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Brown County

Brown County Health & Human Services, Public Health Division (Environmental Health Unit)

In short

Brown County Health & Human Services, Public Health Division (Environmental Health Unit) issues 8 permits we publish for Brown County, last verified 2026-10-07. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.

What this agency issues

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Retail Food Establishment – Serving Meals LicenseBrown County Health & Human Services, Public Health Division (Environmental Health Unit)$217–$745 annual license fee by complexity (2026 Adopted Budget): Prepackaged $217, Simple $455, Moderate $590, Complex $745; plus a pre-inspection fee of 40% of the license total for a new establishment or 30% for an existing one; amounts include the State fee (Wis. Stat. §97.41(5))annual license year July 1 to June 30; the 2026 budget charges a $150 late penalty for establishment licenses not renewed by July 12026-10-07
Retail Food Establishment – Not Serving Meals LicenseBrown County Health & Human Services, Public Health Division (Environmental Health Unit)$145–$1,242 annual license fee by tier (2026 Adopted Budget): Prepackaged $145, Simple (TCS) $414, Simple (Non-TCS) $516, Moderate $650, Complex $1,242; plus a pre-inspection fee of 40% of the license total for a new establishment or 30% for an existing one; amounts include the State fee (Wis. Stat. §97.41(5))annual license year July 1 to June 30; the 2026 budget charges a $150 late penalty for establishment licenses not renewed by July 12026-10-07
Public Health Re-inspection, Late and Penalty Feesonly if it applies to youBrown County Health & Human Services, Public Health Division (Environmental Health Unit)Re-inspection for non-compliance: $150 (first), $300 (second), $450 (third). Certified Food Manager not on staff: $150 for the first offence; $255 if still out of compliance 12 months later. Operating without a valid Health Department license: $500. Licensed establishment closure / re-open: $107. Late penalty for establishment licenses not renewed by July 1: $150.per occurrence; charged when the triggering event happens2026-10-07
Public Swimming Pool Licenseonly if it applies to youBrown County Health & Human Services, Public Health Division (Environmental Health Unit)$230–$560 annual license fee per pool (2026 Adopted Budget): outdoor — Simple $230, Simple with Features $280, Moderate $330, Moderate with Features $380, Complex $430, Complex with Features $480; indoor — $310, $360, $410, $460, $510, $560 respectivelyannual license year July 1 to June 30; the 2026 budget charges a $150 late penalty for establishment licenses not renewed by July 12026-10-07
Micro Market Licenseonly if it applies to youBrown County Health & Human Services, Public Health Division (Environmental Health Unit)$40–$60 annual license fee: $40 for a micro market; $60 where 2 or more micro markets are located in the same building (2026 Adopted Budget; the amounts set by Wis. Stat. §97.30(3s))annual license year July 1 to June 302026-10-07
Mobile Retail Food Establishment Licenseonly if it applies to youBrown County Health & Human Services, Public Health Division (Environmental Health Unit)$168–$745 annual license fee per unit (2026 Adopted Budget): serving meals — Prepackaged $168, Simple $455, Moderate $590, Complex $745; not serving meals — Prepackaged $168, Simple (Non-TCS) $258, Simple (TCS) $285, Moderate $328; amounts include the State fee (Wis. Stat. §97.41(5))annual license year July 1 to June 30; the 2026 budget charges a $150 late penalty for establishment licenses not renewed by July 12026-10-07
Transient Retail Food Establishment License (events)only if it applies to youBrown County Health & Human Services, Public Health Division (Environmental Health Unit)$100–$250 license fee per stand (2026 Adopted Budget and the 2026-27 application): Temperature Controlled for Safety $200; Non-Temperature Controlled for Safety $150; Prepackaged $100; the application also offers the Retail Food Base – No Catering license at $250; amounts include the State fee (Wis. Stat. §97.41(5))license year ending June 30; the county's application states that all transient licenses expire on June 30 annually2026-10-07
Tattoo or Body-Piercing Establishment Licenseonly if it applies to youBrown County Health & Human Services, Public Health Division (Environmental Health Unit)$238–$362 annual license fee (2026 Adopted Budget): Tattoo or Body Piercing Establishment $238; Combination Tattoo/Body Piercing Establishment $362annual license; the 2026 budget charges a $150 late penalty for establishment licenses not renewed by July 12026-10-07

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

About each permit

Retail Food Establishment – Serving Meals License

A restaurant, or a coffee shop that serves meals, located in Brown County outside the City of De Pere needs this license from the Brown County Health & Human Services Public Health Division, which issues it as the agent of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. County Code §37.02 covers all areas of the county except cities that have opted out of the countywide public health system; the Wisconsin DHS directory lists the DePere Department of Public Health as the county's other local health department, and De Pere's application sends applicants to that department, so a business in De Pere is licensed there. Under Wis. Stat. §97.41(5) the agent includes the State fee in its license fee, so each amount is the full amount paid to the county. The amounts are those in the "Rates and Fees" appendix of the Brown County 2026 Adopted Budget (adopted by the County Board on October 29, 2025), which County Code ch. 37 §37.07 makes the instrument for health license fees; health licenses run on a July 1 to June 30 license year. The 2027 Proposed Budget, published October 1, 2026, proposes a change to these health fees; the County Board votes on the budget in late October or early November. The license tier (prepackaged, simple, moderate or complex) is set by the food handled. The same budget lists a pre-inspection fee of 40% of the license total for a new establishment and 30% for an existing one, an additional food preparation area within an establishment at $125, a tavern license at $160 with $50 for each additional tavern area (a health license, separate from the municipal alcohol license), and a soft drink stand or frozen confection license at $154. The Public Health Division's Business Licensing page states that information about the 2026-2027 fee schedule is coming soon. Contact the Environmental Health Unit at 920-448-6400.

