Definitions.
Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 90-1
in effect90-1. Definitions.
1. APPLICATION shall mean a formal written request filed with the city clerk for the issuance of a license, supported by a verified statement of facts.
2. BAR shall mean a counter or article of tavern furniture fully equipped with plumbing, sinks or washbasins, and workboards that is used for the sole purpose of dispensing and serving food and beverages directly to customers. A "service bar" shall mean a counter or article of tavern furniture at which intoxicating liquors or fermented malt beverages are dispensed or served only to employees of the licensed alcohol beverage establishment and no stools, chairs or other articles of furniture shall be placed at the service bar for customers to sit upon.
4. BREWER shall mean any person, firm or corporation who shall manufacture for the purpose of sale, barter, exchange or transportation fermented malt beverages as defined herein.
4.2. CANDLE-MAKING STUDIO shall mean a registered business location primarily dedicated to offering candle-making workshops or lessons, where customers can engage in the hands-on creation of custom candles.
4.5. CIDER shall mean any alcohol beverage that is obtained from the fermentation of the juice of apples or pears and that contains not less than 0.5% alcohol by volume and not more than 7.0% alcohol by volume. “Cider” includes flavored, sparkling and carbonated cider.
5. “CLASS B” TAVERN LICENSE shall mean the document combining the “Class B" retailer's intoxicating liquor license, and the Class "B" fermented malt beverage retailer's license, to embody formal permission from the city to sell or offer for sale intoxicating liquors and fermented malt beverages.
6. CLUB shall mean an organization, whether incorporated or not, which is the owner, lessee or occupant of a building used exclusively for club purposes, and which is operated solely for a recreational, fraternal, social, patriotic, political, benevolent or athletic purpose but not for pecuniary gain; except that where such club is located in an office or business building it may be licensed as such provided it otherwise qualifies as a club within the meaning of this subsection.
7. CORPORATION shall mean a form of business organization that may have many owners with each owner liable only for the amount of his investment in the business.
8. FERMENTED MALT BEVERAGE has the meaning given in s. 125.02(6), Wis. Stats., as amended.
9. FULL-SERVICE RETAIL SALES shall mean retail sales of fermented malt beverages or intoxicating liquor, for on-premises or off-premises consumption, or the provision of taste samples of fermented malt beverages or intoxicating liquor, or any combination of these activities.
10. FIXED FULL-SERVICE RETAIL OUTLET shall mean an off-site premises where a producer is allowed to make full-service retail sales. Upon notice to the division of alcohol beverages, a fixed full-service retail outlet may be transferred to a different location within the state once per calendar year. If it’s new location is within the city of Milwaukee, its transfer will be pursuant to s. 85-19-2.
10.5. HAIR SALON shall mean a personal service establishment as defined in s. 295-201-451 whose primary business is hair-related.
11. GAMBLE shall mean to play or game, for money or other stake; hence to stake money or other thing of value on an uncertain event.
12. GAMBLING HOUSE shall mean a building, place or room for use as a place to gamble, or to keep or exhibit for the purpose of gaming, any bank, table, alley, machine, wheel or device.
13. HOTEL shall mean an establishment open to the public offering lodging and food for travelers that is owned, leased, or operated by a person holding a duly issued and valid license as an innkeeper.
14. HOUSE OF PROSTITUTION shall mean a brothel; a building, place or room maintained for purposes of prostitution as defined in s. 944.30, Wis. Stats.
15. IMMEDIATE FAMILY. In this chapter the term "immediate family" of the Class "B" or “Class B” licensee shall include only the spouse, son, daughter, father, mother, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law or daughter-in-law of the Class "B" or “Class B” licensee having the same abode and domicile.
16. INCOME shall mean the dollar amount of gross receipts from sales on a licensed premises in any calendar month during the license year.
17. INTOXICATING LIQUOR has the meaning given in s. 125.02(8), Wis. Stats., as amended.
18. LEGAL DRINKING AGE means 21 years of age.
19. LICENSE shall mean the document embodying formal permission from the city to carry on a certain activity, the conduct of which would otherwise be illegal.
20. NAIL SALON shall mean a personal service establishment as defined in s. 295-201-451 whose primary business is nail-related.
