Business Licensing & Operations in Dane County, WI (2026)
4 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 4 cities in Dane County, Wisconsin.
Verified from official government sources
Adult Entertainment
Dane County confines adult entertainment businesses to the AED overlay on M-I (Manufacturing and Industrial) zoned land and requires 1,000 feet of separation from churches, homes, schools, parks and other adult businesses under Sec. 10.301.
Dane County Adult Entertainment Spacing Rule
Significant RestrictionsDane County Code of Ordinances, ch. 10.301(5), (7)(a)
(5) Applicability. The overlay district shall apply only to lands zoned M-I, Manufacturing and Industrial. ... (7) Standards for siting of adult entertainment establishments. Adult entertainment establishments shall meet all of the following requirements: (a) Location of any particular adult entertainment establishment must be not less than 1,000 feet from any church, synagogue, temple, mosque ...
Tattoo & Body Modification
Dane County requires a license to operate a tattooing or body-piercing establishment and for every practitioner working in one, under Code ch. 48.13. The Public Health Madison and Dane County Department administers licensing, and unlicensed operation or unlicensed practitioners can each draw forfeitures of $25.00 to $500.00 per violation.
Dane County Tattoo and Body Piercing Licensing
Significant RestrictionsDane County Code of Ordinances, ch. 48.13(1)-(2)
48.13 REGULATION OF TATTOOING AND BODY-PIERCING; CONTINUED. It shall be a violation of this subchapter I for any person to: (1) Operate a tattooing establishment or a body-piercing establishment or a combined tattooing and body-piercing establishment unless a license for the establishment is first obtained under this subchapter I. (2) Operate a tattooing establishment or a body-piercing establi...
Tobacco Retail License
Dane County's smoking ordinance defines a 'retail electronic delivery device store' as a shop deriving 75% or more of its gross income from selling e-cigarettes and accessories, and § 34.07(8)(d) exempts such stores from the indoor smoking ban only if they allow in-store device sampling, keep an outside entrance, ban tobacco smoking, and serve no food.
Dane County Vape Shop Sampling Exemption
Light RestrictionsDane County Code of Ordinances § 34.07(3)(vm), (8)(d)
(vm) Retail electronic delivery device store means a retail establishment that does not have a "Class B" or "Class A" intoxicating liquor license or a "Class B" or "Class A" fermented malt beverages license and that generates seventy-five percent (75%) or more of its gross annual income from the retail sale of electronic delivery devices and accessories. ... (8) Exceptions. ... (d) Retail elect...
Secondhand Dealers
Dane County has no general secondhand-goods dealer license, but its zoning code regulates junk dealers directly: salvage operations must sit 100 feet from any residential district, hold a state motor vehicle salvage dealer's license, and pass an annual county inspection under Sec. 10.103(17).
Dane County Salvage Yard & Junkyard Licensing
Significant RestrictionsDane County Code of Ordinances, ch. 10.103(17)(a)-(c)
(17) Salvage operations. (a) Location and boundaries. 1. No salvage operation shall be located within one hundred (100) feet of the boundary of any residential district. 2. No salvage operation with outdoor operations shall be located within the zone of contribution to a municipal well, as shown in the most current adopted version of the Dane County Water Quality Plan. (b) License. 1. If applic...
Business Licensing & Operations by City in Dane County
4 cities in Dane County have their own business licensing & operations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
5 verified rules • Adult Entertainment, Massage Establishments
5 verified rules • Adult Entertainment, Massage Establishments
3 verified rules • Adult Entertainment, Pawnbrokers
6 verified rules • Adult Entertainment, Auto Repair on Residential Property
All Dane County ordinances
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