You want to do business in the state of Wisconsin but are registered as a Domestic Corporation in another state.  In order to legally conduct business in the state of Wisconsin you must register with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions as a Foreign Corporation.  The process of registering as a Foreign Corporation in Wisconsin is called Wisconsin Corporation Foreign Qualification.

The process of Wisconsin Corporation Foreign Qualification is similar to the process of forming a Domestic Corporation in Wisconsin.  Your original Domestic Corporation formation documents (usually called Articles of Incorporation) and By Laws apply to your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation.  The Officers and Directors of your Domestic Corporation have the same roles in the Wisconsin Foreign Corporation.  Specific requirements to qualify as a Foreign Corporation in Wisconsin are explained below. 

Once you have made the decision to Qualify as a Foreign Corporation in Wisconsin, a Wisconsin lawyer can file your documents and act as a middle man for a few hundred dollars an hour; or you can use an online service provider like All Business Documents to perform these services.

In the United States, just because you are registered to do business in one state does not mean that you can legally do business in another state.  If you want to transact any serious business in a state other than the state in which your Corporation is registered, most likely you will have to register with the state in which you want to do business before you can legally conduct business there. 

For example, a Corporation that is registered in California wants to do business in Wisconsin.  The California Corporation is a "Domestic" Corporation in California and will be a "Foreign" Corporation in Wisconsin.

The California Foreign Corporation needs to register with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions as a Wisconsin Foreign Corporation.

The use of the term Foreign in this case refers specifically to individual US states.  The US government, including the IRS, considers a Foreign Corporation to be a Corporation that is registered outside of the United States.

The short answer is no.  The state of Wisconsin does not legally require a lawyer to form a Wisconsin Foreign Corporation.

Our detailed Foreign Corporation Information page may help you understand some of the implications of forming a Wisconsin Foreign Corporation.  However, if there is anything about forming a Foreign Corporation in Wisconsin that you're not sure about you should seek the advice of a competent Wisconsin lawyer, a Wisconsin accountant, or both before you form a Foreign Corporation in Wisconsin.

Once you have made the decision to form a Foreign Corporation in Wisconsin, a Wisconsin lawyer can file your documents and act as a middle man for a few hundred dollars an hour; or you can use an online service provider like All Business Documents to perform these services and save money that you can use in your new Wisconsin Foreign Corporation.

You are not legally required to reserve a Company Name for a new Wisconsin Foreign Corporation before you submit your application to Form a Foreign Corporation in Wisconsin.

The Foreign Corporation name that you have registered in your home state may or may not be available in Wisconsin.  In that case you need a different name your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation.  Whether or not you need to reserve a company name for your new Wisconsin Foreign Corporation depends entirely on your business situation.  The Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions uses names on a first come first served basis.  So if you think that someone may snatch the Company Name that you have in mind, you may want to reserve that Wisconsin Foreign Corporation Name.

If the Name you have chosen for your new Wisconsin Foreign Corporation is already in use by a currently active Wisconsin Foreign Corporation or LLC then you will have to register a DBA Name with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.  "DBA" is an abbreviation for "Doing Business As."

We verify that the Name you have chose for your new Wisconsin Foreign Corporation is available before we submit your Foreign Corporation filing to the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.  If necessary we can register a DBA Name in Wisconsin for you so that you can open your new Wisconsin business as quickly as possible.

1. Prove that you are registered in a state other than Wisconsin as a Domestic Corporation
   In order to register as a Foreign Corporation in the state of Wisconsin, you must first prove that you are registered in another state as a Domestic Corporation.  You prove this with a Certificate of Good Standing, sometimes referred to as a Certificate of Existence or a Certificate of Fact, from the state in which you are registered as a Domestic Corporation.  Cost of a Good Standing Certificate for your Domestic Corporation varies from state to state.
   
   
   If you already have a Good Standing Certificate from your home state, note that it must be dated no older than 60 days from the date of your application for Wisconsin Corporation Foreign Qualification.
   
