Wisconsin Code § 77.54

General exemptions
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There are exempted from the
taxes imposed by this subchapter:
(1) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use or
other consumption in this state of tangible personal property, and
items and property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) and (c), and services the
sales price from the sale of which, or the storage, use or other
consumption of which, this state is prohibited from taxing under
the constitution or laws of the United States or under the constitution of this state.
(2) The sales price from the sales of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of tangible personal property or item under s.
77.52 (1) (b) that is used exclusively and directly by a manufacturer in manufacturing an article of tangible personal property or
item or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c) that is destined for
sale and that becomes an ingredient or component part of the article of tangible personal property or item or property under s.
77.52 (1) (b) or (c) destined for sale or is consumed or destroyed
or loses its identity in manufacturing the article of tangible personal property or item or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c)
destined for sale, except as provided in sub. (30) (a) 6.
(2m) The sales price from the sales of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of tangible personal property or services that
are used exclusively and directly by a manufacturer in manufacturing shoppers guides, newspapers, or periodicals and that become an ingredient or component of shoppers guides, newspapers, or periodicals or that are consumed or lose their identity in
the manufacture of shoppers guides, newspapers, or periodicals,
whether or not the shoppers guides, newspapers, or periodicals
are transferred without charge to the recipient. In this subsection,
“shoppers guides,” “newspapers,” and “periodicals” have the
meanings under sub. (15). The exemption under this subsection
does not apply to advertising supplements that are not
newspapers.
(3) (a) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use,
or other consumption of tractors and machines, including accessories, attachments, and parts, lubricants, nonpowered equipment, and other tangible personal property, or items or property
under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), that are used exclusively and directly,
or are consumed or lose their identities, in the business of farming, including dairy farming, agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, silviculture, beekeeping, and custom farming services, but
excluding automobiles, trucks, and other motor vehicles for highway use; excluding personal property that is attached to, fastened
to, connected to, or built into real property or that becomes an addition to, component of, or capital improvement of real property;
and excluding tangible personal property, or items or property
under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), used or consumed in the erection of
buildings or in the alteration, repair, or improvement of real property, regardless of any contribution that that personal property, or
item or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), makes to the production process in that building or real property and regardless of
the extent to which that personal property, or item or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), functions as a machine, except as provided in par. (c).
(b) In par. (a):
1. “Building” has the meaning given under s. 70.111 (10) (a)
1.
2. “Machine” means an assemblage of parts that transmits
force, motion and energy from one part to another in a predetermined manner.

OTHER TAXES AND FEES
3. “Used exclusively” means used to the exclusion of all
other uses except for other use not exceeding 5 percent of total
use.
(c) For purposes of this subsection, the following items retain
their character as tangible personal property, regardless of the extent to which they are fastened to, connected to or built into real
property:
1. Auxiliary power generators.
2. Bale loaders.
3. Barn cleaners and elevators.
4. Conveyors.
5. Feed elevators and augers.
6. Grain dryers and grinders.
7. Milk coolers.
8. Milking machines; including piping, pipeline washers and
compressors.
9. Powered feeders, excluding platforms and troughs constructed from ordinary building materials.
10. Silo unloaders.
(3m) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of the following items if they are used exclusively by the purchaser or user in the business of farming; including dairy farming, agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, silviculture, beekeeping, and custom farming services:
(a) Seeds for planting.
(b) Plants.
(c) Feed.
(d) Fertilizer.
(e) Soil conditioners.
(f) Animal bedding.
(g) Sprays, pesticides and fungicides.
(h) Breeding and other livestock.
(hm) Bees, beehives, and bee combs.
(i) Poultry.
(j) Farm work stock.
(k) Baling twine and baling wire.
(L) Containers for fruits, vegetables, bee products, grain, hay,
silage, and animal wastes.
(m) Plastic bags, plastic sleeves and plastic sheeting used to
store or cover hay or silage.
(4) The sales price from the sale of tangible personal property
and items and property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) and (c) and the storage, use or other consumption in this state of tangible personal
property and items and property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) and (c),
which is the subject of any such sale, by any elementary school or
secondary school, exempted as such from payment of income or
franchise tax under ch. 71, whether public or private.
(5) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use or
other consumption of:
(a) 1. Aircraft, including accessories, attachments, and fuel
for such aircraft, sold to persons using the aircraft as certified or
licensed carriers of persons or property in interstate or foreign
commerce under authority of the laws of the United States or any
foreign government, or sold to any foreign government for use by
such government outside this state.
2. Aircraft, including attachments for such aircraft, sold to
persons who are not residents of this state and who will not use
such aircraft in this state otherwise than in the removal of such
aircraft from this state or in the repair, service, alteration, fitting,
cleaning, painting, coating, towing, inspection, and maintenance
of such aircraft in this state.
3. Parts used to modify or repair aircraft.
4. Motor vehicles or truck bodies sold to persons who are not
residents of this state and who will not use such motor vehicles or
trucks for which the truck bodies were made in this state otherwise than in the removal of such motor vehicles or trucks from
this state.
(am) Modular homes, as defined in s. 101.71 (6), and manufactured homes, as defined in s. 101.91 (2), that are used in real
property construction activities outside this state.
(b) Motor trucks, truck tractors, road tractors, buses, trailers
and semitrailers, and accessories, attachments, parts, supplies
and materials therefor, sold to common or contract carriers who
use such motor trucks, truck tractors, road tractors, buses, trailers
and semitrailers exclusively as common or contract carriers, including the urban mass transportation of passengers as defined in
s. 71.38.
