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Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Veterans Professional/Occupational Licensure Fee Waiver Program

Wisconsin Act 209

Wisconsin Act 209 (effective July 1, 2012) requires that the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) establish and maintain a program under which 13 state licensing agencies (including the Department of Health Services - DHS) grant fee waivers to qualified veterans when issuing initial licenses. (DHS licenses eligible for the fee waiver program are listed below.)

Under this program:

  • Only one initial license fee waiver will be allowed per qualified applicant.
  • The fee waiver applies only to licenses that are issued to individuals, and not to licenses issued to businesses or other entities.
  • Waivers are not permitted for license renewals; they are for one initial license only.

How to Apply for a Fee Waiver

The WDVA determines eligibility for this program. To be qualified for a fee waiver, a veteran must be a Wisconsin resident and must have been honorably discharged from the U.S. armed forces.

The WDVA will issue a voucher to applicants who are deemed eligible for a fee waiver. To apply for a voucher, please visit the Veterans Professional/Occupational Licensure Fee Waiver Program (exit DHS).

Redeem Your Voucher

You may redeem your voucher for one of the license types below when you apply for your initial license.

Each licensing program has guidelines and procedures in place regarding licenses they issue. For more information, click on the relevant license type below.

DHS Licenses Eligible for the Veterans Fee Waiver Program

License/Permit/Registration Name Description Cost
Asbestos Inspector A person certified to determine the presence and location, and assess the condition, of friable or non-friable asbestos containing materials (ACM) or suspected ACM by visual examination and by collecting samples of the materials for laboratory testing. $175
Asbestos Management Planner A person certified to develop a plan to manage asbestos in a building and make recommendations for the best response actions to take to manage asbestos containing material (ACM) in the building. $125
Asbestos Principal Instructor A person approved to teach one or more accredited asbestos courses, who has primary responsibility for organizing and teaching a training course and is qualified by certification in an appropriate asbestos discipline, trained in the principles and methods of adult education, and has related work experience. $50
Asbestos Project Designer A person certified to plan and design asbestos abatement projects in schools and other large facilities or for complex projects. $175
Exterior Asbestos Supervisor A person certified to oversee and conduct exterior asbestos abatement projects where non-friable asbestos–containing materials are removed or disturbed and that remain non-friable throughout the project. $75
Exterior Asbestos Worker A person certified to conduct exterior asbestos abatement projects under the direct supervision of a certified exterior asbestos supervisor where non-friable asbestos-containing materials are removed or disturbed and that remain non-friable throughout the project. $125 (non-expiring)
Asbestos Supervisor A person certified to provide direct onsite oversight and to conduct asbestos abatement activities, asbestos response actions or other asbestos disturbances and may function as an air sampling professional to determine if air meets clearance levels. $125
Asbestos Worker A person certified to perform asbestos abatement activities, asbestos response actions, or other disturbances on the interior or exterior of a facility under the direct supervision of a certified asbestos supervisor. $75
Freestanding Personal Care Agency A “freestanding personal care agency” is an entity certified as a Medicaid provider to provide personal care services. Personal care services are medically oriented activities related to assisting a client with activities of daily living necessary to maintain his or her place of residence in the community. The services are provided upon written orders of a physician and by a personal care worker employed by the provider or under contract to the provider who is supervised by a registered nurse according to a written plan of care. A freestanding personal care agency does not include a county, Tribe, home health agency or Independent Living Center certified to provide personal care services. $300
Food Manager Certification of an operator or manager of a food establishment. $10 (5yrs)
Lead (Pb) Abatement Supervisor A person certified to provide direct onsite oversight and to perform lead abatement activities, lead interim controls or other lead-safe work where lead paint may be disturbed or removed. $125
Lead (Pb) Abatement Worker A person certified to perform lead abatement activities under the direct supervision of a certified lead supervisor, or to perform lead interim controls or other lead-safe work. $75 (2yrs)
Lead (Pb) Hazard Investigator A person certified to conduct lead hazard screenings, lead risk assessments, lead-safe investigations or clearance activities or provide options to reduce specific lead hazards but d who does not use an x-ray fluorescence (XRF) or conduct lead inspections. $150
Lead (Pb) Inspector A person certified to conduct surface by surface sampling or testing for the presence of lead in paint in pre-1978 housing or child-occupied facilities, and who may conduct full or partial lead inspections, lead-free property inspections, and clearances but who does not provide recommendations or options for controlling lead paint hazards.  This person may use an XRF. $150
Lead (Pb) Principal Instructor A person approved to teach one or more accredited lead courses, who has primary responsibility for organizing and teaching a training course and is qualified by certification in an appropriate lead discipline, trained in the principles and methods of adult education, and has related work experience. $50-100
Lead (Pb) Project Designer A person certified to design complex lead abatement projects. $175
Lead (Pb) Risk Assessor A person certified to conduct all lead investigation activities, including lead hazard screens, lead risk assessments, lead inspections, lead-safe and lead-free property inspections, and clearances and who provides recommendations and options for controlling lead paint hazards. This person may use an XRF. $175
Lead (Pb) Sampling Technician A person certified to perform clearance activities after renovation or interim control work only, or assist a lead hazard investigator, inspector or risk assessor in sampling paint, dust or soil.  This person may not use an XRF. $50 (2yrs)
Lead-Safe Renovator A person certified to oversee and perform lead-safe renovation activities in pre-1978 dwelling units and child-occupied facilities. $50 (2yrs)
Tattooist and/or Body Piercer Initial certification for a person to apply a tattoo to another person or a person who performs body piercing. $60
Tattoo and/or Body Piercing Establishment Initial permit to operate any premises where a tattooist applies a tattoo to another person, or a premises where a body piercer performs body piercing, or both.  $255-400

Information on other opportunities for veterans:

For certain license/certification/permit types:

  1. A veteran may request consideration that his or her military training/education/experience be used to satisfy licensure requirements, if the applicant can demonstrate equivalency to the requirements for license issuance.
  2. The duration of a service member's (or spouse's) license may be extended if the expiration date occurs while the service member is on active duty.
    Read information about extending a nurse aide license.

Questions on whether these provisions apply to the particular license/certification/permit type that you're interested in? Veterans Professional/Occupational Licensure Fee Waiver Program (exit DHS).

Last Revised: October 19, 2012