   
   If the date on your Good Standing Certificate is older than 60 days then you need to get an updated certificate.   If you get your own Good Standing Certificate you must scan and email or send a copy to us before we submit your application for a Wisconsin Foreign Corporation.
   We can get your Good Standing Certificate from any state - in most states within 2-3 hours.
2. Choose a name for your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation
   You can use the same name in Wisconsin that you use in your home state, however, if the name of your Domestic Corporation is not available you need to choose another name.  Your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation name can identify the type of products and services your business will provide; or it may be the name of the founder; or it can be a combination of the two or something else.
   
   In any case, the Wisconsin Foreign Corporation name that you choose must be distinguishable from the name of any other registered Wisconsin Corporation or other business entity and the name must also be different from any reserved names on record with the state of Wisconsin.  Your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation name must not imply that it was formed for a purpose other than that stated in the Your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation name must not be a name that is likely to mislead the public.
   
   The name of a Wisconsin Foreign Corporation must include the word "Foreign Corporation" or "Incorporated" or an abbreviation of one of these words.
   
   It's important to choose a good name for your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation because if you want to change it after you qualify you will have to file amended documents with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (and pay a fee).
   We will check to make sure that your requested Wisconsin Foreign Corporation name is available and conforms to all state of Wisconsin Foreign Corporation naming regulations.
3. Select an official address and a Registered Agent for your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation
   Every Wisconsin Foreign Corporation must have an address that is physically located in the state of Wisconsin.  This address is "registered" with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.  The Registered Address cannot be a PO Box and is where official and legal correspondence can be delivered.
   
   The individual or company that is registered with the state of Wisconsin to receive all correspondence on behalf of the Wisconsin Foreign Corporation is called a "Registered Agent".  You may act as your own Registered Agent, however, many Wisconsin Foreign Corporations hire a Registered Agent because they don't have a physical address within the state of Wisconsin or to provide a distinct level of privacy.
   We provide Registered Agent services in Wisconsin as well as all other states and the District of Columbia.
4. File Registration Documents with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions
   In order to Qualify as a Foreign Corporation in Wisconsin you must file Registration Documents with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.  In Wisconsin the registration documents are named "Certificate of Authority Application".
   
   The registration documents must include certain specific information about your Wisconsin business.  If the Registration Documents do not conform exactly to state of Wisconsin requirements they will be rejected. 
   
   If you need to change any of the information on your registration documents after your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation has been approved, you may amend the registration documents for your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation but you will have to pay a fee to the state of Wisconsin in order to make the changes official.
   
   
5. Determine how you want your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation to be taxed
   The Wisconsin Corporate Income Tax Rate is %.  You may choose that your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation to be taxed as a C Corporation or S Corporation. 
   
   A C Corporation is what you may think of as a traditional Corporation like General Electric or Ford.  C Corporations pay a Corporate income tax to the state if that state taxes Foreign Corporations. 
   
   You may choose to have your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation taxed as a S Corporation.  S Corporations "pass through" all corporate profits to the shareholders (owners) who then pay tax at their applicable personal rate.  S Corporations do not pay any Wisconsin Corporate Income Tax.
   If you choose to be taxed as an S Corporation, we can prepare the S Corporation election form for your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation and include it with your final Foreign Corporation documents package.

1. Obtain Business Licenses from the cities and counties in which you plan to do business
2. File the required reports for your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation
3. Keep proper records of your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation on file
4. Pay your taxes to the state of Wisconsin

1. Obtain Business Licenses from the cities and counties in which you plan to do business
   Note that forming a Wisconsin Foreign Corporation does not take the place of obtaining a local business license, tax registration certificate, or other required business permits.  A Wisconsin Foreign Corporation merely creates an ownership structure that limits the owners' personal liability.  You may still need to take care of getting set up to do business with your local government.
   
   Depending on the nature of the business and the location of your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation within Wisconsin you may need to get one or more local business licenses or permits.  The business licenses or permits that are required for your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation vary depending on your business activities and the specific locations within the state of Wisconsin in which you want to conduct business.
   
   If your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation will be selling products in Wisconsin you may be required to obtain a Reseller's Permit from the appropriate Wisconsin state agency.  If your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation will be selling products in Wisconsin you will also be responsible for all applicable local and state of Wisconsin sales taxes if there are any.
   We have the expertise to find out exactly which state and local permits that you need for your specific business.
2. File the required reports for your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation
   The Wisconsin Corporation Annual Report includes basic information about your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation including information on your Officers and Directors.
   
