Sales Tax in Clear Lake, Wisconsin in 2025

We'll walk you through how the sales tax rate is determined for Clear Lake and address some common questions you may have. We'll also cover how to collect, audit, and remit sales tax in Clear Lake.

Plus, we’ll share the best solution that will ensure you are always compliant across the entire sales tax lifecycle.

Disclaimer: Our sales tax data is updated on a quarterly basis.

Clear Lake Sales Tax Rate 2025

Clear Lake is located in Polk County in Wisconsin, United States, and has a sales tax rate of 5.50%. This includes local and state sales tax rates.

Here is the breakdown of the Clear Lake's sales tax:

Tax Jurisdiction	Sales Tax Rate
State Tax	5.00%
County Tax	0.50%
Combined Rate	5.50%

This rate applies to the following zip codes in Clear Lake:

District	Zip Codes	Combined Sales Tax Rate
Polk County	54005	5.50%

How Does the Clear Lake Sales Tax Compare to the Rest of Wisconsin?

Clear Lake’s 5.50% sales tax rate is 2.40% lower than the highest sales tax rate in Wisconsin, which stands at 7.90% in cities like Milwaukee.

It is 0.50% higher than the lowest sales tax rate in Wisconsin, which stands at 5.00% in cities like Big Bend.

To give you a better idea, here’s a comparison of Clear Lake sales tax rates with a few other cities in Wisconsin:

City	Sales Tax Rates
Milwaukee	7.90%
Cleveland	5.50%
Clear Lake	5.50%
Clayton	5.50%
Big Bend	5.00%

What Creates Sales Tax Nexus in Clear Lake?

Clear Lake has the same sales tax nexus rules as Wisconsin. It doesn’t have any separate regulations of its own.

Read More: Check out this detailed guide on Sales Tax in Wisconsin.

The following conditions can create a sales tax nexus in Clear Lake: 

• Physical Location: Businesses with employees or other personnel, a location, inventory, and other in-state business activities. 

• Events: An out-of-state seller making sales at a temporary event in Wisconsin must pay sales and use tax on taxable sales. After the tax year ends, they can inactivate their Wisconsin seller’s permit if no further business is conducted in the state. However, if no sales are made at the event but future sales are promoted, the seller remains liable for tax on Wisconsin sales through the end of the tax year. Sellers with an active permit are still responsible for Wisconsin sales tax.

• Economic Nexus: Out-of-state businesses whose gross sales of taxable goods and services exceed $100,000 in the previous or current year. 

What Products Are Exempt from Clear Lake Sales Tax?

The Wisconsin sales tax law grants tax exemptions for Clear Lake. The city doesn’t have any additional sales tax exemptions. 

These items are exempt from sales tax in Clear Lake:

• Drugs bought for treatment or prescribed by a physician.
• Medical devices and prosthetics devices, like hearing aids, including repair parts and accessories. 
• Most food and food ingredients, including frozen prepared food sold without utensils or consist of more than 50% yogurt. 
• Fuel oil, propane, coal, peat, fuel cubes produced from solid waste, or wood used for fuel, which is sold for residential use. Fuel and electricity sold for farming, agriculture, and horticulture. If you use both exempt and non-exempt fuel, you need to get a Wisconsin sales tax exemption certificate.
• Newspapers and periodicals issued with at least 6-month intervals and sold through subscriptions.
• Repair and alteration services of aircraft and its required parts.
• Animal identification tags sold by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection.
• Water delivered by utilities, government agencies, and others through mains. 
• Tangible personal property sold for farming purposes, like tractors.

Who Needs a Sales Permit in Clear Lake?

A sales permit or seller’s permit is usually granted by the state. 

Any individual, corporation, or business planning to sell, lease, or rent out taxable products and services must apply for a sales permit. If you have a history of tax non-payments, the Department of Revenue may ask for a security deposit of up to $15,000. 

Remember to apply for one at least three weeks before you start your business, even if you buy an existing business. 

You can register online through the Department of Revenue's Online Business Tax Registration or the Streamlined Sales Tax Governing Board's website. Or, you can fill out Form BTR-101 and send it to the Department of Revenue. 

How to Collect Sales Tax in Clear Lake

Wisconsin is a “destination-based” sales tax sourcing state. So when you make taxable sales to an address in Clear Lake from inside or outside the state, you should charge the combined sales tax (of state and local taxes) rate at the buyer’s ship-to address.

Learn more about origin-based and destination-based sales tax sourcing here.

How to File and Pay Sales Tax in Clear Lake

Here are some ways you can file and pay Clear Lake sales tax returns:

• File and pay online: File at MyTaxAccount

• Telefile: Call (608) 261-5340 (Madison) or (414) 227-3895 (Milwaukee) to telefile.

• Or, embrace stress-free sales tax management with Zamp. 

Our streamlined onboarding, accurate calculations, proactive nexus monitoring, and hassle-free click-to-approve filings allow us to manage all your sales tax obligations throughout the United States.