Permits: Green Bay, WI

Running a vendor market in Green Bay.

To run a vendor market on Green Bay public property, the organizer applies for a Special Event permit at least 60 days ahead, with a $1,000,000 liability policy for small events. Vendors selling food need a Brown County Public Health transient license. Direct sellers in a special event don't need a city permit, and vendors need a Wisconsin seller's permit.

Updated October 11, 2026

Start your event free All cities

For the organizer

Event permit.

Special Event permit

The organizer submits the online Special Events Application with a map; the committee gives conditional approval, then the insurance certificate is approved before the permit is issued. The city bills police, fire and other services separately.

Who: Organizer
From: City of Green Bay Special Events Committee (Special Events Coordinator)
When: Events on public property such as parks, streets, sidewalks and rights-of-way that are open to the public. The city says events on private property are not Special Events under its policies.
Fee: Application fee by size: small event (all others) $50 for Green Bay residents, $75 for non-residents; medium $175 / $263; late application fee $25 to $138 depending on size
Timing: Submit at least 60 calendar days before the event start date

Official page

For the organizer

Fire safety, tents and cooking.

Tent permit

The guide says the Community and Economic Development Department issues tent permits (920-448-3300), and the Fire Department staffs special events at actual labor cost.

Who: Organizer
From: City of Green Bay Community and Economic Development Department
When: A tent over 400 sq ft, smaller tents totaling more than 400 sq ft within 12 feet of each other, open tents over 700 sq ft, or any tent or event using electricity

Official page

For the organizer

Other rules.

Insurance and hold harmless agreement

Small, medium and large events must carry commercial general liability of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence, workers' compensation, and liquor liability of $1,000,000 if beer or wine is served or sold. Special hazard events (such as fireworks) need $2,000,000 general liability. The city must be named additional insured.

Who: Organizer
From: City of Green Bay Risk Management
When: Small, medium and large events; simple events sign a hold harmless agreement without insurance

Official page

For your vendors

Vendor and business licenses.

Direct Seller permit (not required at special events and farmers markets)

The city says direct sellers who are part of a farmers market or other special event currently do not need a permit. A direct seller offering food needs a transient license from Brown County first, and food trucks also need a city license.

Who: Vendors
From: City of Green Bay Clerk's Office
When: Selling goods at a location other than a permanent place of business, such as a stand on city right-of-way

Official page

For your vendors

Sales tax.

Wisconsin seller's permit

Sellers register for a seller's permit online or on the Business Tax Registration application, then file sales tax returns. Vendors engaged in business with $2,000 or more of taxable sales in a calendar year must hold one. Permits last two years, seasonal sellers can get a permit valid only for the months they list, and out-of-state sellers at a Wisconsin event are liable for Wisconsin tax.

Who: Vendors
From: Wisconsin Department of Revenue
When: Vendors selling taxable merchandise at temporary events such as craft fairs, flea markets, farmers markets and festivals, unless their sales are exempt (for example, the occasional sale exemption).
Fee: The initial registration fee is $20 for new businesses and the renewal fee is $10

Official page

Sales tax on operator charges (booths, rentals, electricity)

Booth space rental alone is not taxable, but renting a free-standing booth, kiosk or other property, or charging for electricity, can be. Operators' taxable charges are subject to Wisconsin sales tax.

Who: Organizer
From: Wisconsin Department of Revenue
When: Operators who themselves sell taxable goods or services, or rent booths, kiosks, chairs or electricity to vendors.

Official page

For your vendors

Food vendors.

Transient Food Establishment License

The annual transient license expires June 30 each year, and a vendor running multiple stands at once needs a separate license for each. A vendor holding a state or other health department transient license does not need a Brown County license but pays an inspection fee.

Who: Vendors
From: Brown County Health and Human Services Department, Public Health Division
When: Food vendors at events in Brown County, including Green Bay
Fee: $100.00 prepackaged; $150.00 non-temperature-controlled; $200.00 temperature-controlled; $62.00 inspection fee for vendors licensed elsewhere

Official page

Organizer duty

What the rules ask of organizers about vendors.

