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Order $89 to $99 Wisconsin registered agent service online for immediate access to our address and state forms. No additional charges.
Your business must appoint a Wisconsin registered agent to receive documents in legal matters, including notice of lawsuit. Our reliable registered agent service fulfills this requirement. You get:
To form your organization in Wisconsin or expand to the state, you must designate a registered agent with the Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Corporate and Consumer Services.
Your registered agent in Wisconsin will serve as the main point of contact with the state, receiving and forwarding official correspondence to ensure you don’t miss service of process and can respond to legal issues swiftly.
To help you choose the best agent, this guide will cover the following:
You’ll also learn about Harbor Compliance—a long-standing registered agent service provider that helps you receive all important notices timely.
A registered agent’s main responsibility is to receive government correspondence like service of process and annual report forms on your behalf. The agent then forwards the notices to you so that you can take the necessary action.
While the agent’s role is relatively simple, it’s essential to addressing legal issues promptly. If your agent fails at their duties, you may not appear in court after legal action is taken against you. This can lead to default judgment—a ruling made without you present, most likely in the plaintiff’s favor.
Appointing a registered agent is obligatory under Section 180.0501 of the Wisconsin State Law. The same goes for a registered office—a physical location to which official notices can be delivered. While the registered office doesn’t need to be the same as your principal address, it must be identical to the registered agent’s address.
According to the aforementioned law, the following can serve as registered agents in Wisconsin:
Besides a physical office, Wisconsin law requires your registered agent to have an email address. There aren’t any other requirements, so you can appoint an employee, friend, family member, or yourself as a registered agent. Alternatively, you can choose another organization, typically referred to as a commercial agent.
The latter is typically considered a safer option because individuals may not have the near-constant availability necessary to avoid missed correspondence. They might be absent for various reasons, while commercial agents ensure someone’s always at the registered office.
Appointing someone from your organization is perhaps the worst option, as it means you might receive service of process in front of your team or clients. Some organization leaders appoint themselves and add their personal addresses to avoid this, but doing so damages your privacy because your information enters the public record.
You can designate a registered agent by naming them on your formation documents ( Articles of Incorporation for profit and nonprofit corporations or Articles of Organization for LLCs). You’ll submit these documents to Wisconsin’s Department of Financial Institutions when registering your organization for the first time.
If you’re expanding to Wisconsin from another state, you’ll name your agent in your foreign qualification paperwork, as you can’t obtain a Certificate of Authority without enlisting them.
According to Section 180.0502 of the Wisconsin State Law, organizations already operating in the state can change their agent in two ways:
The first option is more convenient and cost-effective, as the filing fee is up to $10 compared to $40 for the formation documents amendment. The change is free for business corporations governed by Chapter 180 of the state law, so the $10 fee only applies to other legal entities (LLCs, LLPs, etc.).
Partnering with Harbor Compliance is an excellent way to stay on top of official correspondence without delays. Our Registered Agent Service offers a robust framework that ensures you never miss a legal notice, including:
The Registered Agent Service is only one of the many ways Harbor Compliance helps you meet state requirements. The following table outlines some of our additional services:
| Category | Services Included |
|---|---|
| Comprehensive entity lifecycle management | Name reservation, payroll tax registration, DBA management, annual report filing, dissolution and withdrawal, and various other services you might need throughout your organization’s life |
| Business licensing | General business license management alongside specialized services for industries like construction, engineering, and more |
| Filing and amendments | Drop-off filing, formation paperwork amendment, retrieval of your certificate of good standing and certified copies of official documents |
| Nonprofit formation | Incorporation, charitable registration, and 501(c) tax exemption |
Engaging with us is superior to naming yourself or another individual as your registered agent for several reasons:
The process of appointing us as your registered agent depends on whether you are:
Our Nonprofit Formation, Incorporation, and LLC Formation Services can take over the entire registration process—including the appointment of a registered agent. Choose your business structure, and we’ll file everything on your behalf to save you the time and energy involved in the process.
Alternatively, you can take a more DIY approach and order our Registered Agent Service separately. In this case, you can appoint us by taking the following steps:
If you need help expanding your operations to Wisconsin, our Foreign Qualification Service can ensure your organization is up and running with minimal time and effort. Complete the wizard, and we’ll gather all the necessary documentation and submit it in your name.
We’ll obtain your certificate of authority and appoint Harbor Compliance as your official representative, so you won’t need to file anything manually.
If you wish to partner with Harbor Compliance instead of your current Wisconsin registered agent, there are two ways to complete the change:
Located in nearby Appleton, WI!
Appoint us as your Wisconsin registered agent when you incorporate your business or form your LLC. Sign up for registered agent service and file using the state forms and instructions in your Client Portal. The forms are pre-filled and signed as required by the state.
Appoint us as your agent when you apply for a certificate of authority to transact business in Wisconsin. Sign up for Wisconsin registered agent service and file using the forms and instructions in your Client Portal. The forms are pre-filled and signed as required by the state.
Changing your registered agent to us is easy. Sign up for Wisconsin registered agent service and file using the forms and instructions in your Client Portal. The forms are pre-filled and signed as required by the state.
Harbor Compliance is a provider of nationwide registered agent service. We can help you consolidate your agent representation and achieve cost savings. Our specialists manage the process to change registered agents so that virtually no work is required on your part. We will complete the state filings to appoint us as your registered agent. Additionally, we can extend your subscription term so that you avoid double payment for any portion of your current contract. There’s no reason to wait. Simply contact us for consolidation and we’ll take care of the rest. If you have registered agent appointments spanning multiple states or entities, contact us today.
Below, you’ll see some of the most frequently asked questions about Wisconsin registered agents. If you need additional information, visit our extensive Information Center.
A registered agent is obligatory under Wisconsin State Law for all organizations formed in the state of foreign qualifying to it.
Any individual over the age of 18 or an organization other than yours can serve as a Wisconsin registered agent.
You can be your own registered agent in Wisconsin, but appointing yourself means your name and address will enter the public record, so you’d have less privacy.
You can perform a business search on the Department of Financial Institutions website. The results will show all the public data, including the organization’s registered agent.
Teaming up with Harbor Compliance means you have more room to focus on your organization’s growth without worrying about missed correspondence. Should you face any legal action, we’ll make sure you can react timely and avoid default action and similar escalations.
Order our Registered Agent Service today or contact us to inquire about the additional ways we can help you meet Wisconsin’s legal requirements.
To assess your current regulatory standing and avoid issues that might cause your organization to lose its right to operate in the state, get your free Harbor Compliance Score™. If you need help ensuring all the necessary requirements are met, schedule the demonstration of our robust software to see what it can do for you.
As your organization evolves, you may need a registered agent in other states. Refer to the following table for a full overview of our service coverage:
