foodservicenerd
Local permits & fees

Waukesha County, WI — Commercial Kitchen Permits

Waukesha County Department of Parks and Land Use - Environmental Health Division (licensing Agent of the WI Dept of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection / DATCP) · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.

Restaurant / food-facility permit

Retail Food Establishment License - Serving Meals
By complexity: Prepackaged $196; Simple $524; Moderate $622; Complex $742 (annual license). Separate one-time pre-inspection fee: $101 / $262 / $312 / $371 respectively

Waukesha County is a DATCP agent; fees are set on the county EH fee schedule for the agent program. The pre-inspection fee is a one-time charge before the first license is issued, in addition to the annual license fee.

Plan review — required

null - Plan review is required (when applicable) with a 30-day review timeframe, but a discrete plan-review fee is not listed on the retail-food fee schedule (the one-time pre-inspection fee, $101-$371 by complexity, applies). Confirm plan-review charges with the EH Division (262-896-8300).

Turnaround: 30-day plan review

Plan-review details & forms →

Food truck / mobile permit

Mobile Food Establishment License
Same schedule as stationary: Serving meals $196-$742; Not serving meals $45-$1,338 (by complexity), plus one-time pre-inspection fee

Mobile food establishments are licensed at the same complexity-based fees as fixed establishments under the DATCP agent program.

How to apply

Forms & applications

Watch out for

  • County acts as an Agent of WI DATCP; state complexity categories (prepackaged / simple / moderate / complex, TCS vs non-TCS) drive the fee.
  • Retail food NOT serving meals (grocery/market/bakery/tavern): Simple non-TCS $218; Simple TCS $338; Moderate $421; Complex $787-$1,338; Micro Market $45; On-Farm Sales $37.
  • Transient/temporary food stands: Retail TCS $165; Retail non-TCS $105; prepackaged TCS $105.
  • EH Division: 515 W Moreland Blvd, Suite AC260, Waukesha (262-896-8300).

Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction

CategoryAnnual feeNotes
caterer / commissarynull - not broken out as a distinct category on the DATCP-agent fee schedule; a caterer/commissary is licensed as a retail food establishment 'serving meals' by complexity (Prepackaged $196 / Simple $524 / Moderate $622 / Complex $742). Confirm classification with EH Division.No separate caterer/commissary line item published.
bakery / food processingRetail food NOT serving meals, by complexity: Prepackaged $196; Simple non-TCS $218; Simple TCS $338; Moderate $421; Complex $787-$1,338Retail bakeries fall under 'not serving meals' complexity tiers; pre-inspection fee applies separately.
bar / tavern / limited food serviceRetail food NOT serving meals: Simple non-TCS $218; Simple TCS $338 (tavern with limited food)Taverns are licensed on the 'not serving meals' schedule by complexity.
grocery / market with deliRetail food NOT serving meals: Simple TCS $338; Moderate $421; Complex $787-$1,338; Micro Market $45 ($68 for +2 in same building)A market with a deli/food prep may bump to a higher complexity or a 'serving meals' license.
temporary / seasonal / transientTransient retail TCS $165; transient retail non-TCS $105; transient retail prepackaged TCS $105Transient/temporary food stand categories.
pushcart / mobile vendingMobile Food Establishment - same as stationary by complexity: serving meals $196-$742; not serving meals $45-$1,338 (plus one-time pre-inspection fee)No separate mobile fee tier - mobile is licensed on the standard complexity schedule.
on-farm sales$37Distinct low-fee category on the Waukesha retail food schedule.
Wisconsin statewide rules
Who licenses you, reciprocity, and the state regime.
What equipment you need
Build a tailored equipment checklist for your concept.
Permits & plan review, explained
The stack of approvals before you open.
Sources: www.waukeshacounty.gov · www.waukeshacounty.gov · www.waukeshacounty.gov · observed 2026-08-07