Business Licensing & Operations in De Pere, WI

Every city handles business licensing & operations a little differently. In De Pere, Wisconsin, there are 7 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Pawnbrokers

Pawnbrokers in De Pere need a city license issued under Wis. Stat. § 134.71(7)(a), granted only after a ten-year criminal background check and, for pawnbrokers specifically, a $500 bond with at least two sureties. Sec. 110-6 sets the license terms, running each calendar year from January 1 through December 31, with the fee set by council resolution.

Key details: Bond required: $500 with two sureties, Sec. 110-6(c)(1)b. Criminal lookback: 10 years, felony/related misdemeanor. License term: January 1 to December 31. Transferability: License may not be transferred. Reporting duty: Daily reportable-transaction feed to police.

Failing to comply with any provision of Sec. 110-6, including the $500 bond requirement, the daily police reporting duty, or the transfer restriction on the license itself, is a violation of the chapter punishable under the general penalty schedule in Sec. 1-11 and as further set by resolution of the common council. A pawnbroker whose system cannot transmit required transaction data also faces a daily reporting-failure fee that accrues until the malfunction is corrected.

Secondhand Dealers

Secondhand article and secondhand jewelry dealers in De Pere are licensed under the same Sec. 110-6 that covers pawnbrokers, but carry their own recordkeeping duties: a digitized photo of nearly every item bought or sold, kept at least 90 days, and a daily transaction report to police, with a two-year license for dealer malls and flea markets.

Key details: Photo retention: Minimum 90 days, Sec. 110-6(d). Reporting frequency: Daily to police department. Small-dealer exception: Under 200 transactions/year, paper forms allowed. Mall/flea market license: 2 years, May 1 to April 30. Photo size: At least 2 by 2 inches.

Failing to comply with any Sec. 110-6 requirement, including the 90-day digital photo retention rule or the daily police reporting duty, is a violation of the chapter, punishable under the general penalty schedule in Sec. 1-11 and as further set by council resolution. A dealer whose reporting system fails and is not fixed by the next business day also owes a daily reporting-failure fee until the error is corrected.

Auto Repair on Residential Property

De Pere's zoning ordinance flatly bans vehicle repair as a home occupation. Section 14-78(8)(c)5.a lists assembly, cleaning, maintenance or repair of vehicles or equipment with internal combustion engines among the uses expressly prohibited from operating out of a residence, alongside repair of large household appliances.

Key details: Vehicle repair: Banned as a home occupation. Applies to: Both Type A and Type B alike. Also banned: Large-appliance repair at home. Storage rule: No outdoor vehicle or parts storage. Where allowed: Commercial or industrial zoned property.

Running any vehicle or internal-combustion-engine repair operation from a residence violates Section 14-78(8)(c)5.a and is an unlawful land use under Section 14-151(1)(a). The development services director enforces the ban under Section 14-150, can withhold or revoke any related permit under Section 14-152(2), and the city may issue a municipal citation under Section 1-11 of the municipal code per Section 14-152(3); each day the operation continues after notice is a separate offense under Section 14-151(2).

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. De Pere actively enforces its auto repair on residential property requirements.

Towing Companies

De Pere lets a traffic officer order a vehicle towed from a street, parking facility or private property for specific violations like blocking traffic or a posted tow-away zone, and the owner gets it back by paying a reasonable towing and storage fee under Section 150-9.

Key details: Who can order a tow: Any traffic officer. Emergency grounds: Blocking traffic, tow-away zone, emergency access. Private-property tows: Require a written complaint from the owner. Owner notice: Citation attached to vehicle, then served. Vehicle release: Pay reasonable towing and storage fee.

A parking violation that triggers a tow under Section 150-9 draws, on top of the reasonable towing and storage fee owed to release the vehicle, the forfeiture the common council sets by resolution for the underlying parking violation, plus court costs; an owner who disputes the tow can challenge its reasonableness at the return date printed on the municipal court citation.

Tobacco Retail License

De Pere requires a city license to sell cigarettes and other tobacco products in the city, with the fee set by resolution of the common council. Sec. 8-3(c) bars retailers from selling loose cigarettes, known locally as "loosies," and from giving away cigarettes, tobacco or vapor products free of charge, adding local restrictions on top of the state law it adopts by reference.

Key details: License required: City license for tobacco/vapor sale, Sec. 110-4. Loose cigarette sales: Prohibited ('loosies'), Sec. 8-3(c)(2)a. Free giveaways: Prohibited for cigarettes/tobacco/vapor. State law adopted: Wis. Stat. §§ 134.65, 134.66. Penalty: Forfeiture, each day a separate offense.

Violating the loosie-sale ban, the free-tobacco-giveaway ban, or the underage-sale verification rule in Sec. 8-3 draws a forfeiture set by resolution of the common council, and each day the violation is allowed to continue counts as a separate offense under Sec. 8-3(e). A retailer also risks losing the Sec. 110-4 tobacco license itself if the common council acts on repeated violations.

Adult Entertainment

De Pere requires a license from the city before any sexually oriented adult entertainment establishment can operate, covering adult bookstores, cabarets, adult motion picture theaters, adult massage parlors and similar businesses. Sec. 110-5 sets licensing, background-check and facility standards, with violations punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 per offense and possible license revocation.

Key details: License required: Before operating any adult establishment, Sec. 110-5(c). Maximum fine: Up to $1,000 per violation, Sec. 110-5(o). License term: Expires December 31 each year. Disqualifying history: Sex/moral turpitude convictions within 5 years. Department review: Police, health, building, planning within 14 days.

Anyone found to have violated Sec. 110-5, including an operator responsible for an employee's violation, faces a fine of up to $1,000 per violation, and any violation continuing more than 24 hours counts as a separate offense. The common council may also suspend a license for up to six months, revoke it, or decline to renew it after written notice and a hearing before the license committee, and a licensee whose registration is revoked cannot reapply for the same license type.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. De Pere actively enforces its adult entertainment requirements.

Tattoo & Body Modification

De Pere does not run its own tattoo code: City Code § 106-4(b) adopts Wisconsin's tattoo and body piercing rules, Wis. Admin. Code ch. SPS 221, by reference and requires every studio to hold a city license before opening. The city health department collects fees and inspects licensed shops at least once a year.

Key details: State code adopted: Wis. Admin. Code ch. SPS 221. Practitioner license: Issued by the state, not the city. Inspection frequency: At least once per year. Appeal body: Board of health. Fees: Set by common council resolution.

Operating a tattoo or body-piercing establishment without the city health department license required by § 106-4(b)(2), letting the license lapse, or transferring it to a new owner without city approval violates the chapter. The city can suspend or revoke the license under § 106-2(l), and every violation carries the forfeiture set by resolution of the common council under § 106-7, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.

The Bottom Line

De Pere is tougher than many cities when it comes to business licensing & operations. Out of the 7 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in De Pere, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

This guide is based on De Pere's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.