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15 permits · verified 2026-10-07

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

In short

A restaurant in Brown County Wi, WI has 3 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 12 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Corporate and Consumer Services charges $100 one-time filing, on paper or online for the articles of incorporation. 9 of the 15 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-07 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a restaurant in Brown County Wi

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
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
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
Retail Food Establishment LicenseWisconsin 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 agentannual, expiring 30 June2026-09-03
Certified Food Protection Manageronly if it applies to youWisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Division of Food and Recreational SafetyNo fee5 years2026-09-03

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

Local permits that apply to every type of business in Brown County Wi

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Emergency Alarm User Permit (burglar and hold-up alarms)only if it applies to youBrown County ClerkVaries — formula on the Brown County Wi pageone year; renew by January 1 each year (County Code §30.03(3)(b))2026-10-07
County Trunk Highway Access (Driveway) Permitonly if it applies to youBrown County Highway DepartmentVaries — formula on the Brown County Wi pageone-time, per access point2026-10-07
Sanitary Permit — Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (areas without public sewer)only if it applies to youBrown County Planning and Land Services Department, ZoningVaries — formula on the Brown County Wi pagevalid two years from the date of issue, renewable (County Code §11.07(1)(c))2026-10-07
Shoreland Permit — Commercial, Industrial or Manufacturing Structure (unincorporated shorelands and Bellevue)only if it applies to youBrown County Planning and Land Services Department, ZoningVaries — formula on the Brown County Wi pageone-time, per project2026-10-07
County Trunk Highway Building Setback Permit (towns)only if it applies to youBrown County Highway DepartmentVaries — formula on the Brown County Wi pageper project; work must be completed within one year2026-10-07

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

WI registrations that apply to every type of business

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youWisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Corporate and Consumer Services$100 one-time filing, on paper or onlineperpetual, but an annual report is due each year2026-09-03
General Business License — Wisconsin positiononly if it applies to youWisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Corporate and Consumer ServicesNo feenot applicable2026-09-03
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youWisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Corporate and Consumer Services$130 one-time online filing plus a $1 portal fee; $170 on paperperpetual, but an annual report is due each year2026-09-03
Annual Reportonly if it applies to youWisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Corporate and Consumer Services$25 a year online; $40 on paper, which is the $25 plus a $15 paper surchargeannual — due at the end of the calendar quarter containing the anniversary of formation2026-09-03
Seller's Permit and Business Tax RegistrationWisconsin Department of Revenue$20 initial registration covering two years; $10 to renew each two-year period2 years2026-09-03

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

How much does it actually cost to permit a restaurant in Brown County Wi?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 15 records listed for a restaurant in Brown County Wi, WI, 3 apply to every business of this type and 12 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

Of the 3 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $20.00. That is a floor, not a total. 9 of the 15 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 2 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Retail Food Establishment – Serving Meals License: $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))

Public Health Re-inspection, Late and Penalty Fees: 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.

Transient Retail Food Establishment License (events): $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))

Retail Food Establishment License: $105–$1,457.35 a year — $105 to $540 from the state, more where a local health department is the licensing agent

The other 5 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Brown County Wi permits page and the WI state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Brown County Wi?

Permits for a restaurant in Brown County Wi, WI come from 7 separate offices: Brown County Clerk, Brown County Highway Department, Brown County Health & Human Services, Public Health Division (Environmental Health Unit), Brown County Planning and Land Services Department, Zoning, 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 Revenue. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.

What does a restaurant need in Brown County Wi that other businesses do not?

Shared with other businesses in Brown County Wi

  • Retail Food Establishment – Serving Meals License — Brown 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 1. Also required for coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • 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 coffee shops, food trucks, retail stores, fitness studios and salons and barbers; what it involves is set out on the salons and barbers page.
  • Transient Retail Food Establishment License (events) — Brown 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 annually. Also required for food trucks and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the food trucks 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 coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Certified Food Protection Manager — Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Division of Food and Recreational Safety, No fee, 5 years. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.

The other 5 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Brown County Wi, WI; what each one involves is set out on the Brown County Wi permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across WI and are covered on the WI state page.

How does a restaurant compare with other businesses in Brown County Wi?

The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 5 of these permits. A coffee shop needs Retail Food Establishment – Not Serving Meals License, which a restaurant does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Brown County Wi, WI, compared with a restaurant
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a restaurantOnly a restaurant needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops6501
Food trucks6412
Fitness studios2141
Retail stores3142
Salons and barbers3142
Auto repair shops1051
Childcare centres1051
Contractors and trades4054
Veterinary clinics1051

Sources

Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the coffee shops page, salons and barbers page and food trucks page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Brown County Wi permits page and the WI state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

    Related

    Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.