Wisconsin — statewide
Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, Division of Industry Services
In short
Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, Division of Industry Services issues 2 permits we publish for Wisconsin — statewide, last verified 2026-09-03. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.
What this agency issues
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwelling Contractor Certificationonly if it applies to you | Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, Division of Industry Services | $25 credential fee, initial and annual renewal alike; a first application adds a $15 application fee | renews on the date of issuance | 2026-09-03 |
| General Contractor Licensing — Wisconsin Trades Credential Listonly if it applies to you | Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, Division of Industry Services | No fee | not applicable | 2026-09-03 |
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
Dwelling Contractor Certification
Two credentials that interlock rather than substitute. The dwelling contractor certification is the business's — it is what lets a firm contract for work on one- and two-family dwellings and pull building permits — and the business must additionally hold, or employ someone who holds, the individual dwelling contractor qualifier credential, which renews at $30 and requires a twelve-hour approved course within the year before applying. The money that matters is not the fee: the business must show financial responsibility of at least $25,000 by bond or insurance, plus liability cover of at least $250,000 per occurrence. The department's credential fee table sets the initial fee for the business certification at $25 plus a $15 application fee, and for the qualifier credential at $30 plus a $15 application fee. Reinstatement is $200. Note this reaches residential work only; the department's trades fee table lists no general or commercial building contractor credential.
General Contractor Licensing — Wisconsin Trades Credential List
No fee is recorded. The Department of Safety and Professional Services' published table of trades credential fees lists every contractor credential the department issues — automatic fire sprinkler contractor and its maintenance variant, dwelling contractor and dwelling contractor restricted, electrical, elevator, HVAC and utility contractor — and that table lists no general or commercial building contractor credential. On that schedule, state-level contractor credentialing reaches residential work on one- and two-family dwellings, through the dwelling contractor scheme, and the specific trades. A commercial project still needs plan review and permits, and any electrical, plumbing, HVAC, fire sprinkler or elevator work must be done by the relevant licensed trade. Municipalities may register contractors separately.
Contact
- Jurisdiction
- Wisconsin — statewide
- Phone
- (608) 266-2112
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.
- Wisconsin DSPS — credential fees and renewal dates (business and health credentials)Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
- Wisconsin DSPS form 3096 — dwelling contractor certification, with the financial responsibility requirementsWisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
Other Wisconsin statewide offices
- Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Corporate and Consumer Services
- Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Division of Food and Recreational Safety
- Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Bureau of Consumer Protection
- Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, Bureau of Early Care Regulation
- Wisconsin Department of Revenue
- Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, Barbering and Cosmetology Examining Board
- Wisconsin Veterinary Examining Board
Wisconsin jurisdictions
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.