(c) Motor vehicles which are not required to be licensed for
highway use and which are exclusively and directly used in conjunction with waste reduction or recycling activities which reduce
the amount of solid waste generated, reuse solid waste, recycle
solid waste, compost solid waste or recover energy from solid
waste. For the purposes of this paragraph, “solid waste” means
garbage, refuse, sludge or other materials or articles, whether
these materials or articles are discarded or purchased, including
solid, semisolid, liquid or contained gaseous materials or articles
resulting from industrial, commercial, mining or agricultural operations or from domestic use or from public service activities.
(d) Mobile units used for mixing and processing and the motor vehicle or trailer on which the unit is mounted, including accessories, attachments, parts, supplies and materials for those vehicles, trailers and units.
(6) (am) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use
or other consumption of:
1. Machines and specific processing equipment and repair
parts or replacements thereof, exclusively and directly used by a
manufacturer in manufacturing tangible personal property or
items or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c) and safety attachments for those machines and equipment.
2. Containers, labels, sacks, cans, boxes, drums, bags or
other packaging and shipping materials for use in packing, packaging or shipping tangible personal property or items or property
under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), if the containers, labels, sacks, cans,
boxes, drums, bags, or other packaging and shipping materials
are used by the purchaser to transfer merchandise to customers or
physically transferred to the customer in conjunction with the
selling, performing, or furnishing of the type of services under s.
77.52 (2) (a) 7., 10., 11., or 20. that are exempt from or not subject to taxation under this subchapter. This subdivision does not
apply to services provided by veterinarians.
2m. Meat casing, wrapping paper, tape, containers, labels,
sacks, cans, boxes, drums, bags or other packaging and shipping
materials for use in packing, packaging or shipping meat or meat
products regardless of whether such items are used to transfer
merchandise to customers.
3. Fuel converted to electric energy, gas or steam by utilities
and that portion of the amount of fuel converted to steam for purposes of resale by persons other than utilities.
4. Machines and specific processing equipment used exclusively and directly in a fertilizer blending, feed milling, or grain
drying operation, including holding structures used for weighing
and dropping feed or fertilizer ingredients into a mixer, wet corn
holding bins, grain dryers, mixers, conveying equipment, and
grinding, mixing, and saturation bins, regardless of whether such
items become an addition to, a component of, or a capital improvement of real property. The exemption under this subdivi-

SALES AND USE TAXES; MANAGED FOREST LANDS; OTHER TAXES
sion applies to repair parts, replacements, and safety attachments
for such machines and equipment.
5. Building materials acquired solely for and used solely in
the construction or repair of holding structures used for weighing
and dropping feed or fertilizer ingredients into a mixer or for storage of grain, if such structures are used in a fertilizer blending,
feed milling, or grain drying operation.
(bn) The exemptions under par. (am) 4. and 5. apply only to
items located on the same parcel of property where the fertilizer
blending, feed milling, or grain drying operation activities are
conducted, or on an adjoining parcel, including parcels that are
separated only by a public road. The exemptions under par. (am)
4. and 5. apply only to persons who are primarily engaged in fertilizer blending, feed milling, or grain handling operations which
include grain drying operations, or primarily engaged in any
combination of fertilizer blending, feed milling, or grain handling
operations which include grain drying operations, and to contractors providing real property construction activities to such
persons.
(cn) The exemptions under this subsection shall be strictly
construed.
(7) (a) Except as provided in pars. (b) to (d), the occasional
sales of tangible personal property, items and property under s.
77.52 (1) (b) and (c), and services and the storage, use or other
consumption in this state of tangible personal property and items
and property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) and (c) the transfer of which to
the purchaser is an occasional sale.
(b) If the item transferred is a motor vehicle, snowmobile,
recreational vehicle, as defined in s. 340.01 (48r), trailer, semitrailer, all-terrain vehicle, utility terrain vehicle, off-highway motorcycle, as defined in s. 23.335 (1) (q), or aircraft and the item is
registered or titled, or required to be registered or titled, in this
state or if the item is a boat that is registered or titled, or required
to be registered or titled, in this state or under the laws of the
United States, the exemption under par. (a) applies only if all of
the following conditions are fulfilled:
1. The item is transferred to a child, spouse, parent, father-inlaw, mother-in-law, daughter-in-law or son-in-law of the transferor or, if the item is a motor vehicle, from the transferor to a corporation owned solely by the transferor or by the transferor’s
spouse.
2. The item has been registered or titled in the name of the
transferor.
3. The transferor is not engaged in the business of selling the
type of item that is transferred.
(c) The exemption under par. (a) does not apply to the sale of
bingo supplies to players or to the sale, rental or use of regular
bingo cards, extra regular cards and special bingo cards.
(d) The exemption under par. (a) does not apply to sales by a
nonprofit organization.
(7m) Occasional sales of tangible personal property, or items
or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), or services, including admissions or tickets to an event; by a neighborhood association,
church, civic group, garden club, social club or similar nonprofit
organization; not involving entertainment for which payment in
the aggregate exceeds $50,000 for performing or as reimbursement of expenses unless access to the event may be obtained
without payment of a direct or indirect admission fee; conducted
by the organization if the organization is not engaged in a trade or
business and is not required to have a seller’s permit. For purposes of this subsection, an organization is engaged in a trade or
business and is required to have a seller’s permit if its sales of tangible personal property, and items, property, and goods under s.
77.52 (1) (b) , (c), and (d), and services, not including sales of
tickets to events, and its events occur on more than 75 days during
the year, unless its taxable receipts do not exceed $50,000 during
the year. The exemption under this subsection does not apply to
the sales price from the sale of bingo supplies to players or to the
sale, rental or use of regular bingo cards, extra regular cards and
special bingo cards.
(8) Charges for insurance, not including contracts under s.
77.52 (2) (a) 13m. , where such charges are separately set forth
upon the invoice given by the seller to the purchaser.
