What permits do you need to open a food truck in Brown County Wi?

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.

Food Truck at County Park Commercial Events — Daily Fee

A food truck that sells at a commercial event held in a Brown County park pays the Parks Department a daily fee. The Rates and Fees appendix of the 2026 Adopted Budget (adopted by the County Board on October 29, 2025) lists "Food Trucks that Request to be at Commercial Events, not on Preferred Caterers List (must have current license)" at $50 per day. The 2027 Proposed Budget keeps the $50 daily amount and relabels the line "Food Trucks that are approved to be at events". The truck still needs its own food license (a mobile or transient retail food license). The budget's separate $50 commercial event application fee is charged per event to the event organiser. The line sits in the Parks section of the budget, which covers county parks and the fairgrounds.

Certified Food Protection Manager

No state fee and no state certificate — an accredited exam provider issues it and sets the price, which is a real contrast with states that run a registry and charge for it. Most licensed food establishments need at least one certified manager, but the exemptions are broader than usual: prepackaged retail establishments whether or not they serve meals, operations handling only fresh fruit or produce, transient events and micro markets are all outside it. A new establishment or one changing operator has ninety days to have a certified manager in place, and the certificate must be posted in public view. A small operator with five or fewer food handlers may recertify through an approved short course rather than sitting the full exam, provided they do it within ninety days of expiry; past that, everyone retakes the exam.

Shared with other businesses in Brown County Wi

• Public Health Re-inspection, Late and Penalty Fees — Brown 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 happens. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores, fitness studios and salons and barbers; what it involves is set out on the salons and barbers page.
• Retail Food Establishment License — Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Division of Food and Recreational Safety, $105–$1,457.35 a year — $105 to $540 from the state, more where a local health department is the licensing agent, annual, expiring 30 June. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.