   Failure to submit a properly completed Wisconsin to the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions on or before the due date may subject the Wisconsin Foreign Corporation to being administratively dissolved in the state of Wisconsin or having its authority to transact business in the state of Wisconsin revoked by the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.
   
   Penalties may accrue if you fail to file any Wisconsin Foreign Corporation to the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions by the due date.
   
   
3. Keep proper records of your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation on file
   Keep the following records on file and available at the principal business office of your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation:
   • Names and addresses of all Directors and Officers of the Wisconsin Foreign Corporation
   • Foreign Corporation formation documents and any Amendments to them
   • Corporate Bylaws and any Amendments to them
   • List of current shareholders of the Foreign Wisconsin Foreign Corporation.  If shareholders change, keep a record of old shareholders and how stock was transferred.
   • Minutes of all Meetings of Shareholders and Directors
   • Copies of any Corporate Resolutions which have been adopted by the Wisconsin Foreign Corporation
   • Copies of all tax returns and Annual Reports for the Wisconsin Foreign Corporation for the last 3 years
   
   
   
4. Pay your taxes to the state of Wisconsin
   Foreign Corporations that either do business in the state of Wisconsin or that derive income from sources within the state of Wisconsin are subject to Wisconsin and federal tax laws.  If you are engaged in intrastate business and derive income from other states besides Wisconsin, you must allocate the amount of income derived from the state of Wisconsin in order to determine your Wisconsin state taxes.

In order to Incorporate in Wisconsin you'll need the following information about your new Company:

• The name of your new Wisconsin Foreign Corporation along with your second choice of a name in case the name that you want is not available
  
• Physical address of the Foreign Corporation office in Wisconsin (not a PO Box)
  
• A good standing certificate for your Domestic Corporation from your home state no older that 60 days
• A description of the nature of the business you are planning to operate with the Wisconsin Foreign Corporation
• The number of shares of stock that the Wisconsin Foreign Corporation will be authorized to issue
• The par value of the shares which the Wisconsin Foreign Corporation will be authorized to issue
• When the Wisconsin Foreign Corporation will start and when it will cease to exist (normally the Foreign Corporation starts on the date the application is filed and will exist perpetually)
• Names and addresses of the initial Directors of the Wisconsin Foreign Corporation
• Names and addresses of each Officer of the Wisconsin Foreign Corporation

Remember - ALL the information that you provide when you Form a Foreign Corporation in Wisconsin becomes part of the public record.  Our data entry forms include the absolute minimum amount of information that is required in order to Form a new Foreign Corporation in Wisconsin.

Processing times for new Wisconsin Foreign Corporation applications vary depending on the work load of the Department of Financial Institutions's staff.  We've found that normal processing of new Wisconsin Foreign Corporation applications takes the state around 5-7 business days.  Add 2-3 days for the time period for shipping the final documents by mail.  Choosing our Express Mail option can shave a couple of days off the total processing time for your new Wisconsin Foreign Corporation.

The Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions reserves the right to extend expedite periods in time of extreme volume, staff shortage or equipment malfunction.  We are dependent on, and have no control over, the staff and systems of the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.

In our experience 5-7 business days is the time it usually takes the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions to process a new Wisconsin Foreign Corporation application. We get your Wisconsin Foreign Corporation application to the WI Department of Financial Institutions ASAP. Once it is at the state we have no control over the new Wisconsin Foreign Corporation application process.

The state of Wisconsin charges $110.00 to Form a Foreign Corporation in WI.  Also add the cost of a Good Standing Certificate from your home state.   If you choose us to help you Form your Foreign Corporation in Wisconsin our processing fees are $145.00.  This includes:

• Same day processing of your new Wisconsin Foreign Corporation order
• WI Name Check and Reservation
• Prepare Certificate of Authority Application
• File Formation Documents with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions
• Certified Copies of Formation Documents
• Wisconsin Foreign Corporation Checklist
• Priority Mail Delivery
• Unlimited Customer Support