(9) The sales price from sales of tickets or admissions to public and private elementary and secondary school activities, where
the entire net proceeds therefrom are expended for educational,
religious or charitable purposes.
(9a) The sales price from sales to, and the storage by, use by
or other consumption of tangible personal property, and items
and property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) and (c), and taxable services
by:
(a) This state or any agency thereof, the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority, the Wisconsin Aerospace
Authority, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation,
and the Fox River Navigational System Authority.
(b) Any county, city, village, town or school district in this
state.
(c) A county-city hospital established under s. 66.0927.
(d) A sewerage commission organized under s. 281.43 (4) or
a metropolitan sewerage district organized under ss. 200.01 to
200.15 or 200.21 to 200.65.
(e) Any other unit of government in this state or any agency or
instrumentality of one or more units of government in this state.
(ed) Any federally recognized American Indian tribe or band
in this state.
(em) Any joint local water authority created under s. 66.0823.
(f) Any corporation, community chest, fund, or foundation
that is exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (c) (3)
of the Internal Revenue Code and has received a determination
letter from the internal revenue service. The exemption under
this paragraph applies to churches and religious organizations
that meet the requirements of section 501 (c) (3) but are not required to apply for and obtain tax-exempt status from the internal
revenue service.
(fc) An entity described under section 501 (c) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code that is exempt from federal income tax under
section 501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code and that is organized for the exclusive purpose of holding title to property, collecting income from that property, and turning over the entire
amount of that income, less expenses, to an entity described under par. (f).
(g) A local exposition district under subch. II of ch. 229.
(gm) A local professional baseball park district under subch.
III of ch. 229.
(h) A local cultural arts district under subch. V of ch. 229.
(i) A cemetery company or corporation described under section 501 (c) (13) of the Internal Revenue Code, if the tangible personal property or taxable services are used exclusively by the
cemetery company or corporation for the purposes of the company or corporation.
(9g) The sales price from sales to, and the storage by, use by,
or other consumption of products by a state veterans organization, as defined in s. 45.41 (1) (b), except products used primarily
in preparing, storing, serving, selling, or delivering food and beverages sold by the organization. For purposes of this subsection,
preparing, storing, serving, selling, or delivering food and beverages sold by the organization includes the cleaning of machinery
and equipment before, during, and after the preparation of the
food and beverages sold.

OTHER TAXES AND FEES
(9m) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of tangible personal property, or items or
property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), sold to a construction contractor that, in fulfillment of a real property construction activity,
transfers the tangible personal property, or items or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), to an entity described under sub. (9a)
(b), (c), (d), (em), (f), or (fc) or (9g), a technical college district,
the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority, the
Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, an institution, as defined in s. 36.05 (9), a college campus, as defined in
s. 36.05 (6m), or the University of Wisconsin-Extension, if such
tangible personal property, or items or property, becomes a component of a facility in this state that is owned by the entity. In this
subsection, “facility” means any building, shelter, parking lot,
parking garage, athletic field, athletic park, storm sewer, water
supply system, or sewerage and waste water treatment facility, but
does not include a highway, street, or road.
(10) The sales price from the sale of all admission fees, admission stickers or camping fees under s. 27.01 (7) to (11) and all
admission fees to any museum operated by a nonprofit corporation under a lease agreement with the state historical society.
(11) The sales price from the sales of and the storage, use or
other consumption in this state of motor vehicle fuel, general aviation fuel or alternate fuel, subject to taxation under ch. 78, unless
the motor vehicle fuel or alternate fuel tax is refunded under s.
78.75 because the buyer does not use the fuel in operating a motor
vehicle upon the public highways.
(11m) The sales price from the sales of and the storage, use,
or other consumption of vegetable oil or animal fat that is converted into motor vehicle fuel that is exempt under s. 78.01 (2n)
from the taxes imposed under s. 78.01 (1).
(12) The sales price from the sales of and the storage, use or
other consumption in this state of rail freight or passenger cars,
locomotives or other rolling stock used in railroad operations, or
accessories, attachments, parts, lubricants or fuel therefor.
(13) The sales price from the sales of and the storage, use or
other consumption in this state of commercial vessels and barges
of 50-ton burden or over primarily engaged in interstate or foreign
commerce or commercial fishing, and the accessories, attachments, parts and fuel therefor.
(14) The sales price from the sales of and the storage, use, or
other consumption in this state of drugs that are any of the
following:
(a) Prescribed for the treatment of a human being by a person
authorized to prescribe the drugs, and dispensed on prescription
filled by a pharmacist in accordance with law.
(b) Furnished by a licensed physician, naturopathic doctor,
surgeon, podiatrist, or dentist to a patient who is a human being
for treatment of the patient.
(c) Furnished by a hospital for treatment of any person pursuant to the order of a licensed physician, surgeon, podiatrist, or
dentist.
(d) Sold to a licensed physician, naturopathic doctor, surgeon,
podiatrist, dentist, or hospital for the treatment of a human being.
(e) Sold to this state or any political subdivision or municipal
corporation thereof, for use in the treatment of a human being.
(em) Furnished for the treatment of a human being by a medical facility or clinic maintained by this state or any political subdivision or municipal corporation thereof.
(en) Insulin furnished by a pharmacist to a person for treatment of diabetes of a human being.
(f) Furnished without charge to any of the following if the
drug may not be dispensed without a prescription:
1. A physician.
2. A surgeon.
3. A nurse anesthetist.
(14r) For purposes of sub. (14) hospital has the meaning ascribed to it in s. 50.33 (2).
