OPERATOR'S LICENSE-(A.K.A. BARTENDER'S LICENSE)

An Operator's License is required for anyone serving and/or selling beer, wine and/or liquor, whether it's in a restaurant, bar or convenience store. Operator's Licenses are good for one year and expire on June 30th. Regular and renewal licenses are $25.00.  A Provisional License is $15.00. 

• Operator's licenses are not required for licensee, licensee's immediate family, or agent of an LLC or corporation.
• Licensed bartenders MUST be present when a retail licensed or permitted premises is open for business if the individuals above are not.
• Applicants must pass a DOR approved responsible beverage server training course or be named on an annual retail license, operator's license, or manager's license within the past 2 years.

To qualify for an operator's license, you must:

• be at least 18 years old,
• meet criminal record requirements, and
• have completed a responsible beverage server training course. Contact your local Wisconsin technical college, or see "Training" on the Department of Revenue website

The last requirement can be waived if it is a renewal application or if you held a non-expired Wisconsin alcohol beverage license, including an operator's license, within the past two years. The municipality may issue you a provisional operator's license if you are enrolled in a responsible beverage server training course when you apply. An operator's license is only good in the municipality that issues it. For instance, if you are issued an operator's license in the City of Prairie du Chien, you may not use it in another municipality, like the Village of Bloomington. (sec. 125.04(5), Wis. Stats.)

What are responsible beverage server training courses?

These courses are required to hold many alcohol beverage licenses. They cover alcohol beverage laws, signs of intoxication, safe serving of alcohol beverages, etc. These courses are offered by local technical colleges and third-party vendors.

Courses must be approved by the Department of Revenue or the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS). Visit our "Training" webpage for a full list of all approved responsible beverage server training courses. (sec. 125.17(6), Wis. Stats.)

The exceptions to the server training course requirement are:

• if you are renewing a Wisconsin retail or an operator's license,
• if you were the agent of a corporation or LLC that held a Wisconsin retail license within the past two years,
• if you held a Wisconsin retail or operator's license within the past two years, or
• if you completed a Wisconsin approved server training course within the past two years(secs. 125.04(5)(a)5, 125.17(6), Wis. Stats.)

Temporary operator's licenses include the same authorizations as a regular operator's license but may only be issued to persons employed by or donating their services to nonprofit corporations for a temporary event.

• Temporary operator's licenses may be issued without the responsible beverage server training course requirement of a regular operator's license.
• No person may hold more than two temporary operator's licenses per year.
• Licenses are valid for up to 14 days.

Provisional operator's licenses include the same authorizations as a regular operator's license but are issued to regular operator's license applicants who are awaiting review of their original license application.

• Provisional operator's licenses are valid for up to 60 days or until the original license application is issued or denied, whichever is sooner.
• Municipalities may pass ordinances to establish standards for issuance and must designate the official who has authority to issue them.