(1) APPLICATION. Except as provided in sub. (2), no person may operate a warehouse, including a cold-storage warehouse, for the storage of property as bailee for hire without a public warehouse keeper’s license. A person desiring a public warehouse keeper’s license shall apply on a form furnished by the department and shall set forth the location, size, character and equipment of the building or premises to be used by the applicant, the kinds of goods intended to be stored, the name of each partner if a partnership or of each member if a limited liability company, the names of the officers if a corporation, and such other facts as the department requires to show that the property proposed to be used is suitable for a warehouse and that the applicant is qualified as a public warehouse keeper. Subject to s. 93.135, if the property proposed to be used is suitable for a public warehouse and the applicant is otherwise qualified, a license shall be issued upon payment of the license fee under sub.
(3) and the filing of security or insurance as required under s. 99.03.
(2) LICENSE NOT REQUIRED. No license is required for any of the following:
(a) A municipal corporation.
(c) A person who operates a warehouse storing only grain, as defined under s. 126.01 (13).
(d) A cooperative association or an unincorporated cooperative association storing farm products and merchandise for members.
(e) A person who owns and uses warehouses for storage of manufactured dairy products, canned produce or dairy products, manufactured by the person.
(f) A common carrier engaged solely in the transit and storage of property for periods not exceeding 30 days.
(g) A person who stores property received under a writ of restitution under s. 799.44 (2) if that person was the plaintiff in the action that resulted in the issuance of the writ of restitution.
(h) An agricultural society, association, or board that conducts a county or district fair and that receives aid under s. 93.23.
(3) FEES.
(a) An applicant for a public warehouse keeper’s license shall pay the following annual license fee, unless the fee is otherwise established by department rule: 1. For a Class 1 public warehouse, $50. 2. For a Class 2 public warehouse, $100. 3. For a Class 3 public warehouse, $150. 4. For a Class 4 public warehouse, $200. 5. For a Class 5 public warehouse, $250.