(15) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use or
other consumption of all newspapers, of periodicals sold by subscription and regularly issued at average intervals not exceeding 3
months, or issued at average intervals not exceeding 6 months by
an educational association or corporation sales to which are exempt under sub. (9a) (f) , of controlled circulation publications
sold to commercial publishers for distribution without charge or
mainly without charge or regularly distributed by or on behalf of
publishers without charge or mainly without charge to the recipient and of shoppers guides which distribute no less than 48 issues
in a 12-month period. In this subsection, “shoppers guide”
means a community publication delivered, or attempted to be delivered, to most of the households in its coverage area without a
required subscription fee, which advertises a broad range of products and services offered by several types of businesses and individuals. In this subsection, “controlled circulation publication”
means a publication that has at least 24 pages, is issued at regular
intervals not exceeding 3 months, that devotes not more than 75
percent of its pages to advertising and that is not conducted as an
auxiliary to, and essentially for the advancement of, the main
business or calling of the person that owns and controls it.
(16) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use or
other consumption of fire trucks and fire fighting equipment, including accessories, attachments, parts and supplies therefor, sold
to volunteer fire departments.
(17) The sales price from the sales of and the storage, use or
other consumption of water, that is not food and food ingredient,
when delivered through mains.
(18) When the sale of a service or tangible personal property,
or items, property, and goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), and (d),
that was previously exempt or not taxable under this subchapter
becomes taxable, and the service or tangible personal property,
or item, property, or good under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or (d) is furnished under a written contract by which the seller is unconditionally obligated to provide the service or tangible personal
property, or item, property, or good under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), or
(d) for the amount fixed under the contract, the seller is exempt
from sales or use tax on the sales price for services or tangible
personal property, or items, property, or goods under s. 77.52 (1)
(b), (c), or (d) provided until the contract is terminated, extended,
renewed or modified. However, from the time the service or tangible personal property, or item, property, or good under s. 77.52
(1) (b), (c), or (d) becomes taxable until the contract is terminated, extended, renewed or modified the user is subject to use
tax, measured by the purchase price, on the service or tangible
personal property, or item, property, or good under s. 77.52 (1)
(b), (c), or (d) purchased under the contract.
(20n) (a) The sales price from the sale of and the storage,
use, or other consumption of food and food ingredients, except
candy, soft drinks, dietary supplements, and prepared food.

SALES AND USE TAXES; MANAGED FOREST LANDS; OTHER TAXES
(b) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of food and food ingredients, except soft
drinks, sold by hospitals, sanatoriums, nursing homes, retirement
homes, and community-based residential facilities, as defined in
s. 50.01 (1g), and any facility certified or licensed under ch. 48,
including prepared food that is sold to the elderly or handicapped
by persons providing mobile meals on wheels. In this paragraph,
“retirement home” means a nonprofit residential facility where 3
or more unrelated adults or their spouses have their principal residence and where support services, including meals from a common kitchen, are available to residents.
(c) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of food and food ingredients, furnished in accordance with any contract or agreement or paid for to such institution through the use of an account of such institution, by a public or private institution of higher education to any of the
following:
1. An undergraduate student, a graduate student, or a student
enrolled in a professional school if the student is enrolled for
credit at the public or private institution of higher education and
if the food and food ingredients are consumed by the student.
2. A national football league team.
(d) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of prepared food that is sold by a retailer and
that meets all of the following conditions:
1. The prepared food is not candy, soft drinks, or dietary
supplements.
2. The retailer manufactures the prepared food on real property assessed as manufacturing property under s. 70.995, or that
would be assessed as manufacturing property under s. 70.995 if
the real property was located in this state.
3. The retailer makes no retail sales of prepared food at the
location described in subd. 2.
4. Any of the following applies:
a. The retailer freezes the prepared food prior to its sale and
sells the prepared food at retail in a frozen state, and the prepared
food is not sold with eating utensils that are provided by the retailer, as described in s. 77.51 (10m) (a) 3.
b. The prepared food consists of more than 50 percent
yogurt.
(20r) The sales price from the sales of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of candy, soft drinks, dietary supplements,
and prepared foods, and disposable products that are transferred
with such items, furnished for no consideration by a restaurant to
the restaurant’s employee during the employee’s work hours.
(21) The sales price from the sales of and the storage, use or
other consumption of caskets and burial vaults for human
remains.
(22b) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of durable medical equipment that is for use
in a person’s home, mobility-enhancing equipment, and prosthetic devices, and accessories for such equipment or devices, if
the equipment or devices are used for a human being.
(23m) The sales price from the sale of or the storage, use or
other consumption of motion picture film or tape, and motion
pictures or radio or television programs for listening, viewing, or
broadcast, and advertising materials related thereto, sold to a motion picture theater or radio or television station.
(23n) The sales price from the sales of tangible personal
property and property under s. 77.52 (1) (c) to, and the storage,
use, or other consumption of tangible personal property and
property under s. 77.52 (1) (c) by, a person who is licensed to operate a commercial radio or television station in this state, if the
tangible personal property or property under s. 77.52 (1) (c) is
used exclusively and directly in, or is fuel or electricity consumed
in, the origination or integration of various sources of program
material for commercial radio or television transmissions that are
generally available to the public free of charge without a subscription or service agreement. This subsection applies to vehicles licensed for highway use and equipment used to transmit or
receive signals from a satellite.
(25) The sales price from the sale of and the storage of
printed material which is designed to advertise and promote the
sale of merchandise, or to advertise the services of individual
business firms, which printed material is purchased and stored
for the purpose of subsequently transporting it outside the state
by the purchaser for use thereafter solely outside the state. This
subsection does not apply to catalogs and the envelopes in which
the catalogs are mailed.
(25m) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of catalogs, and the envelopes in which the
catalogs are mailed, that are designed to advertise and promote
the sale of merchandise or to advertise the services of individual
business firms.
