Information for Wisconsin Alcohol Beverage and Tobacco Retailers Publication 302
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(9) Operator’s Licenses and Permits (Bartender’s License)
• Authorizes an individual to make retail sales of alcohol beverages on behalf of a business holding a retail
alcohol beverage license.
• The Division of Alcohol Beverages may issue operator’s permits beginning January 1, 2025.
• An operator's license is valid only in the municipality where issued, however, a permit issued by the
Division of Alcohol Beverages is valid anywhere in the state.
• See section B (1) for more information on Responsible Beverage Server Training Course and licensed
premises supervision requirements.
4. OTHER LICENSES, PERMITS AND REGISTRATIONS
A. Seller's Permit
Every individual, partnership, corporation, or other organization that sells, leases, rents, or licenses tangible
personal property (e.g., alcohol beverages), taxable services and other taxable products in Wisconsin must have
a seller's permit, unless all sales are exempt from Wisconsin sales or use tax.
Example: A nonprofit organization's sales of tangible personal property, including alcohol beverages, taxable
services, and other taxable products are exempt from Wisconsin sales or use tax as occasional sales if (1) its
sales of taxable products do not occur on more than 75 days during the calendar year or taxable sales do not
exceed $50,000 for the calendar year, (2) entertainment at an admission event is not paid more than $10,000,
and (3) it does not hold a seller's permit. For more information about the occasional sales exemption for
nonprofit organizations, see Wisconsin Publication 206
, Sales Tax Exemptions for Nonprofit Organizations.
The alcohol beverage license and seller's permit must be issued in the same legal name (see exception below).
If the alcohol beverage license is issued to a partnership or corporation, the seller's permit must be also. A
limited liability company's (LLC) alcohol beverage license must be in the LLC's legal name, not the trade name
or owner's name.
Exception: If an alcohol beverage license is issued to an LLC,
disregarded for income tax purposes, with a single
member (owner), the LLC's seller's permit may be issued in the name of the single owner. If an LLC applies for
an alcohol beverage license and furnishes a seller's permit that is not in the legal name of the LLC, the
municipality should call DOR at (608) 266-2776 or email DORSalesandUse@wisconsin.gov
to verify whether the
seller's permit is valid for the LLC.
B. Federal Alcohol Dealer Registration
Before beginning business, every retail licensee must register as an alcohol dealer with the federal Department
of Treasury, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), using Form 5630.5d
. Once registered, any change
to legal name, trade name, address, premises location, telephone number, business type, or FEIN should be
reported before the subsequent July 1 using the same form.
5. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES
A. Unlicensed Premises Sales
The sale of alcohol beverages at an unlicensed premises is prohibited (see sec. 125.06, Wis. Stats., for a list of
exceptions).
"Sale," "sold," or "sell" includes the transfer, gift, barter, trade, exchange, or any shift, device, scheme, or other
transaction to obtain alcohol beverages.