Event operators must report every seller at a temporary event, including exempt sellers, to the Department of Revenue on Form S-240 within 10 days after the event ends, and the department asks for it before the event starts. A $200 penalty can apply for a first failure and $500 for each later one.

Official page

Timeline

When to apply.

Special Event permit: Submit at least 60 calendar days before the event start date

On bzar

Collect the paperwork with each application.

Ask vendors for their sales tax registration, business license, food permit and insurance certificate as required documents on your application form, so you can check them before you approve anyone. Booth fees, tickets and day-of check-in run from the same dashboard.

For vendors

Selling at markets in Green Bay, WI?

The vendor license, sales tax and food permits above are yours to get before the event; the organizer will usually ask for copies with your application. On bzar you apply to markets and pay booth fees by card in one place, and keep your licenses, permits and insurance certificates on file to reuse on every application. Free for vendors. Join bzar free or read how to become a market vendor.

Check with the agency

Where the sources are unclear.

The Special Event Guide's fee chart columns (resident, non-resident, late, first-time additional, location change, cancellation) were read from extracted PDF text; confirm the figure for your event size with the Special Events Coordinator.
The Wisconsin seller's permit and the promoter's duty to report sellers (Form S-240) come from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue; the state fee for registering is not stated on the pages read.
The Brown County transient license application is for the license year ending June 30, 2027 and is hosted on stayhealthybc.com, the county public health site linked from browncountywi.gov. The county's own retail food page on browncountywi.gov returned 404.

Questions

Common questions.

Do I need a permit to host a vendor market in Green Bay?

Special Event permit (City of Green Bay Special Events Committee (Special Events Coordinator)): The organizer submits the online Special Events Application with a map; the committee gives conditional approval, then the insurance certificate is approved before the permit is issued. The city bills police, fire and other services separately.

Do vendors need a license to sell at events in Green Bay?

Direct Seller permit (not required at special events and farmers markets) (City of Green Bay Clerk's Office): The city says direct sellers who are part of a farmers market or other special event currently do not need a permit. A direct seller offering food needs a transient license from Brown County first, and food trucks also need a city license.

Who handles sales tax at a market in Green Bay?

Wisconsin seller's permit (Wisconsin Department of Revenue): Sellers register for a seller's permit online or on the Business Tax Registration application, then file sales tax returns. Vendors engaged in business with $2,000 or more of taxable sales in a calendar year must hold one. Permits last two years, seasonal sellers can get a permit valid only for the months they list, and out-of-state sellers at a Wisconsin event are liable for Wisconsin tax. Sales tax on operator charges (booths, rentals, electricity) (Wisconsin Department of Revenue): Booth space rental alone is not taxable, but renting a free-standing booth, kiosk or other property, or charging for electricity, can be. Operators' taxable charges are subject to Wisconsin sales tax. For organizers: Event operators must report every seller at a temporary event, including exempt sellers, to the Department of Revenue on Form S-240 within 10 days after the event ends, and the department asks for it before the event starts. A $200 penalty can apply for a first failure and $500 for each later one.

Do food vendors need a separate permit in Green Bay?

Transient Food Establishment License (Brown County Health and Human Services Department, Public Health Division): The annual transient license expires June 30 each year, and a vendor running multiple stands at once needs a separate license for each. A vendor holding a state or other health department transient license does not need a Brown County license but pays an inspection fee.

How far ahead should I apply in Green Bay?

Special Event permit: Submit at least 60 calendar days before the event start date

Keep reading.

Permits in Madison, WIPermits in Milwaukee, WIWisconsin state rules: sales tax and cottage foodPermit checklist for Green BayWhat event permits cost across US citiesCollecting vendor insurance and permitsHow to host a vendor eventVendor application form template

Sources

Sources.

This page summarizes official government sources and isn't legal or tax advice. Rules, fees and forms change; confirm with each agency before you apply.

Special events contact: Special Events Coordinator, 920-448-3005, specialevents@greenbaywi.gov

Every fact on this page comes from these official pages, checked on 2026-10-11. Details change; tell us at hello@bzar.app if something here is out of date.

Free for organizers

Collect every vendor permit in one place.

bzar is free for organizers: vendor applications with required documents, booth payments, tickets and check-in in one dashboard.

Start your event free