How to Form a Company in Wisconsin

Introduction

If you’re starting a business in Wisconsin, you’ll need to register your company with the state. The steps for forming an LLC are fairly simple, but there are some additional steps you should take to ensure that your business is compliant with state regulations throughout its existence.

Form a Wisconsin LLC

• Choose a business name
• File articles of organization (if necessary)
• Create an operating agreement
• Appoint a registered agent and registered office (if necessary)
• Obtain licenses, permits and other required documents

Choose a business name for your LLC

After you’ve decided to form an LLC, the first step is to choose a name for your business. In Wisconsin, there are two types of names:

• Trademarks and Service Marks—A trademark or service mark is a word, phrase, symbol or design used to identify the source of goods and services.
• Trade Names—A trade name must be used on contracts and other legal documents filed with a state agency. A trade name does not have to be registered with the state but can be registered if desired. Trade names also do not have any protection under federal law; they are only protected by state laws.

File articles of organization

Once you’ve drafted your LLC operating agreement and decided on a name, the next step is to file articles of organization with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. You must file these within 90 days from when your LLC was formed (assuming it was formed before July 1, 2014). Articles of organization can be filed by mail or in person at any bank located in Wisconsin. The filing fee is $40 per member.

An article of organization must include:

• The name, address and signature (some states require a physical stamp) of all members
• A statement that this is an LLC and not another type of business entity

Create an operating agreement.

Forming a company is the first step in creating your business, but it’s not the last. A corporation or LLC forms as a separate entity from its shareholders, who are required to operate under the rules of this entity. An operating agreement is a document that details these rules and governs how you will run your business.

Why do I need an operating agreement?

An operating agreement can help protect you against liability issues and keep your company running smoothly. In fact, having an effective operating agreement may even prevent costly lawsuits down the road by establishing legal guidelines for how decisions should be made and who has control over critical functions such as hiring employees or selling products or services.

Appoint a registered agent

• Who is a registered agent?
• What is a registered agent?
• How do I appoint one?
• What are the requirements for a registered agent?
• What are the benefits of appointing one, if any exist (be specific)?

Obtain licenses and permits.

When you form a company in Wisconsin, you will also have to obtain licenses and permits. Licenses and permits are required by the state of Wisconsin for businesses operating within its borders. Examples of licenses and permits include:

• A sales tax license, which allows you to collect sales taxes on your products or services.
• A liquor license, which allows you to sell alcohol at your business location. This is only applicable if the state has a liquor control commission that regulates this activity (most states do).
• An occupation tax on employees (e.g., unemployment insurance), if applicable in your particular state; this is usually paid monthly or quarterly by the employer based on wages paid during the previous quarter year-to-date, but can vary from state to state depending on their unemployment insurance laws

When starting your business in Wisconsin, you’ll need to register as an LLC and obtain the proper licenses and permits from the state.

When starting your business in Wisconsin, you’ll need to register as an LLC and obtain the proper licenses and permits from the state.

To form a limited liability company (LLC), you must file articles of organization with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. The articles will include basic information about your business, such as its name, location and purpose. You should also prepare an operating agreement that dictates how decisions are made within the company; this agreement will save time if any disputes arise among members of your firm later on down the road. Once these documents have been prepared, they can be filed online or by mail with all other required forms and fees through our website at https://forms.wdfi.org/.

Conclusion

There you have it, the four most important steps to starting a business in Wisconsin. If you need more information or advice on how to start a company, contact your local government agency or check out the resources on our website.