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How to start a business in Wisconsin

The fees, filing links and deadlines for forming and registering a business in Wisconsin, with the official page for each step.

Last verified October 24, 2026 General information, not legal, tax or insurance advice. Each fee shows the date we checked it on the official page. Fees change, so confirm on the official page before you pay.

LLC filing fee: $130
LLC, first year (state fees): $130
$25 annual report due next year by the end of your formation quarter
Corporation filing fee: $100
Annual report: $25
DBA filed with: State
General state license: No
Newspaper notice: No

How much does it cost to form an LLC or corporation in Wisconsin?

To form an LLC, file Articles of Organization (Form 502) with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Corporate & Consumer Services, Corporation Bureau for $130 (checked Oct 24, 2026). You can file online. A corporation files Articles of Incorporation, Business Corporation (Form 2) for $100 (checked Oct 24, 2026). That filing fee is not the whole bill: see what it costs in the first year.

What does an LLC really cost in its first year in Wisconsin?

Filing fees are only part of the cost. Here is every state fee and minimum tax we found that a new LLC must pay to form and stay in good standing for its first year. Example: Single-member LLC filed online at standard speed, operating from day one with no employees; licenses every business must hold are counted, sales tax permits are listed separately.

State fee	Cost	When	Checked
Articles of Organization filing fee (online)	$130	at filing	Oct 24, 2026

First-year total: $130 in state fees.
$25 annual report due next year by the end of your formation quarter Formation $130 online at standard speed. Add $1 if you form through the One Stop portal. The first $25 annual report, due the year after formation by the end of the quarter the LLC was formed in, is shown below the total, not counted in it. Excludes the $20 Business Tax Registration fee for a seller's permit, trade names, city licenses, registered agent services and optional expedite fees.

After the first year: The $25 online annual report ($40 on paper) is due every year by the end of the LLC's formation quarter. If you hold a seller's permit or other Revenue permit, Business Tax Registration renews every two years for $10. A trade name renews every 10 years for $15.

Fees that apply only in some cases

State fee	Cost	When	Checked
One Stop portal fee Only if you form the LLC through the state's One Stop portal instead of DFI's own online filing		at filing	Oct 24, 2026
Business Tax Registration fee (covers a seller's permit, withholding and other Revenue permits) If you need a seller's permit or any other Department of Revenue permit or certificate; paid once for the first one, covers two years	$20	when you apply, at least three weeks before opening if you will make taxable sales	Oct 24, 2026
Sales tax security deposit Only if Revenue asks for one, usually after past late taxes; up to $15,000, returned after 24 months of on-time sales tax	Note Confirm this on the official page before you rely on it.	before or after the seller's permit is issued	Oct 24, 2026
Trade name registration Optional, if you want to register a name other than the LLC's legal name; lasts 10 years	$15	any time	Oct 24, 2026
Franchise tax Only if the LLC elects to be taxed as a corporation; 7.9% of net income with no minimum, plus a surcharge at $4 million or more in gross receipts	Note Confirm this on the official page before you rely on it.	yearly with the corporate return	Oct 24, 2026
Unemployment insurance employer registration Once you hire and meet the state's wage or work-week tests, which are in the DWD Handbook for Employers	$0 The DWD registration page lists no fee and does not state the hiring thresholds itself.	when you hire	Oct 24, 2026
Workers' compensation insurance Once you have 3 or more employees, or pay one employee $500 or more in a quarter; bought from a private insurer, cost varies	Note Confirm this on the official page before you rely on it.	from the day coverage is required	Oct 24, 2026

Not included: city or county licenses, a registered agent service if you hire one, and optional extras such as expedited filing. Fees can change after the date shown; confirm on the official page before you pay.

Do I need to register a DBA in Wisconsin?

If you do business under a name that isn’t your legal name, register it as an assumed name (DBA) with the state for $15 (checked Oct 24, 2026).

How to file a DBA

Does Wisconsin require an annual report?