(26) The sales price from the sales of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of tangible personal property and items and
property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) and (c) which becomes a component part of an industrial waste treatment facility that is exempt
under s. 70.11 (21) or that would be exempt under s. 70.11 (21) if
the property were taxable under ch. 70, or tangible personal property and items and property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) and (c) which
becomes a component part of a waste treatment facility of this
state or any agency thereof, or any political subdivision of the
state or agency thereof as provided in s. 40.02 (28). The exemption includes replacement parts therefor, and also applies to
chemicals and supplies used or consumed in operating a waste
treatment facility and to purchases of tangible personal property
and items and property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) and (c) made by
construction contractors who transfer such property to their customers in fulfillment of a real property construction activity.
This exemption does not apply to tangible personal property and
items and property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) and (c) installed in fulfillment of a written construction contract entered into, or a formal written bid made, prior to July 31, 1975.
(26m) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use or
other consumption of waste reduction or recycling machinery and
equipment, including parts therefor, exclusively and directly used
for waste reduction or recycling activities which reduce the
amount of solid waste generated, reuse solid waste, recycle solid
waste, compost solid waste or recover energy from solid waste.
The exemption applies even though an economically useful end
product results from the use of the machinery and equipment.
For the purposes of this subsection, “solid waste” means garbage,
refuse, sludge or other materials or articles, whether these materials or articles are discarded or purchased, including solid,
semisolid, liquid or contained gaseous materials or articles resulting from industrial, commercial, mining or agricultural operations or from domestic use or from public service activities.
(27) The sales price from the sale of semen used for artificial
insemination of livestock.
(28) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use or
other consumption to or by the ultimate consumer of supplies
used to determine blood sugar level.
(29) The sales price from the sales of and the storage, use or
other consumption of equipment used in the production of maple
syrup.
(30) (a) The sales price from the sale of:
1. Coal, fuel oil, propane, steam, peat, fuel cubes produced
from solid waste and wood used for fuel sold for residential use.

OTHER TAXES AND FEES
1m. Biomass, as defined in s. 196.378 (1) (ar), that is used
for fuel sold for residential use.
2. Electricity and natural gas sold for residential use.
3. Electricity sold for use in farming, including agriculture,
dairy farming, floriculture, silviculture, horticulture, and
beekeeping.
4. Any residue that is used as fuel in a business activity and
that results from the harvesting of timber or the production of
wood products, including slash, sawdust, shavings, edgings,
slabs, leaves, wood chips, bark and wood pellets manufactured
primarily from wood or primarily from wood residue.
5. Fuel sold for use in farming, including agriculture, dairy
farming, floriculture, silviculture, horticulture, and beekeeping.
6. Fuel and electricity consumed in manufacturing tangible
personal property, or items or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or
(c), in this state.
7. Fuel sold for use in motorboats that are regularly employed
in carrying persons for hire for sport fishing in and upon the outlying waters, as defined in s. 29.001 (63), and the rivers and tributaries specified in s. 29.2285 (2) (a) 1. and 2., if the owner and
all operators are licensed under s. 29.514 to operate the boat for
that purpose.
(b) For purposes of this subsection, electricity or natural gas
is considered sold at the time of billing. If the billing is by mail,
the time of billing is the day on which the billing is mailed.
(c) If fuel or electricity is sold partly for a use exempt under
this subsection and partly for a use which is not exempt under this
subsection, no tax shall be collected on that percentage of the
sales price equal to the percentage of the fuel or electricity which
is used for an exempt use, as specified in an exemption certificate
provided by the purchaser to the seller.
(d) In this subsection “residential use” means use in a structure or portion of a structure which is a person’s permanent residence, but does not include use in transient accommodations, as
specified in s. 77.52 (2) (a) 1. , motor homes, travel trailers or
other recreational vehicles.
(e) For purposes of this subsection, a seller of electricity or
natural gas is not required to comply with the requirement of obtaining exemption certificates under s. 77.52 (13) for sales of
electricity or natural gas to accounts not covered by par. (c) which
are properly classified as residential or farms pursuant to schedules which are filed for rate tariff purposes with the public service commission under s. 196.19 and which are in force at the
time of the sales or are properly so classified for classification
purposes as directed by the federal rural electrification administration. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to broaden
the exemption specified in par. (a).
(f) Sellers of coal, fuel oil, propane, steam, peat, fuel cubes
produced from solid waste and wood used for fuel shall not be required to obtain an exemption certificate under s. 77.52 (13) from
a purchaser if all the fuel sold is for residential use and the seller
maintains adequate records to identify which sales are exempt.
(31) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use or
other consumption in this state, but not the lease or rental, of used
mobile homes, as defined in s. 101.91 (10), and used manufactured homes, as defined in s. 101.91 (12).
(32) The sales price from charges, including charges for a
search, imposed by an authority, as defined in s. 19.32 (1), for
copies of a public record that a person may examine and use under s. 16.61 (12) or for copies of a record under s. 19.35 (1).
(33) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of drugs used on farm livestock, not including
workstock, or on bees.
(35) The sales price from the sales of tangible personal property, or items or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), tickets, or
admissions by any baseball team affiliated with the Wisconsin
Department of American Legion baseball.
(36) The sales price from the rental for a continuous period of
one month or more of a mobile home, as defined in s. 101.91
(10), or a manufactured home, as defined in s. 101.91 (2), that is
used as a residence. In this subsection, “one month” means a calendar month or 30 days, whichever is less, counting the first day
of the rental and not counting the last day of the rental.
(37) The sales price from revenues collected under s. 256.35
(3).
(38) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use or
other consumption of snowmobile trail groomers and attachments for them that are purchased, stored, used or consumed by a
snowmobile club that meets at least 3 times a year, that has at
least 10 members, that promotes snowmobiling and that participates in the department of natural resources’ snowmobile program under s. 350.12 (4) (b).
