Licensing
Please contact the City Clerk's office at (715) 426-3408 or (715) 426-3419 for more information on available and/or appropriate licensing for your facility or event.
Alcohol Licenses
An alcohol license is needed in order for alcohol to be sold or served. Licenses are renewed yearly and run from July 1st through June 30th. There is a 15 day waiting period before intoxicating liquor licenses and fermented malt beverage licenses can be issued. Temporary Class B licenses (also called picnic licenses) are valid for one event and have special requirements. General information is also available at the Wisconsin Department of Revenue website.
-Authorization For Release of Information - Must be completed by each member of the organization and include a copy of a drivers' license
Operator Licenses
All premises licensed for the sale of beer and/or liquor must have a licensed operator to sell and/or serve these beverages. Operator licenses are valid within the City's current licensing period which runs from July 1st through June 30th. The applicant must be 18 years or older, meet criminal record requirements and have taken the responsible beverage server course. There is a two week waiting period before a regular operator license can be issued. Provisional operators' licenses and temporary operators' licenses are available with special requirements.
If a current operator license holder needs to renew their license and it has expired within 12 months of the most recent odd numbered year, they must fill out an operator license renewal application.
Temporary Operator Licenses are available to an individual to work one event per calendar year.
Cigarette Licenses
A cigarette license is necessary in order to sell cigarettes or tobacco products in the State of Wisconsin. Detailed information can be found in the Wisconsin Alcohol Beverage and Tobacco Laws for Retailers. Licenses are renewed yearly and run from July 1st through June 30th. The license fee is $50.00.
Weights and Measures
All Wisconsin municipalities with a population over 5000 must have an inspection program for compliance with Chapter 98 of the WI State Statutes, which regulates "the weights and measures of every kind, instruments and devices for weighing and measuring, and any appliances and accessories used with any or all such instruments and devices, except meters for the measurement of electricity, gas (natural and manufactured) or water when the same are operated in a public utility system." Licenses are renewed yearly and run from July 1st through June 30th.
Direct Sellers License
No person shall engage in direct sales within the city without being registered for the purpose as provided in City of River Falls Municipal Code Chapter 5.12
Businesses that either recruit or use traveling sales crews in Wisconsin are now required to register with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development's Equal Rights Division and secure sales permits for each crew member. Please visit the DWD's website for more information.
The Authorization For Release of Information must be filled out for each individual doing direct sales within the City. Additional individuals will have an extra fee of $7.00 each for the investigation check. Please contact the City Clerk's Office with any questions.
Dog Licenses
The City of River Falls requires that all dogs 5 months of age or older be licensed. The license year is from January 1 through December 31. In order to process a dog license, a current rabies vaccination certificate is required. License fees are $5.00 for spayed or neutered dogs, $10.00 for intact dogs. There is a $5.00 late fee for licenses issued after March 31st, unless you have owned your pet for less than 30 days.
Licenses are issued at City Hall during the regular business hours of 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday. If processing a license through the mail is more convenient, please include the rabies certificate and appropriate fee and send to: Dog License, City of River Falls, 222 Lewis Street Suite 207, River Falls, WI 54022. The license and rabies certificate will be returned to you by mail.
If you have any questions about dog licenses, please contact the Finance Department at 426-3419.
Dog Owner Responsibilities
City code 12.04(6) prohibits dogs and cats from running at large within the City limits. A dog, cat or other domestic animal shall be considered to be running at large if it is off the premises of its owner and not under the control of the owner or some other person.
All dogs shall be kept on a leash no longer than 8' at all times when off the premises of their owner and no dogs are permitted in a public cemetery except when confined within a vehicle.
The owner of an animal shall promptly remove and dispose of in a sanitary manner any excreta deposited by such animal upon any public or private property. Violations of these municipal ordinances are subject to citations and a fine of $59.60 per violation.
Lost or Missing Dogs
The City contracts animal control services with Humane Society of Goodhue County in Red Wing, MN. They can be reached at (651) 388-5286. To report a dog running at large, please obtain as much information as possible about the animal and contact the River Falls Police Department at (715) 425-0909.
This site is maintained by the City of River Falls Finance Department.
If you have comments or suggestions, please email jbergstrom@rfcity.org