How to Find the Best Registered Agent in Wisconsin

You’re required to appoint a registered agent in Wisconsin so that someone is physically available to accept legal notices and other important documents such as:

• Articles of Organization – the formation documents for Wisconsin LLCs
• Articles of Incorporation – documents submitted by corporations upon formation
• Annual report fee – due at the end of the quarter of the business formation anniversary month
• Certificate of Status– proof of good standing in Wisconsin
• Franchise tax – expected by the 15th day of the 4th month after the tax year ends

The Wisconsin Dpeamrtnen of Financial Institutions allows you to appoint anyone that meets the registered agent requirements for no charge to your company, including:

• Spouse
• LLC member
• Employee

A commercial registered agent service will cost a Wisconsin organization between $50 and $500.

Articles 2 through 4 of the Articles of Organization form will ask you to produce resident agent information that includes:

• Registered agent name
• Registered agent email address
• Registered agent street address

The resignation of the registered agent form will ask you to provide specific information.

• Business entity name
• State and country
• Registered agent address
• The address of the company you’re resigning from
• Date of resignation
• Statement of resignation

• It helps keep you in compliance

A business in Wisconsin must be in good standing to maintain liability protection. If you miss the annual report fee due date, you become noncompliant and lose asset protection.

The professional registered agent service you appoint uses a compliance calendar to track important due dates, notify you immediately, and assist you in filing the correct paperwork and fees.

• You choose the address listed in the Wisconsin business search

If you’re a small business owner in Wisconsin, you may work from a private office or home address. The choice to appoint yourself means that that personal address becomes public record.

Anyone can use the Wisconsin Business Search and search by business name or ID.

The appointment of an outside registered agent means you can use the service’s address as the business address in the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions database.

• You get the benefit of discretion

In Wisconsin, a process server does not have to notify you before they attempt to contact you in your place of business.

When you hire a registered agent, the service will accept the sensitive documents away from the office, giving you peace of mind.

• It allows you to create a flexible work schedule

According to Wisconsin Legislature: 181.0403, registered agents must make themselves available during normal business hours to accept official documents from the Department of Financial Institutions, law firms, and the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR).

The registered agent you appoint must be available during those hours, which includes if you select yourself.

Professional registered agent services have an agent available Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, to accept documents on your company’s behalf.

• Your Certificate of Status is always available

Banks and financial institutions in Wisconsin will ask you to prove the Certificate of Status before allowing you to open business bank accounts.

When you elect to go with a professional registered agent service, you gain online access to the Certificate of Status and other formation documents to make doing business more convenient.

• LLC expansion into other states is easy

Expanding an LLC into different states means you must appoint a registered agent before the formation process can begin.

You can begin the foreign LLC formation process quickly when a registered agent is appointed.