(39) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use or
other consumption of off-highway, heavy mechanical equipment
such as feller bunchers, slashers, delimbers, chippers, hydraulic
loaders, loaders, skidder-forwarders, skidders, timber wagons
and tractors used exclusively and directly in the harvesting or processing of raw timber products in the field by a person in the logging business. In this subsection, “heavy mechanical equipment”
does not include hand tools such as axes, chains, chain saws and
wedges.
(41) The sales price from the sale of building materials, supplies and equipment to; and the storage, use or other consumption
of those kinds of property by; owners, contractors, subcontractors
or builders if that property is acquired solely for or used solely in,
the construction, improvement, renovation, repair, maintenance,
or development of property that would be exempt under s. 70.11
(36).
(42) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use or
other consumption of animal identification tags provided under s.
93.06 (1h) and standard samples provided under s. 93.06 (1s).
(43) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use or
other consumption of raw materials used for the processing, fabricating or manufacturing of, or the attaching to or incorporating
into, printed materials that are transported and used solely outside this state.
(44) The sales price from the collection of low-income assistance fees that are charged under s. 16.957 (4) (a) or (5) (a).
(45) The sales price from the sale of and the use or other consumption of a onetime license or similar right to purchase admission to professional football games at a football stadium, as defined in s. 229.821 (6), that is granted by a municipality; a local
professional football stadium district; or a professional football
team or related party, as defined in s. 229.821 (12); if the person
who buys the license or right is entitled, at the time the license or
right is transferred to the person, to purchase admission to at least
3 professional football games in this state during one football
season.
(46) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of the U.S. flag or the state flag. This subsection does not apply to a representation of the U.S. flag or the state
flag.
(46m) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of telecommunications services, if the
telecommunications services are obtained by using the rights to
purchase telecommunications services, including purchasing
reauthorization numbers, by paying in advance and by using an
access number and authorization code; and if the tax imposed un-

SALES AND USE TAXES; MANAGED FOREST LANDS; OTHER TAXES
der s. 77.52 or 77.53 was previously paid on the sale or purchase
of such rights.
(47) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of all of the following:
(a) Live game birds and clay pigeons that are sold to bird hunting preserves licensed under s. 169.19.
(b) Clay pigeons that are sold to a shooting facility, if any of
the following applies:
1. The shooting facility is required to pay the tax imposed
under s. 77.52 on the sales price from charges for shooting at the
facility.
2. The shooting facility is a nonprofit organization that
charges for shooting at the facility, but is not required to pay the
tax imposed under s. 77.52 on its sales price from such charges
because the charges are for occasional sales, as provided under
sub. (7m), or because the charges satisfy the exemption under s.
77.52 (2) (a) 2. b.
(49) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of taxable services and tangible personal
property or items or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), that are
physically transferred to the purchaser as a necessary part of services that are subject to the taxes imposed under s. 77.52 (2) (a)
7., 10., 11., and 20., if the seller and the purchaser of such services and property or item are members of the same affiliated
group under section 1504 of the Internal Revenue Code and are
eligible to file a single consolidated return for federal income tax
purposes. For purposes of this subsection, if a seller purchases a
taxable service, or item or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c),
or tangible personal property, as described in this subsection, that
is subsequently sold to a member of the seller’s affiliated group
and the sale is exempt under this subsection from the taxes imposed under this subchapter, the original purchase of the taxable
service, or item or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c), or tangible personal property by the seller is not considered a sale for resale or exempt under this subsection.
(50) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of specified digital goods or additional digital
goods, if the sale of and the storage, use, or other consumption of
such goods sold in a tangible form is exempt from, or not subject
to, taxation under this subchapter.
(51) The sales price from the sales of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of products sold in a transaction that would be
a bundled transaction, except that it contains taxable and nontaxable products as described in s. 77.51 (1f) (d), and except that the
first person combining the products shall pay the tax imposed under this subchapter on the person’s purchase price of the taxable
items.
(52) The sales price from the sales of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of products sold in a transaction that would be
a bundled transaction, except that the transaction meets the conditions described in s. 77.51 (1f) (e).
(54) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of tangible personal property, and items and
property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) and (c), and taxable services that
are sold by a home exchange service that receives moneys from
the appropriation account under s. 20.485 (1) (g) and is operated
by the department of veterans affairs.
(55) The sales price from the 911 fee imposed under s.
196.025 (6).
(56) (a) Beginning July 1, 2011, the sales price from the sale
of and the storage, use, or other consumption of a product whose
power source is wind energy, direct radiant energy received from
the sun, or gas generated from anaerobic digestion of animal manure and other agricultural waste, if the product produces at least
200 watts of alternating current or 600 British thermal units per
day, except that the exemption under this subsection does not apply to an uninterruptible power source that is designed primarily
for computers.
(b) Except for the sale of electricity or energy that is exempt
from taxation under sub. (30), beginning on July 1, 2011, the
sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or other consumption of electricity or energy produced by a product described under par. (a).
(57) (a) In this subsection:
1d. “Animals” include bacteria, viruses, and other
microorganisms.
2. “Machinery” has the meaning given in s. 70.11 (27) (a) 2.
5. “Qualified research” has the meaning given in sub. (57d)
(a) 4.
6. “Used exclusively” has the meaning given in sub. (3) (b) 3.
(b) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of all of the following:
3. Machines and specific processing equipment, including
accessories, attachments, and parts for the machines or equipment, that are used exclusively and directly in raising animals that
are sold primarily to a biotechnology business, a public or private
institution of higher education, or a governmental unit for exclusive and direct use by any such entity in qualified research or
manufacturing.
4. The items listed in sub. (3m) (a) to (m), drugs, semen for
artificial insemination, fuel, and electricity that are used exclusively and directly in raising animals that are sold primarily to a
biotechnology business, a public or private institution of higher
education, or a governmental unit for exclusive and direct use by
any such entity in qualified research or manufacturing.
