Wisconsin DFI business registration — contact & fees
Updated August 2026
Quick Answer
The Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions' Division of Corporate and Consumer Services handles all entity formations, annual reports, amendments, and certificates of status. Wisconsin's entity registration is not with the Secretary of State — the DFI administers all corporate and LLC filings. Online filings are $40 cheaper than paper for LLC formations and $15 cheaper for annual reports.
Open Official Wisconsin Dept. of Financial Institutions Portal ↗DFI office contact
- Street address
- 4822 Madison Yards Way, North Tower, Madison, WI 53705
- Mailing address
- P.O. Box 93348, Milwaukee, WI 53293-0348
- Phone
- (608) 261-7577
- Office hours
- Monday – Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central Time
- Entity search
- apps.dfi.wi.gov/apps/corpsearch
- Business Entities homepage
- dfi.wi.gov — Business Entities
Entity formation and filing fees
Wisconsin charges $40 more for paper LLC formations than online ($170 vs. $130). Corporation and nonprofit formation fees are the same regardless of channel. Annual reports cost $15 more by paper. Verify current amounts at dfi.wi.gov before filing.
Domestic LLC — Articles of Organization
- Fee (Online / Paper)
- Online $130 / Paper $170
Annual Report — LLC, Corporation (due last day of anniversary quarter)
- Fee (Online / Paper)
- Online $25 / Paper $40
Domestic For-Profit Corporation — Articles of Incorporation
- Fee (Online / Paper)
- $100 (online and paper)
Domestic Nonprofit Corporation — Articles of Incorporation
- Fee (Online / Paper)
- $35 (online and paper)
Annual Report — Nonprofit (due last day of anniversary quarter)
- Fee (Online / Paper)
- Online $25 / Paper $40
Amendment or Restatement (LLC or corporation)
- Fee (Online / Paper)
- $40
Dissolution/Cancellation/Termination (LLC or corporation)
- Fee (Online / Paper)
- Online $20 / Paper $35
Foreign Entity — Registration (corporation, LLC, LP)
- Fee (Online / Paper)
- From $75 (LP) to $100 (corporation, LLC)
Foreign Entity — Annual Report
- Fee (Online / Paper)
- Online $65 / Paper $80
Name Reservation (120 days, renewable once)
- Fee (Online / Paper)
- $15
Certificate of Status (Good Standing)
- Fee (Online / Paper)
- $10
Expedited — Next Business Day
- Fee (Online / Paper)
- +$100
Expedited — Same Day (within 4 hours)
- Fee (Online / Paper)
- +$250
Expedited — Same Hour (within 1 hour)
- Fee (Online / Paper)
- +$500
DFI warns that once an entity is properly formed or registered, it is never required to purchase a certificate of status to remain valid — the department has received reports of solicitations designed to look like official invoices from "WI Certificate Service" and "US Business Regulations Dept." Verify any notice against DFI's official fee schedule before paying.
UCC filing, notary, and apostille services
The Department of Financial Institutions also handles UCC filings, notary commissions, and document authentication:
- UCC search and filing — a limited search is free; an official UCC-11 debtor search costs $7, with certification available for $10 more.
- Notary public commissions — $20 for a standard 4-year commission, or $50 for a licensed attorney's permanent commission.
- Apostilles and authentications — $10 per document for standard service (3–7 business days), or $35 per document expedited (1–2 business days).
Source: Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions UCC, notary, and apostille pages (dfi.wi.gov).
Key Wisconsin state licensing agencies
Wisconsin Department of Revenue
- What it covers
- Sales and use tax registration, employer withholding, business registration
- Website
- revenue.wi.gov
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
- What it covers
- Unemployment insurance registration, employer accounts, wage and hour compliance
- Website
- dwd.wisconsin.gov
Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS)
- What it covers
- Contractor licensing, professional and occupational licenses — healthcare, real estate, cosmetology
- Website
- dsps.wi.gov
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Wisconsin have a Secretary of State for business filings?
No. Wisconsin has no Secretary of State handling business entity registration — that role belongs to the Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), Division of Corporate and Consumer Services, which processes all corporate and LLC filings.
Is it cheaper to file a Wisconsin LLC online instead of by paper?
Yes. Online LLC formation costs $130 versus $170 by paper — a $40 savings over the paper option. Annual reports also cost $15 less when filed online ($25) than when filed on paper ($40), so online filing is cheaper either way.
Has Wisconsin's DFI warned about fake certificate of status invoices?
Yes. DFI has received reports of solicitations designed to look like official invoices, sent under names like 'WI Certificate Service' and 'US Business Regulations Dept.' A certificate of status is never required to keep a properly formed entity valid — check any such notice against DFI's fee schedule first.