitor - Non-profit
Tattooist or Body Piercer, State of WI License
Theater License Application
Transient Merchant Application
Trucker/Peddler
Door to door, merchandise in hand

Health Licenses

Public Health Madison Dane County Permits

Health Licenses
Includes: Retail Food Establishments, Beaches, Bed & Breakfasts, Body Art Establishments, Campgrounds, Hotel/Motel/Tourist Rooming Houses, Manufactured Home Community, Recreational/Educational Camps, and Swimming Pools

Scrap & Recycling

Secondhand Dealer

Our Secondhand Dealer Ordinance requires any entity engaged in the buying or selling of certain used goods to hold an appropriate license. Please see our Secondhand Dealer FAQ for more details.

Transportation and Paratransit

Alcohol Licensing

Entertainment Licenses

Entertainment licenses are required for premises providing amplified or live entertainment, regardless of capacity. All license applications require a copy of your State Seller's Permit ID certificate.

Establishments: New

New Liquor or Beer Establishment application (Class A, B, or C)
- The City of Madison currently has no Regular Class B Combination Liquor and Beer License available.
- A Reserve Class B Combination Liquor and Beer License will be subject to a $10,000 reserve fee upon issuance.
- Only complete applications will be accepted. Use the checklist on the last page of the application form.
Appointment of Liquor/Beer Agent
Background Check for Corporate Officers
Surrender of Previous License
Alcohol Beverage Laws for Retailers, State of WI
New Liquor or Beer Application Checklist
Lista de Verificación de Aplicación de Licor o Cerveza Nueva
新酒或啤酒申請清單

Establishments: Existing

Alcohol Beverage Laws for Retailers, State of WI
Things to Know about License Renewals, Changes, and Permits
Appointment of New Liquor/Beer Agent
Change of Licensed Premises
Change of Conditions on a License
Change of Corporate Officers/Entity Reorganization
Change of dba
Transfer License to Another Address
Available to all alcohol licenses except Reserve Class B Combination Liquor and Beer. Also requires a new license application.

Existing Establishment License Renewals

New Alcohol Servers - Apply Online

City of Madison Licenses & Permits portal
Login to the portal to apply online. If you do not have an account, you will need to create one.

New Alcohol Servers - In Person or Mail

Operator License Application
List all pending citations, tickets, or criminal charges. Also list any previous citations, municipal or ordinance violations and criminal convictions. You do not need to list parking tickets. Applications with omissions may not pass review. Read the entire application before submitting it.
Operator License Application Requirements
Operator License Policy Guidelines
Juvenile Records Release Form
Required of applicants under 21 years old

Existing Alcohol Servers - Renewal

Operator license renewals must be submitted through the Licensing & Permits portal. Current license holders receive renewal instructions via email. The exact name and email address to use when creating your account can be found in this email message.

Operator Renewal Instructions

State & Federal Forms

Business Tax Registration Form, Wisconsin Department of Revenue
Special Tax Registration & Return (Federal), Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau
Employer Identification Number, Internal Revenue Service

Temporary (Picnic Beer) Licenses

Temporary Beer & Wine Application
FAQ Letter to Picnic Beer Applicants
Defines who qualifies for this license