Yes. The fee is $25 (checked Oct 24, 2026). Every year starting the year after the LLC is formed, by the last day of the calendar quarter it was formed in (formed in May 2026 means the first report is due June 30, 2027). $25 online or $40 on paper. Missing reports makes the LLC delinquent, and after several years it can be administratively dissolved; catching up means filing the current report and paying the back fees.

Initial report: No. (checked Oct 24, 2026) None. Wisconsin has no initial report; the first annual report is due the year after formation.

Does Wisconsin have a franchise or privilege tax?

Corporations, and LLCs that choose to be taxed as corporations, pay Wisconsin's 7.9% franchise tax on net income, with no minimum tax. An economic development surcharge (3% of the tax, $25 minimum, $9,800 maximum) applies only with $4 million or more in gross receipts. A single-member LLC owned by one person is disregarded for tax and does not file the corporate return; the owner reports the profit on a personal Wisconsin income tax return.

How do I register for state taxes in Wisconsin?

Register with the state revenue agency for sales tax and withholding, and open an unemployment insurance account once you hire your first employee.

Does Wisconsin require a general business license?

No. Wisconsin doesn’t issue one general business license; what you need depends on your activity and where you operate.

Wisconsin has no general state business license. You need a seller's permit for taxable retail sales from a Wisconsin location; apply at least three weeks before opening. The seller's permit has no separate fee, but your first Department of Revenue permit or certificate (seller's permit, withholding, use tax and others) carries a $20 Business Tax Registration fee that covers two years, then $10 every two years. Revenue may ask for a security deposit of up to $15,000, usually after past late taxes. The One Stop portal can form an LLC or corporation and register with Revenue and Workforce Development in one flow. Occupational licenses come from the Department of Safety and Professional Services; no statewide local lookup found.

What local licenses will I need in Wisconsin?

Cities and counties set their own licenses, zoning and permits. Call your city or county clerk with your business type and address before you open.

Milwaukee (city)
No general city business license is described; the City Clerk's License Division page links to specific licenses and permits (e.g., alcohol, food trucks, snow plowing) and a Start Smart online tool for finding which apply. No fees are stated on the page; the License Division is at 414-286-2238.

When do I need workers’ comp in Wisconsin?

3 or more full- or part-time employees, or 1 or more employees if you pay $500 or more in gross wages in any calendar quarter.

Coverage starts the day you hire the third person, or once wages reach $500 in a quarter. Farmers must cover workers once they employ 6 or more on the same day for 20 days in a year. Sole proprietors, partners and LLC members are not employees but may buy coverage. Up to two officers of a closely held corporation may opt out by policy endorsement, but still count toward the total. Domestic servants are not employees under the law. Going uninsured can cost double the premiums you should have paid (at least $750), plus $100 a day for up to seven days, and the state can close the business.

What else should I know about starting a business in Wisconsin?

LLC articles cost $130 online or $170 on paper; corporation articles cost $100 online or on paper. Filing through the state's One Stop portal adds a $1 portal fee. Optional expedite costs $100 for next business day, or $250 (four hours) and $500 (one hour) at the Madison counter. LLC and corporation annual reports are $25 online or $40 on paper. Registering a trade name with DFI is optional, costs $15, lasts 10 years, must be notarized and is filed online or in person. Qualifying students at Wisconsin colleges can form an LLC with no filing fee on paper Form 502SE. A 2025 bill (SB 267) to extend that waiver to high school and homeschooled students passed the Senate but was not enacted, and it does not change the $130 fee. No newspaper publication requirement appears on DFI's pages.

What to double-check for Wisconsin?

A few details below aren't spelled out on the state's own pages. Confirm them on the official page before you file.

Note Forming through the state's One Stop portal adds $1. https://dfi.wi.gov/Pages/BusinessServices/BusinessEntities/Fees.aspx
Note https://dfi.wi.gov/Pages/BusinessServices/BusinessEntities/FAQ.aspx
Note The DWD unemployment insurance registration page lists no fee and does not state when an employer must register; the thresholds are in DWD's Handbook for Employers. https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/uitax/register-business.htm

What to do next

Want help setting up in Wisconsin? Contact us

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Sources

Official pages checked on October 24, 2026.