(57d) (a) In this subsection:
2. “Combined group” has the meaning given in s. 71.255 (1)
(a).
3. “Machinery” has the meaning given in s. 70.11 (27) (a) 2.
4. “Qualified research” means qualified research as defined
under section 41 (d) (1) of the Internal Revenue Code, except that
it includes qualified research that is funded by a member of a
combined group for another member of a combined group.
5. “Used exclusively” has the meaning given in sub. (3) (b) 3.
(b) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of machinery and equipment, including attachments, parts, and accessories, and other tangible personal
property or items or property under s. 77.52 (1) (b) or (c) that are
sold to any of the following and that are consumed or destroyed or
lose their identities while being used exclusively and directly in
qualified research:
1. A person engaged in manufacturing in this state on real
property assessed under s. 70.995.
2. A person engaged primarily in biotechnology in this state.
3. A combined group member who is conducting qualified
research for another combined group member and that other
combined group member is a person described under subd. 1. or
2.
(58) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of snowmaking and snow-grooming machines
and equipment, including accessories, attachments, and parts for
the machines and equipment and the fuel and electricity used to
operate such machines and equipment, that are used exclusively
and directly for snowmaking and snow grooming at ski hills, ski
slopes, and ski trails.
(59) The sales price from the sales of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of advertising and promotional direct mail.

OTHER TAXES AND FEES
(60) (b) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use,
or other consumption of products that are sold by a prime contractor as part of a construction contract, if the total sales price of
all products is less than 10 percent of the total amount of the construction contract. Except as provided in par. (c), the prime contractor is the consumer of the products and shall pay the tax imposed under this subchapter on the products.
(bm) 1. The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use,
or other consumption of products that are sold by a subcontractor
to a prime contractor, or to another subcontractor for eventual
sale to the prime contractor, as part of a construction contract, if
any of the following applies:
a. The total sales price of all products is less than 10 percent
of the total amount of the construction contract.
b. The products will be sold by the prime contractor as part
of a construction contract, and that sale is exempt under par. (b).
2. Except as provided in par. (c), the subcontractor is the consumer of the products exempted under this paragraph and shall
pay the tax imposed under this subchapter on the products.
(c) If the construction contract under par. (b) is between a
prime contractor and an entity that is exempt from taxation under
sub. (9a), all of the following apply:
1. The prime contractor is the consumer of all products used
by the prime contractor in real property construction activities,
but the prime contractor may purchase without tax, for resale,
products that are sold by the prime contractor to the entity as part
of the construction contract and that are not consumed by the
prime contractor in real property construction activities.
2. A subcontractor of the prime contractor is the consumer of
all products used by the subcontractor in real property construction activities, but the subcontractor may purchase without tax,
for resale, products that are sold by the subcontractor to the prime
contractor or another subcontractor, as part of the subcontractor’s
construction contract under par. (bm), for resale to the entity and
that are not consumed by the subcontractor in real property construction activities.
(d) In this subsection:
1. “Construction contract” means a contract to perform real
property construction activities and to provide products.
2. “Prime contractor” means a contractor who enters into a
construction contract with an owner or lessee of real property, except for leased property under s. 77.52 (1) (c) , to perform real
property construction activities on the real property.
3. “Subcontractor” means a contractor who enters into a construction contract with a prime contractor or another
subcontractor.
(61) The sales price from the sale to, and the storage, use, or
other consumption by, a person primarily engaged, as determined
by the department, in commercial printing, book printing, or support activities for printing described under 323111, 323117, and
323120 of the North American Industry Classification System, of
any of the following:
(a) Computers and servers used primarily to store copies of
the product that are sent to a digital printer, a platemaking machine, or a printing press or used primarily in prepress or postpress activities.
(b) Tangible personal property purchased from out-of-state
sellers that are temporarily stored, remain idle, and not used in
this state and that are then delivered and used solely outside of
this state.
(c) In this subsection:
1. “Postpress activities” include paper bronzing, die-cutting,
edging, embossing, folding, gilding, gluing, and indexing.
2. “Prepress activities” include making print-ready plates,
typesetting, trade binding, and sample mounting.
3. “Temporarily” means not more than 180 days.
(62) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of farm-raised deer, as defined in s. 95.001 (1)
(ag), sold to a person who is operating a hunting preserve or game
farm in this state.
(62m) The sales price from the sale of building materials,
supplies, and equipment and the sale of services described in s.
77.52 (2) (a) 20. to; and the storage, use, or other consumption of
the same property and services by; owners, lessees, contractors,
subcontractors, or builders if that property or service is acquired
solely for or used solely in, the construction or development of
sports and entertainment arena facilities, as defined in s. 229.41
(11g), but not later than one year after the secretary of administration issues the certification under s. 229.42 (4e) (d).
(63) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of music sold in a tangible form to a person in
the business of providing a taxable service through a jukebox if
the music is used exclusively for the jukebox. For purposes of
this subsection, music sold in a tangible form is a separate sale
from the jukebox through which the music is played if the sales
price of such property is separately indicated from the sales price
of the jukebox on the invoice, bill of sale, or similar document
that the seller gives to the purchaser.
(64) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of patient health care records that are sold to
the patient or to a person that the patient authorizes to receive the
records.
(65) The sales price from the sale of building materials, supplies, and equipment and the sale of services described in s. 77.52
(2) (a) 20. to; and the storage, use, or other consumption of the
same property and services by; owners, lessees, contractors, subcontractors, or builders if that property or service is acquired
solely for or used solely in, the construction or development of facilities located in an electronics and information technology manufacturing zone designated under s. 238.396 (1m) and if the capital expenditures for the construction or development of such facilities may be claimed as a credit under s. 71.07 (3wm) (bm) or
71.28 (3wm) (bm), as certified by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.
