Licensing

Veterans Licensure Fee Waiver Program

What is the Veterans Licensure Fee Waiver Program?

Wisconsin Statutes section 45.44 requires that the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) establish and maintain a program under which 13 licensing agencies, including Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), grant fee waivers to qualified veterans and service members when issuing initial licenses or permits.

Under this program:

  • Only one initial license fee waiver is 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.

Further information can be accessed from the Wisconsin Department of Veteran's Affairs. 

How do I apply for the Fee Waiver?

The Wisconsin WDVA determines eligibility for this program.

To qualify for a fee waiver, an individual must be:

  • A resident of Wisconsin
  • Either a veteran, a member of the National Guard or Reserves who has served under honorable conditions for at least one year beginning on the date of enlistment, or a person who was discharged from the Reserves or the National Guard with an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions.

The WDVA will issue the voucher

WDVA Fee Waiver Program provides information on the process and how to apply. Once program eligibility has been established, WDVA will notify the veteran and provide them with the eligibility code. If you have questions, the WDVA provides the Veterans Benefits Resource Center or you can contact the WDVA.

Which DPI licenses can I apply for using the voucher?

After obtaining the one-time use voucher, you may redeem your voucher when applying for the first-time for any license or permit issued by DPI. The voucher cannot be used to renew a license or permit that you previously held. 

How do I apply for a license using the the voucher?

  1. Contact the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs through their website: DVA’s Fee Waiver Eligibility to obtain the voucher information.
  2. Log into your ELO account and fill out the application for the license you are requesting.
  3. When you are filling out the primary transaction for a DPI license or permit in ELO, provide a copy of the voucher you received from the WDVA as an electronic attachment.
  4. Complete the application and press the submit button. Then stop.
  5. Once the transaction has been submitted without payment, contact the Department of Public Instruction's online licensing help desk to request a Military Fee Waiver be considered for your account. You must contact the department to notify us you attached a voucher.
  6. We will review the waiver submitted with your application and send you an email letting you know your next steps in the application process. If the voucher qualifies, the waiver will be manually added and you will be contacted so you may complete your application including the required Conduct and Competency Questionnaire found in the ELO Cart and Additional Activities section of the Quick Start Menu. If the voucher does not qualify, DPI will contact you for an alternate form of payment.

Once you have finished the C&C in the ELO Cart, your application will go into the queue for processing. Please note this can take several weeks.

 

Related Information

 The following benefits are available for a service member who holds a license issued by DPI under Wisconsin Statutes section 321.60:

  • Any license that a service member holds does not expire on the expiration date of the license if the service member is on active duty on the expiration date.
  • Any license that the spouse of a service member holds does not expire on the expiration date if the service member is on active duty on the expiration date, and the spouse does not practice under the license during the same period because the service member is on active duty.
  • At no cost, the license shall be extended or renewed until the next date that the license normally expires or for the period such license is normally issued, IF:
    • The service member or spouse requests an extension or renewal within 180 days after the service member is discharged from active duty, AND
    • The service member or spouse provides a copy of the federal (DD214) or state (NGB53) document that specifies when the service member was called into active duty and when the service member was discharged from active duty.
  • If the license is renewed or extended within 180 days before the next date the license would normally expire, the service member or spouse may do so without complying with the continuing education or training requirements if complying with such requirements in the period before the license expires would cause the service member or spouse undue hardship.
  • Once renewed or extended, DPI may require the service member or spouse to comply with any professional requirements within a reasonable time after receipt of the license.

 

Submit questions and comments about this information to the licensing help desk.