Commercial Compliance Hub
Check requirements

15 permits · verified 2026-10-07

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

In short

A restaurant in Racine County, 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 Racine County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Retail Food Establishment License — Serving MealsRacine County Public Health Division, Environmental Health (Human Services Department)$237–$864 license fee per establishment per license year, by complexity: Prepackaged (TCS) $237; Simple $375; Moderate $644; Complex $864. A new establishment also pays a pre-license inspection fee ($167 / $298 / $372 / $447) and a plan review fee ($54 / $72 / $214 / $250)annual; expires June 30 each year, and a license issued for a new establishment on or after March 30 and before July 1 expires June 30 of the following year (Wis. Stat. § 97.30(2)(a))2026-10-07
Transient Retail Food Establishment License (special events)only if it applies to youRacine County Public Health Division, Environmental Health (Human Services Department)$127–$230 per transient license: non-TCS food $127; TCS food $230; prepackaged TCS food only $127per transient operation at a special event, for no more than 14 consecutive days, or with an occasional sales promotion2026-10-07
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 Racine County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
County Zoning Permit — Commercial, Recreational and Institutional (Towns of Burlington, Dover, Norway and Waterford)only if it applies to youRacine County Public Works & Development Services, Development ServicesVaries — formula on the Racine County pageexpires within nine months unless substantial work has commenced and is continuing; one extension for a like period on request and payment of the fee before expiry (County Code § 20-83)2026-10-07
County Sign Permit (Towns of Burlington, Dover, Norway and Waterford)only if it applies to youRacine County Public Works & Development Services, Development ServicesVaries — formula on the Racine County pageone-time, per sign2026-10-07
Zoning Occupancy Permit (Towns of Burlington, Dover, Norway and Waterford)only if it applies to youRacine County Public Works & Development Services, Development ServicesVaries — formula on the Racine County pageone-time, issued when the building or premises and the proposed use conform to the zoning ordinance (County Code §§ 20-102, 20-103)2026-10-07
Sanitary Permit — Private Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (areas not served by public sewer)only if it applies to youRacine County Public Works & Development Services, Development ServicesVaries — formula on the Racine County pagevalid for two years from the date of issue; renewable on written application and fee before expiry (County Code § 19-72)2026-10-07
Conditional Use, Rezoning, Variance and Site Plan Review (Towns of Burlington, Dover, Norway and Waterford)only if it applies to youRacine County Public Works & Development Services, Development ServicesVaries — formula on the Racine County pageone-time, per application2026-10-07
County Trunk Highway Access (Driveway) Permit — Commercialonly if it applies to youRacine County Public Works & Development Services, Public Works (Highway Permits)Varies — formula on the Racine County pageone-time, per access permit2026-10-07

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 Racine County?

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 Racine County, 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 License — Serving Meals: $237–$864 license fee per establishment per license year, by complexity: Prepackaged (TCS) $237; Simple $375; Moderate $644; Complex $864. A new establishment also pays a pre-license inspection fee ($167 / $298 / $372 / $447) and a plan review fee ($54 / $72 / $214 / $250)

Transient Retail Food Establishment License (special events): $127–$230 per transient license: non-TCS food $127; TCS food $230; prepackaged TCS food only $127

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 6 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Racine County permits page and the WI state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Racine County?

Permits for a restaurant in Racine County, WI come from 6 separate offices: Racine County Public Works & Development Services, Development Services, Racine County Public Health Division, Environmental Health (Human Services Department), Racine County Public Works & Development Services, Public Works (Highway Permits), 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 Racine County that other businesses do not?

Retail Food Establishment License — Serving Meals

A restaurant or coffee shop that serves meals anywhere in Racine County outside the City of Racine needs a retail food establishment license from the Racine County Public Health Division, which issues it as the State's agent under County Code § 21-13 and Wis. Stat. § 97.41. Inside the City of Racine the City of Racine Public Health Department licenses food businesses instead. Per the Division's April 2026 - March 2027 Environmental Health fee schedule (posted April 13, 2026, and linked as 'License and Inspection Fees' from the Division's License and Applications page), the license fee is $237 for Prepackaged (TCS), $375 Simple, $644 Moderate and $864 Complex; a new establishment also pays a pre-license inspection fee of $167, $298, $372 or $447 and a plan review fee of $54, $72, $214 or $250 for the same tiers. The same figures appear in the '2026 Fee' column of the county's Proposed Fee Schedule for the 2027 fiscal year; that proposal would raise most license and pre-license fees by roughly 2% and has not been adopted. County Code § 21-18(c) sets these fees through the annual budget process or the board of health. The schedule also lists $942 for operating a food establishment without a permit (plus the pre-license inspection and permit fees), $190 for operating without a Certified Restaurant Manager when one is required, a $125 late fee and a $25 NSF fee. Licenses expire June 30 under Wis. Stat. § 97.30(2)(a). Contact the Division at 262-898-4460.

Shared with other businesses in Racine County

  • Transient Retail Food Establishment License (special events) — Racine County Public Health Division, Environmental Health (Human Services Department), $127–$230 per transient license: non-TCS food $127; TCS food $230; prepackaged TCS food only $127, per transient operation at a special event, for no more than 14 consecutive days, or with an occasional sales promotion. Also required for food trucks; 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 6 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Racine County, WI; what each one involves is set out on the Racine County 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 Racine County?

The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 3 of these permits. A restaurant also needs Transient Retail Food Establishment License (special events). A coffee shop needs Retail Food Establishment License — Not Serving Meals, which a restaurant does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Racine County, WI, compared with a restaurant
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a restaurantOnly a restaurant needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops4311
Food trucks6313
Auto repair shops1041
Childcare centres1041
Contractors and trades3043
Fitness studios2042
Retail stores1041
Salons and barbers3043
Veterinary clinics2042

Sources

Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the food trucks page and coffee shops page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Racine County permits page and the WI state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. April 2026 - March 2027 Racine County Public Health Division - Environmental Health Fees (posted April 13, 2026)Racine County Public Health Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  2. Racine County Code ch. 21, Public Health (§§ 21-1, 21-7, 21-13, 21-15, 21-16, 21-17, 21-18; Ord. No. 2021-71), Municode Supp. 33Racine County (Municode) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  3. Environmental Health — License and Applications (links the 'License and Inspection Fees' schedule)Racine County Public Health Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  4. 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
  5. Local Health Departments — Racine County (Racine County Public Health Division and City of Racine Public Health Department)Wisconsin Department of Health Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07
  6. Proposed Fee Schedule for 2027 fiscal year ('2026 Fee' and '2027 Fee' columns; posted September 22, 2026)Racine County · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-07

Related

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