Auctioneer (AUC) – Licensure by Examination

To become registered as an auctioneer through the licensure by examination method, submit an application in LicensE, pay all required fees, and obtain a seller’s permit from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, if applicable.

Select the Temporary Certificate method for more information about obtaining temporary registration.

Review the sections below for specific method requirements.

To qualify for the examination, applicants must submit a completed application at least 30 days before the next exam date. 

Once an application is complete, the status will change to Awaiting Exam Score(s). A team member from the Office of Education and Examinations (OEE) will contact applicants by email to schedule the exam.

Applicants must pay the exam fee to be eligible for the roster. Applicants who qualify for a reduced credentialing fee are required to pay the full exam fee.

The exam covers state statutes and administrative code related to the profession. It includes questions on basic math and federal gun sale regulations. The test is designed to help applicants become familiar with the laws and rules that regulate the profession.

The material is taken from the following statutes and code chapters:

Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapters: Tax 11.50, 120-121, and 123-126.

Wisconsin Statute Chapters: 29, 77, 95, 100, 138, 218, 402, 480

US Code Title 18, sec. 922

Additional:

General Math Questions

See the Additional Professional Info section for links to statutes and codes.

The examination is administered by the Office of Education and Examinations (OEE) four times a year. 

The exam is in person at the Hill Farms office building located in Madison, Wisconsin. A team member from OEE will reach out to applicants by email to schedule.

Applicants may study by reviewing the Wisconsin statutes and administrative code relating to the practice of auctioneers and auction companies.

Below are some general instructions for applying for a credential on LicensE. 

1. Create or log into your LicensE account. Please visit LicensE account Information page for detailed guidance on selecting your account type.

2. Select "Apply for a License."

3. Select your Category.

4. Select your License Type.

5. Select your Application Method, then "Next."

6. Review your Personal Information.

7. Enter the requested Information on each page of the application. Information may include Examination, Education, or License History, depending on your profession.

8. If applicable, request a Veterans Fee Waiver or Initial Credential Fee Reduction.

9. Submit the requested Documents you may already have. You do not need to have all documents ready to submit.

   Note: Forms are now hosted on AccessGov. Visit AccessGov Forms Directory to choose your form.

10. Respond to the Attestation questions.

11. Provide Payment Information. Fees may be found Credential Fees.

12. Submit your application.  

Profession specific application requirements can be found in the "Application Information" section.

Create or log into your LicensE account, then:

Select apply for a license

Category: Business

License Type: Auctioneer

Application Method: Licensure by Examination

On the Personal Information page, applicants must enter two dates they are eligible to take the exam. Applicants must choose from the dates offered on our website.

On the Payment page, select the Wisconsin Statute and Law Exam fee box. Applicants must select this box before submitting their application. Failure to pay the exam fee may result in processing delays.

The following documents may be required. Applicants may upload documents to the Supporting Documents page:

• Seller’s Tax Permit from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR)

• Form 2080 - Consent to Examine and Audit Trust Account 

Note: On the Seller’s Sales Tax page, applicants must select their permit status. By selecting “I have enclosed with this application a copy of a current Wisconsin Seller’s Permit from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, which is issued in my name,” applicants understand that they must enter their permit number and upload a copy of the permit to the Supporting Documents page.

Next steps may be found below, in the “What Happens Next?” section.

After you upload all required documents, submit your application, and pay the required fee(s):

1. Preliminary Application Reference Number (PAR)

   1. Your application will be assigned a Preliminary Application Reference number or PAR number. This number allows you and trusted parties to look up the status of your application without logging in. You can also reference this number in any support tickets you submit in regard to your application.

      • A trusted 3^rd party can look up your credential status by visiting LicensE, clicking “Application Status Lookup” and entering the PAR number you have provided to them.

2. Review Timeline

   1. Your materials will be reviewed within approximately 10 days by a member of the credentialing team.

      • Note: Some licenses do take longer to process due to complexity. You can see the performance data on our LicensE Dashboard to see what date we are reviewing for certain application types under "Application Review Times by Profession."

3. Pending Applicant Input Status

   1. After this review, if anything is missing or the credentialing team has any questions on your application, your application will go back into a status called “Pending Applicant Input.”  You will receive an email letting you know your application was moved into this status. You should then log into LicensE and check your application “Due Diligence.”

4. To check your "Due Diligence" 

   1. Your Due Diligence is a checklist of items required for your credential.

   2. The Due Diligence section is how DSPS staff will communicate with you regarding your credential requirements.

   3. Log in to your LicensE account

   4. Click on "Check Application Status" 

   5. Your credential application should be shown on this page. Under “Action” select the button that looks like an upside-down triangle. If you are on mobile, you will need to turn your phone into landscape view. Note: LicensE is best viewed on a desktop or laptop.

   6. After clicking the upside-down triangle, select “View Due Diligences.”

   7. The Due Diligence column lets you know what the requirement is.

   8. The “STATUS” column will you know if the item is “Met”, “Not Met”, or “Not Applicable.”

      • Items listed as “Not Met” are items that are needed by the Department.  

   9. The “NOTES” column of your Due Diligence will provide further written details or instructions about what is still needed.

5. To upload documents

   1. Some applications require additional document uploads.

   2. Log into your LicensE account

   3. Click on "Check Application Status"

   4. Your credential application should be shown on this page. Under "Action" select the button that looks like an upside-down triangle. If you are on mobile, you will need to turn your phone into landscape view. Note: LicensE is best viewed on a desktop or laptop. 

   5. After clicking the upside-down triangle, select "Upload Document."

   6. The document must be an allowable document type. 

   7. After uploading the document, click "submit." If you do not, it will not be sent to a reviewer. 

6. If you have any questions, you can submit a support ticket on LicensE by logging in and clicking "request support" at the top of the page.

LicensE statuses that require action from applicant:

LicensE statuses that indicate the application is with Department staff:

Support Ticket
Submit a support ticket on LicensE and click "request support." Please provide as much detail as possible regarding your concern so we can work to answer your question with a one touch resolution. 

Call
608-266-2112

Email
dsps@wisconsin.gov

Office Hours
7:45am-4:30pm
Department of Safety and Professional Services
4822 Madison Yards Way
Madison, WI, 53705

Note: The in-person office does not process same day.