(65m) (a) The sales price from the sale of and the storage,
use, or other consumption of the following:
1. A video or electronic game sold in a tangible form to a person in the business of providing a taxable service through an
amusement device if the video or electronic game is used exclusively for the amusement device. For purposes of this subdivision, a video or electronic game sold in a tangible form is a separate sale from the amusement device through which the video or
electronic game is played if the sales price of the video or electronic game is separately indicated from the sales price of the
amusement device on the invoice, bill of sale, or similar document that the seller gives to the purchaser.
2. Tangible personal property sold to a person in the business
of providing a taxable service through an amusement device if
the tangible personal property is used exclusively as a prize
awarded or transferred through the use of the amusement device.
3. Tournament or league entrance fees advertised and set
aside as prize money.
(b) For purposes of this subsection, “amusement device”
means a single or multiplayer device, machine, or game played
for amusement, the outcome of which depends at least in part on
the skill, precision, dexterity, or knowledge of the person playing,
but not predominantly on the element of chance. “Amusement
device” includes a pinball machine, console machine, crane ma-

SALES AND USE TAXES; MANAGED FOREST LANDS; OTHER TAXES
chine, claw machine, redemption game, stacker, arcade game,
foosball or soccer table game, miniature racetrack or football machine, target or shooting gallery machine, basketball machine,
shuffleboard table, kiddie ride game, Skee-Ball machine, air
hockey machine, dart board, pool table, billiard table, or any
other similar device, machine, or game. “Amusement device”
does not include any device, machine, or game that is illegal to
operate within this state.
(66) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of farm-raised fish, as defined in s. 95.001 (1)
(ah), sold to a fish farm, as defined in s. 95.001 (1) (aj), that is
registered with the department of agriculture, trade and consumer
protection under s. 95.60 (3m), or to a person who holds a valid
permit under s. 29.736 for the stocking of fish.
(68) (a) The sales price from the sale of and the use or other
consumption of a service provided by an electric cooperative to
another electric cooperative, or by a telecommunications utility to
another telecommunications utility, for disaster relief work performed during a disaster period.
(b) In this subsection:
2. “Disaster period” means the time that begins 10 days before a state of emergency and ends 60 days after the state of emergency ends.
3. “Disaster relief work” means work, including repairing,
renovating, installing, building, or performing other services or
activities, relating to infrastructure in this state that has been
damaged, impaired, or destroyed in connection with a state of
emergency.
4. “Electric cooperative” has the meaning given in s. 76.48
(1g) (c).
4m. “State of emergency” means the time when an electric
cooperative wishing to receive services from another electric cooperative or a telecommunications utility wishing to receive services from another telecommunications utility invokes a mutual
aid agreement and at least 20 percent of the electrical or telecommunications system is nonoperational.
5. “Telecommunications utility” has the meaning given in s.
196.01 (10).
(69) (a) The sales price from the sale of tangible personal
property that is stored in this state for not more than 120 days, if
the property is to be used in fulfillment of a real property construction activity that occurs solely outside of this state at a nonprofit organization, a public school district, or a business district
where business tax incentives have been granted and is used by a
person engaged in an activity classified as construction under
sector 23 of the North American Industry Classification System,
2017 edition, published by the federal office of management and
budget, including property that is altered by converting, fabricating, manufacturing, printing, processing, or shaping before its use
outside of this state.
(b) The exemption under this subsection does not apply to
tangible personal property that is stored in this state, leaves this
state, and then is subsequently returned to this state.
(70) (a) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use,
or other consumption of tangible personal property, regardless of
whether the property is affixed to or incorporated into real property, and property under s. 77.52 (1) (c), used exclusively for the
development, construction, renovation, expansion, replacement,
repair, or operation of a qualified data center, as defined in s.
238.40 (1) (b), and used solely at the qualified data center, including computer server equipment and the chassis for such equipment; networking equipment; switches; racks; fiber-optic cabling, copper cabling, and other cabling, including cabling used to
connect one or more qualified data centers; trays; conduit; substations; uninterruptible energy equipment; supplies; fuel piping
and storage; duct banks; switches; switchboards; batteries; testing
equipment; backup generation equipment; modular data centers
and preassembled components; monitoring equipment; security
systems; and electricity.
(b) The sales price from the sales of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of tangible personal property or property under s. 77.52 (1) (c) used in the development, construction, renovation, expansion, replacement, or repair of a water cooling or conservation system used exclusively to cool or conserve water for
one or more qualified data centers, as defined in s. 238.40 (1) (b),
including chillers, mechanical equipment, refrigerant piping, fuel
piping and storage, adiabatic and free cooling systems, cooling
towers, water softeners, air handling units, indoor direct exchange
units, fans, ducting, and filters.
(c) The sales price from the sale of and the storage, use, or
other consumption of tangible personal property or property under s. 77.52 (1) (c) sold to a construction contractor that, in fulfillment of a real property construction activity, transfers the tangible personal property or property under s. 77.52 (1) (c) to a
qualified data center, as defined in s. 238.40 (1) (b), if such tangible personal property or property under s. 77.52 (1) (c) becomes
a component of the qualified data center.
(71) (a) The sales price from the sale of electricity delivered
or placed by a Level 3 charger of an electric vehicle charging station, as defined in s. 77.997 (1), into the battery or other energy
storage device of an electric vehicle.
(b) The sales price from the sale of electricity delivered or
placed by a Level 1 charger or a Level 2 charger installed on or after March 22, 2024, of an electric vehicle charging station, as defined in s. 77.997 (1), into the battery or other energy storage device of an electric vehicle.
(72) The sales price from the sale

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