Retail Food Establishment – Not Serving Meals License

A grocery, convenience store or other shop that sells food without serving meals, or a coffee shop licensed in that category, located in Brown County outside the City of De Pere needs this license from the Brown County Health & Human Services Public Health Division, issued as the State's agent under County Code ch. 37 and Wis. Stat. §97.41. The tier depends on the food handled: prepackaged only, simple with time/temperature-controlled-for-safety (TCS) foods, simple without TCS foods, moderate or complex. Under Wis. Stat. §97.41(5) each amount includes the State fee. The amounts are those in the "Rates and Fees" appendix of the Brown County 2026 Adopted Budget (adopted by the County Board on October 29, 2025), which County Code ch. 37 §37.07 makes the instrument for health license fees; health licenses run on a July 1 to June 30 license year. The 2027 Proposed Budget, published October 1, 2026, proposes a change to these health fees; the County Board votes on the budget in late October or early November. The budget also lists the pre-inspection fee of 40% of the license total for a new establishment and 30% for an existing one. A business in the City of De Pere is licensed by the De Pere health department, which the Wisconsin DHS directory lists as the county's second local health department. Contact the Environmental Health Unit at 920-448-6400.

Public Health Re-inspection, Late and Penalty Fees

These charges sit on top of the Brown County Public Health Division license fees for food establishments, pools and other establishment licenses in the county outside the City of De Pere. Per the Rates and Fees appendix of the 2026 Adopted Budget (adopted October 29, 2025), a re-inspection for non-compliance costs $150 the first time, $300 the second and $450 the third; the county's transient application explains these apply when a priority or critical violation is not corrected by the date set, and the third comes with a closure order. A food establishment without a Certified Food Manager on staff pays $150, or $255 if still out of compliance 12 months later. Operating without a valid Health Department license carries a $500 penalty, closure and re-opening of a licensed establishment costs $107, and an establishment license not renewed by July 1 carries a $150 late penalty. The 2027 Proposed Budget, published October 1, 2026, proposes a change to the closure / re-open fee. Contact the Environmental Health Unit at 920-448-6400.

Public Swimming Pool License

A fitness studio or gym that operates a public swimming pool in Brown County outside the City of De Pere needs a pool license from the Brown County Health & Human Services Public Health Division, which licenses recreational water as the State's agent (Wis. Stat. §97.615; County Code §37.08(2)(e) lists swimming pools); the division's Recreational Water page cites ATCP 76. A studio without a pool has no pool license. The amounts are those in the "Rates and Fees" appendix of the Brown County 2026 Adopted Budget (adopted by the County Board on October 29, 2025), which County Code ch. 37 §37.07 makes the instrument for health license fees; health licenses run on a July 1 to June 30 license year. The 2027 Proposed Budget, published October 1, 2026, proposes a change to these health fees; the County Board votes on the budget in late October or early November. Outdoor pools are $230 (simple), $280 (simple with features), $330 (moderate), $380 (moderate with features), $430 (complex) and $480 (complex with features); indoor pools are $310, $360, $410, $460, $510 and $560 for the same classes. The re-inspection, late and penalty fees in the separate record also apply to pool licensees. Contact the Environmental Health Unit at 920-448-6400.

Micro Market License

A business operating a micro market (an unstaffed self-service food market) in Brown County outside the City of De Pere is licensed by the Brown County Health & Human Services Public Health Division as the State's agent. The 2026 Adopted Budget, adopted by the County Board on October 29, 2025, lists the micro market license at $40, or $60 for 2 or more micro markets in the same building. Those are the amounts the Legislature set in Wis. Stat. §97.30(3s)(a) and (b), and §97.30(4)(b) has an applicant to an agent health department pay that fee. The 2027 Proposed Budget lists the same amounts. A store whose food sales go beyond a micro market needs the retail food not-serving-meals license instead. Contact the Environmental Health Unit at 920-448-6400.

