Sales Tax in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 2025

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

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.

Milwaukee Sales Tax Rate 2025

Milwaukee is located in Wisconsin, United States. Its minimum sales tax rate is 7.00%, and its maximum sales tax rate is 7.90%. These rates include local and state sales tax rates.

Here is how the Milwaukee sales tax rates breaks down:

Tax Jurisdiction	Min. Rate	Max. Rate
State Tax	5.00%	5.00%
County Tax	0.00%	0.90%
City Tax	2.00%	2.00%
Combined Rate	7.00%	7.90%

County Sales Tax in Milwaukee

Milwaukee overlaps with 3 counties in Wisconsin. Below, you can see the county sales tax rates for each one:

County	Sales Tax Rate
Waukesha County	0.00%
Washington County	0.50%
Milwaukee County	0.90%

Sales Tax Rates in Milwaukee by Zip Codes and Districts

Below are the sales tax rates in Milwaukee broken down by districts and zip codes:

District	Zip Codes	Combined Sales Tax Rate
WAUKESHA COUNTY|MILWAUKEE CITY	53051, 53225	7.00%
WASHINGTON COUNTY|MILWAUKEE CITY	53097, 53022	7.50%
MILWAUKEE COUNTY|MILWAUKEE CITY	53215, 53233, 53097, 53295, 53222, 53228, 53202, 53209, 53204, 53110, 53205, 53216, 53213, 53226, 53154, 53210, 53224, 53218, 53207, 53208, 53211, 53212, 53092, 53217, 53221, 53219, 53227, 53220, 53206, 53203, 53225, 53235, 53214, 53223	7.90%

How Does the Milwaukee Sales Tax Compare to the Rest of Wisconsin?

The maximum sales tax rate in Milwaukee (7.90%) is also the highest in Wisconsin. It is 2.90% higher than the lowest sales tax rate in Wisconsin, which is 5.00% in Pewaukee, among other places.

The minimum sales tax rate in Milwaukee (7.00%) is 2.00% higher than the lowest rate and 0.90% lower than the highest rate.

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

City	Sales Tax Rates
Pewaukee	5.00%
Lac La Belle	5.00%-5.50%
Rewey	5.50%
Fox Point	5.90%
Milwaukee	7.00%-7.90%

You can also compare the sales tax rate of Milwaukee against the Wisconsin cities closest in population size:

• Madison's sales tax rate is 5.50%
• Green Bay's sales tax rate is 5.50%

What Creates Sales Tax Nexus in Milwaukee?

Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee: 

• 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 Milwaukee Sales Tax?

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

These items are exempt from sales tax in Milwaukee:

• 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 Milwaukee?

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 Milwaukee

Wisconsin is a “destination-based” sales tax sourcing state. So when you make taxable sales to an address in Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee

Here are some ways you can file and pay Milwaukee 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.