Milwaukee County, WI Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required from
- Department head and tenant agency
- Max forfeiture
- $100 per offense (§ 23.11)
- Scope
- County buildings and grounds only
- Excludes
- County parks and airports (separate chapters)
Summary
Selling merchandise or services inside a Milwaukee County building or on its grounds requires written approval from the department head and tenant agency under Ch. 23: a permit rule for county property only, not city sidewalks.
No person shall sell or offer for sale any merchandise, article or services within county property, buildings and facilities, or upon the grounds thereof, without express written approval of the department head and the tenant agency.(2)Posting signs. The following signs shall be posted in prominent places of county property to read as follows: "Solicitation and sale of merchandise and services prohibited except by permission under chapter 23, County General Ordinances."
(3)Form of permit. Upon receipt of the consent of the department head, the person desiring to solicit or sell shall apply for a written permit which shall read as follows: PERMIT TO SELL OR SOLICIT
_____ 19___
Having the consent of the department head granted on ________ 19___, the below named
_____ (Insert name of person)
_____ (Name of organization, firm)
representing _____
is hereby permitted to sell to the general public and/or employes of the following departments _____
_____
_____ (List of departments)
in the ___________ building. This permit expires ________, 19___.
(Signed) _____ Department Head
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 112).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 23 of the Milwaukee County Code requires anyone who wants to sell merchandise, articles, or services, or solicit sales, on county-owned buildings, facilities, or grounds to first get written approval from the department head and the tenant agency, then apply for a signed permit naming the seller, the sponsoring organization, and the specific building. The rule covers courthouse-complex and county-office property; it explicitly excludes county parks (governed by Ch. 11/47) and the airports (Ch. 4), which have their own vending rules. It does not reach public streets or sidewalks, which the county's nineteen municipalities regulate on their own.
Violations & Fines
Selling or soliciting sales on county property without a permit draws a forfeiture up to $100 per offense under § 23.11, plus a $50 cash deposit and $6 penalty assessment, or up to 90 days in jail if unpaid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to sell things at the Milwaukee County Courthouse?
Does this cover street vending on public sidewalks?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Milwaukee County
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