Mobile Retail Food Establishment License

A food truck or other mobile retail food establishment licensed by Brown County gets this license from the Brown County Health & Human Services Public Health Division, acting as the State's agent under County Code ch. 37. The amounts are those in the "Rates and Fees" appendix of the Brown County 2026 Adopted Budget (adopted by the County Board on October 29, 2025), which County Code ch. 37 §37.07 makes the instrument for health license fees; health licenses run on a July 1 to June 30 license year. The 2027 Proposed Budget, published October 1, 2026, proposes a change to these health fees; the County Board votes on the budget in late October or early November. Units serving meals are licensed at $168 (prepackaged), $455 (simple), $590 (moderate) or $745 (complex); units not serving meals at $168 (prepackaged), $258 (simple, non-TCS), $285 (simple, TCS) or $328 (moderate). Each amount includes the State fee (Wis. Stat. §97.41(5)). Under ATCP 75.07(1), every mobile unit other than one operating only as a transient needs a licensed base. DATCP's Mobile and Transient Retail Food Establishments page states that these license types are transferable from one location to another, giving the example of a Sheboygan County license used in Marathon County without additional licensing, that local jurisdictions reserve the right to inspect a unit and charge an inspection fee, and that an operator whose mobile service base is in a different jurisdiction must first apply for the base license in that jurisdiction. Contact the Environmental Health Unit at 920-448-6400.

Transient Retail Food Establishment License (events)

A vendor selling food from a stand at a fair, festival or other event in Brown County outside the City of De Pere applies for a transient food establishment license to the Brown County Health & Human Services Public Health Division under County Code ch. 37. The county's 2026-2027 application (license "for the year ending June 30, 2027", posted April 6, 2026) lists $200 where food is temperature controlled for safety, $150 where it is not, $100 for prepackaged food and $250 for the Retail Food Base – No Catering license; these match the 2026 column of the Rates and Fees appendix of the 2026 Adopted Budget, adopted by the County Board on October 29, 2025. The application states that multiple stands operating at the same time require a separate license, that the license is not transferable, and that out-of-county operators must provide proof of a current food processing or retail food license. Each amount includes the State fee (Wis. Stat. §97.41(5)). The 2027 Proposed Budget, published October 1, 2026, proposes a change to these fees. DATCP's Mobile and Transient Retail Food Establishments page states that local jurisdictions reserve the right to inspect and charge an inspection fee to vendors licensed elsewhere. Contact the Environmental Health Unit at 920-448-6400.

Tattoo or Body-Piercing Establishment License

A salon or studio that offers tattooing or body piercing in Brown County outside the City of De Pere needs an establishment license from the Brown County Health & Human Services Public Health Division. The Department of Safety and Professional Services list of delegated agents for tattoo and body art establishment licensing (current as of 9/21/2026) names "County of Brown" and, separately, "City of De Pere, Brown County". Under Wis. Stat. §463.16(4) an agent local health department establishes and collects the license fee, and §463.16(9) folds the State fees into it. The division's Body Art page cites Wis. Admin. Code SPS 221. Per the Rates and Fees appendix of the 2026 Adopted Budget, adopted by the County Board on October 29, 2025, a tattoo or body piercing establishment is $238 and a combination tattoo and body piercing establishment is $362. The 2027 Proposed Budget, published October 1, 2026, proposes a change to these fees. A salon offering only hair, nail or skin services, without tattooing or piercing, needs no body-art license. Contact the Environmental Health Unit at 920-448-6400.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Brown County
Phone
920-448-6400

Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.

Sources

Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

  1. 2026 Adopted Budget page (links the appendices)Brown County Executive · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  2. Application for Transient Food Establishment License — license year ending June 30, 2027Brown County Health & Human Services, Public Health Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  3. Brown County 2026 Adopted Budget, Rates and Fees AppendixBrown County, Wisconsin · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-06
  4. Brown County 2027 Proposed Budget — Appendices, "Rates and Fees" (published October 1, 2026; proposed only)Brown County Executive · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  5. Brown County Code ch. 37 — Health licenses (§37.02 jurisdiction; §37.07 fees in the annual budget; §37.08), revised 04-16-2024Brown County · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  6. Business Licensing — Body Art (cites Wis. Admin. Code SPS 221)Brown County Health & Human Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  7. Business Licensing — Brown County Public HealthBrown County Health & Human Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  8. Business Licensing — Recreational WaterBrown County Health & Human Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  9. City of De Pere Health Department licence application (De Pere Municipal Code ch. 106)City of De Pere · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  10. Delegated Agents for Tattoo and Body Art Establishment Licensing and Inspection (current as of 9/21/2026)Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  11. Mobile and Transient Retail Food EstablishmentsWisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  12. Proceedings of the Brown County Board of Supervisors, October 29, 2025 — Item 21, final 2026 budget vote and levy resolutionBrown County Board of Supervisors · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  13. Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 75.07 — mobile retail food establishments and service basesWisconsin Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  14. Wis. Stat. §463.16 — local health department agents for tattoo and body-piercing establishmentsWisconsin Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  15. Wis. Stat. §97.30 — retail food establishments; micro market fees (sub. (3s)); fee paid to agent (sub. (4)(b))Wisconsin Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  16. Wis. Stat. §97.41 — agent local health departments; state fees included in license fees (sub. (5))Wisconsin Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  17. Wis. Stat. §97.615 — agent local health departments for lodging and recreational facilities; state fees included (sub. (2)(e))Wisconsin Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  18. Wisconsin Local Health Departments: Brown CountyWisconsin Department of Health Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07

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