Wisconsin Corporation

You can get an EIN directly from the IRS. The application is free, and most businesses can apply online. However, if you don’t have a social security number, you’ll need to submit a paper application form. Can’t bear to fill out yet another application? Hire Northwest to get your EIN for you. Just add on EIN service during checkout when you sign up for our incorporation service.

Corporate bylaws cover basic policies and procedures for issues such as company finances and management. Bylaws should cover a range of topics, answering key questions like those below:

• Meetings: When and where will meetings for shareholders and directors be held? How many attendees are required to transact business? What are the procedures for voting or proxy voting? How do you call a special meeting? What actions can be taken without a meeting?

• Stock: How are stock certificates issued and transferred? How is voting affected by issues such as corporate stock owners or fractional shares?

• Directors and officers: How many directors must there be? Which officer positions are required? What powers do they have? How do you fill a vacancy or remove a director or officer?

• Finances: What are the procedures for retaining profits, issuing dividends, and paying bills? Who can withdraw money from the corporate bank account or sign checks?

• Records: Where is the corporate book to be kept? What information will be maintained? How are requests for review or access honored? Can records or copies be kept or distributed digitally?

• Amendments and emergencies: Who can amend bylaws and how? Can emergency bylaws be adopted in the case of disaster?

Wisconsin bylaws can make other provisions as well, assuming additions are in accordance with state law. For example, WI Stat § 180.0626 (2019) states that Wisconsin bylaws can determine if the shares of a company have to be issued with a certificate. If the board of directors votes to authorize the issuance of shares without certificates, the corporation must send its shareholders a written statement of the same information required on share certificates.

Creating bylaws can be overwhelming—where do you start? Northwest can help. We give you free corporate bylaws when you hire us to form your Wisconsin corporation. We know what kinds of topics and questions corporations need to address, and we’ve spent years refining and improving our forms. We offer many other free corporate forms as well, including templates for resolutions and meeting minutes.

It depends on how you submit your report. Wisconsin favors of online submissions—which is why the report costs $25 if you file online and $40 if you use the paper form.

Your filing will have one of four due dates: March 31st, June 30th, September 30th, or December 31st, depending on which quarter of the year you first registered your business. For example, if you registered sometime between July and September, your filing will be due September 30th.

These filings can be easy to forget—which is why we send our clients automatic reminders for your Wisconsin Annual Report filing. Or better yet, let us file for you. With our business renewal service, we send you the completed annual report, then submit the report for you for $100 plus the state fee and any tax owed.

Wisconsin has a corporate franchise tax on net income. The rate is a flat 7.9%. Have over $4 million in gross receipts? Your corporation will also be subject to the state’s economic development surcharge. The surcharge is 3% of gross tax liability. There’s a minimum surcharge of $25 and a maximum of $9,800.

The state sales tax is 5%. County and specialty rates can tack on up to 0.6% more, so total sales tax rates vary between 5% (like in Appleton and Oshkosh) and 5.6% (like in Milwaukee and Allenton).

Most likely. For example, if you have employees or need a seller’s permit you’ll have to register with the Department of Revenue. Initial registration costs $20 and the renewal fee is $10. (You’re required to renew your registration with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue every two years.) You can register with the Department of Revenue on their website or by filing a paper Business Tax Registration application. You’ll need your EIN before you can register.

$100. Need it expedited? Add $25.

Hire us for a one-time fee of $325, including the state filing fees. This includes state fees, a full year of registered agent service, an loads of forms and resources to help you get you new business up and running.

Online filings are processed quickly—usually within a day. Mailed filings take 4-7 days. 2-day expediting is available for $25. (It’s kind of worthless when filing online, but useful if filing by mail).

The state itself doesn’t have a general business license, but local areas may have their own licensing requirements, typically for specific business activities. For instance, the City of Kenosha requires licenses for a variety of activities, from selling Christmas trees to operating a pet store.

For some license applications you may need an EIN or a certified copy of your Articles of Incorporation. At Northwest, we can streamline the process and get these for you—simply add on these items during checkout.

A corporation formed outside of Wisconsin—but which conducts business in the state—is considered a foreign Wisconsin corporation. For example, if you incorporated in Illinois but decide to open a storefront in Wisconsin, you would be a foreign Wisconsin corporation. This also means you would need to register with the state by filing a Wisconsin Certificate of Authority Application with the Department of Financial Institutions. Foreign corporations are required to file the Wisconsin Annual Report each year as well.

Absolutely! We’re happy to start a nonprofit corporation for you. Note that incorporating an Wisconsin nonprofit requires a different form. The filing fee is lower as well. Wisconsin nonprofits must file an annual report each year ($10).

It’s a conundrum: you need a local number to display on your website and give to customers, but you don’t want to make your personal number quite so…public. We get it. And we’ve got you covered with Northwest Phone Service. We can provide you with a virtual phone number in any state—plus unlimited call forwarding and tons of easy-to-use features. You can try Phone Service free for 60 days when you hire us to form your corporation, and maintaining service is just $9 monthly after that. No contract required.