20.5. NO-SALE EVENT VENUE PERMIT means a permit issued by the Wisconsin department of revenue pursuant to s. 125.24, Wis. Stats., for a public place that authorizes the permittee to rent or lease real property for use as an event venue at which fermented malt beverages and wine may be consumed on no more than 6 days per calendar year and no more than one day per month. A no-sale event venue permit does not authorize the sale of alcohol beverages on the premises.
21. OBJECTION shall mean any information that could form the basis of a license denial, non-renewal, suspension or revocation. An objection may result from probative information provided by any resident or from the written reports summarizing the arrest and convictions of an applicant filed by the chief of police pursuant to this chapter.
22. OFFICER shall mean a person who is elected or appointed to serve in a position of trust, authority or command within an organization, business or social club.
23. OPERATOR shall mean any person who shall draw or remove any alcohol beverage as defined in ch. 125, Wis. Stats., for sale or consumption from any barrel, keg, cask, bottle or other container in which alcohol beverages shall be stored or kept on premises requiring a license under this chapter, for sale or service to a consumer for consumption in or upon the premises where sold; or one who shall sell or serve intoxicating liquor to customers upon premises operated under a ”Class A” retailer’s intoxicating liquor license, “Class B” tavern license or retail ”Class C” wine license; or who shall sell bottled intoxicating liquors or bottled and canned fermented malt beverages on a premises requiring a “Class A" retailer's intoxicating liquor license or a Class "A" fermented malt beverage retailer's license.
24. PAINTING STUDIO means an establishment that is primarily engaged in the business of providing to customers instruction in the art of painting and that offers customers to purchase food and beverages for consumption while they paint.
25. PREMISES means the area described in a license.
25.5. PUBLIC PLACE means a venue, room, or establishment that is rented or made available for rent to the public for an event or social gathering, and has the meaning given in s. 125.09(1), Wis. Stats.
26. REGULATION shall mean any requirement controlling business conduct which has been prescribed by city ordinance.
27. RESIDENCE shall mean a place where one actually lives or has his home as distinguished from a place of temporary sojourn or transient visit; or the principal place of business and location of corporate headquarters.
28. RESTAURANT shall mean and include any building, room or place where meals or lunches are prepared or served to the general public; except that the term "restaurant" shall not apply to churches, religious, fraternal, youth or patriotic organizations, service clubs or civic organizations which occasionally prepare or serve or sell meals or lunches to the general public nor shall it include any private individuals selling foods from movable or temporary stands at public farm sales.
29. RETAILER shall mean any person who sells, or offers for sale, any intoxicating liquor or fermented malt beverages for personal consumption.
30. SELL, SOLD, SALE OR SELLING shall mean any transfer of alcohol beverages with consideration or any transfer without consideration if knowingly made for the purposes of evading the law relating to the sale of alcohol beverages or any shift, device, scheme or transaction for obtaining alcohol beverages, including the solicitation of orders for, or the sale for future delivery of, alcohol beverages.
31. SODA WATER BEVERAGE shall mean and include all such beverages commonly known as soft drinks, as soda water, carbonated or uncarbonated or sweetened and flavored, and mineral and spring waters, carbonated or uncarbonated; and shall not include strong, spirituous, vinous, malt, ardent or intoxicating liquor.
32. UNDERAGE PERSON means a person who has not attained the legal drinking age.
33. UNLIMITED TRANSFER FULL-SERVICE RETAIL OUTLET shall mean an off-site premises where a producer is allowed to make full-service retail sales. Upon notice to the division of alcohol beverages, an unlimited transfer full-service retail outlet may be transferred to a different location within the state of Wisconsin without a limitation on frequency.
34. WHOLESALER shall mean any person who sells, or offers for sale, any intoxicating liquor or fermented malt beverage to any retailer or other licensee for the purpose of resale.
35. WINE shall mean products obtained from the normal alcohol fermentation of the juice or must of sound, ripe grapes, other fruits or other agricultural products, imitation wine, compounds sold as wine, vermouth, cider, perry, mead and sake, if such products contain ½ of 1% or more of alcohol by volume.
Source: City of Milwaukee Legislative Reference Bureau, Milwaukee City Charter and Code of Ordinances (city.milwaukee.gov master PDFs)URL: https://city.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary/Groups/ccClerk/Ordinances/Volume-1/CH90.pdf#page=1Fetched: 10/26/2026