City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) - Consumer Environmental Health (licensing issued by City Clerk License Division). NOTE: Wisconsin food establishments are licensed at the municipal/state level, not by Milwaukee County; MHD covers the City of Milwaukee (the county's largest jurisdiction). Suburban Milwaukee County municipalities license through their own agents or WI DATCP/DHS. · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Milwaukee County food-facility health permits run about $605–$1,985 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Confirm the exact amount with City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) - Consumer Environmental Health (licensing issued by City Clerk License Division). NOTE: Wisconsin food establishments are licensed at the municipal/state level, not by Milwaukee County; MHD covers the City of Milwaukee (the county's largest jurisdiction). Suburban Milwaukee County municipalities license through their own agents or WI DATCP/DHS. before you budget.
Confirm the authority for your exact address. Some cities run their own health division, and building, planning, fire, sewer/grease and business-license approvals are separate even when City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) - Consumer Environmental Health (licensing issued by City Clerk License Division). NOTE: Wisconsin food establishments are licensed at the municipal/state level, not by Milwaukee County; MHD covers the City of Milwaukee (the county's largest jurisdiction). Suburban Milwaukee County municipalities license through their own agents or WI DATCP/DHS. issues the health permit.
Cities with their own health department: Milwaukee, West Allis, Wauwatosa, South Milwaukee, Greenfield, Franklin, Oak Creek, Cudahy. Food businesses inside these cities apply to the city health department (with its own fees and rules), not Milwaukee County. Confirm which authority covers your exact address.
About 2,106 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 916,205. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
Last verified: 2026-08-17 — we re-confirmed the serving authority, its contact, and that the fees below match the current published schedule. Fee schedules may carry an earlier effective date (shown per fee); local ordinances & amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date? Report an update →
Restaurant / food-facility permit
Food Dealer License
Restaurant/food-serving establishment by annual gross sales:
<
=$20,000: $605
$20,001-$200,000: $920
$200,001-$2,000,000: $1,440
$2,000,001+: $1,985. Plus non-refundable $385 application fee
(Prepackaged food $250
Bed &
Breakfast $200
additional site $100.)
Application fee ($385) due at application; license fee due after Health Department approval; Retail-only (grocery/market) tiers are lower ($230-$1,005); License expires 1 year from issuance; Issued by Office of the City Clerk License Division (414-286-2238)
Plan review — required
No separate plan-review fee
included in the Food License Application Fee collected by the License Division
Turnaround: License issuance typically several weeks from application; overall processing may run 3-8 weeks or longer; A pre-opening inspection is required prior to opening
City of Milwaukee Health Dept and DATCP inspect under the Wisconsin Food Code; no letter grade. Inspection reports posted online.
Inspection scores & grading
Grading system: violation-based (priority / priority foundation / core). City of Milwaukee Health Department – Consumer Environmental Health inspects food establishments within the city; suburban municipalities run their own or contracted programs. Reports (searchable online by name, ZIP or aldermanic district) follow FDA categories – priority, priority-foundation and core items (since Jan 2017). No letter grade or numeric score.
Mobile Food Establishment (MFE) / Mobile Food Peddler License
Mobile Peddler Food Base license:
$175 (per City Clerk food dealer fee list)
Mobile food establishment plan review reported at $200 (WebSearch, not directly confirmed on .gov)
Food peddler supplemental license reported ~$350
MFE plan review through MHD is the required first step; food peddler/mobile license through City Clerk; Mobile fee amounts other than the $175 base could not be directly verified on an official .gov page
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Milwaukee County’s permit cost compares
At about $605/year, Milwaukee County’s restaurant health permit is above the Wisconsin median ($159) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 99% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 18th-lowest of 18 Wisconsin counties by permit cost.
Comparison uses the lowest published annual restaurant-permit figure in each county; confirm your exact tier with the department.
Local food-service market
About 2,106 food & drinking establishments serve ~916,205 residents in Milwaukee County — one per ~435 residents, sparser than the Wisconsin average (one per ~430).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$605 annual health permit.
Plus building, fire, and business-license fees that vary locally — use the cost calculators and the checklist below to budget the full stack.
The full approval stack
A code-compliant kitchen in Milwaukee County needs more than the health permit — these approvals are handled by separate offices. Confirm current requirements with each.
Requires WI DATCP Processing Plant or Food Warehouse license (state), not a city food dealer license
Temporary event food license
—
Separate temporary event food dealer license (ccl-foodtemp)
Equipment your Milwaukee County plan review will check
Health-department plan review looks for specific, code-compliant fixtures. Compare spec-filtered options, then confirm counts and sizes with your local requirements. See the full list in what equipment a commercial kitchen requires.
Restaurant/food-serving establishment by annual gross sales: <=$20,000: $605; $20,001-$200,000: $920; $200,001-$2,000,000: $1,440; $2,000,001+: $1,985. Plus non-refundable $385 application fee; (Prepackaged food $250; Bed & Breakfast $200; additional site $100.) These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Milwaukee County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: No separate plan-review fee; included in the Food License Application Fee collected by the License Division
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Milwaukee County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. MFE plan review through MHD is the required first step; food peddler/mobile license through City Clerk; Mobile fee amounts other than the $175 base could not be directly verified on an official .gov page
Who issues food permits in Milwaukee County?
Food permits here are issued by City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) - Consumer Environmental Health (licensing issued by City Clerk License Division). NOTE: Wisconsin food establishments are licensed at the municipal/state level, not by Milwaukee County; MHD covers the City of Milwaukee (the county's largest jurisdiction). Suburban Milwaukee County municipalities license through their own agents or WI DATCP/DHS.. See the department site for current details.
Are city building and fire approvals separate?
Yes — building, plumbing, mechanical and fire approvals are always separate from the health permit and are often handled by different offices.
Published by Resultex Media Group LLC · Independent & vendor-neutral · Educational only, not legal or engineering advice · Last verified September 2026