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<v Dan>The 5 best registered agents in Wisconsin in 2026 are Mainstay Filing, Northwest

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<v Dan>Registered Agent, WI Registered Agent.org, Bizee, and

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<v Dan>Wisconsin Registered Agent.co.

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<v Maya>This is The Business Formation Podcast.

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<v Maya>Wisconsin today. What stands out?

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<v Dan>Wisconsin's Department of Financial Institutions sends your annual report forms and

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<v Dan>official notices to your agent.

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<v Dan>And a change of agent is $10 online, or $25 on paper.

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<v Maya>So the agent gets my state mail?

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<v Dan>According to the agency's own form instructions, yes.

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<v Dan>Annual report forms, notices, and other official communications go to the registered

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<v Dan>agent.

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<v Maya>So a stale agent means missed mail.

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<v Dan>And missed mail is how companies fall out of good standing without knowing it.

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<v Maya>Who can serve in Wisconsin?

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<v Dan>A Wisconsin resident whose business office is the registered office, or a Wisconsin

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<v Dan>or authorized foreign entity with that business office.

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<v Dan>The agent also needs an email address.

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<v Maya>I'm Maya, by the way, here with Dan.

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<v Dan>Thanks, Maya. The five.

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<v Maya>Who's first?

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<v Dan>Mainstay Filing. $149 a year, and it stays $149 at renewal.

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<v Maya>What's included?

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<v Dan>Its Wisconsin address on the public record instead of yours.

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<v Dan>Papers served on your company are scanned and uploaded the same business day, with

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<v Dan>no fee. Your first three government mailings each year are scanned free too.

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<v Maya>And if I'm switching?

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<v Dan>Mainstay files the change. You pay the $10 online state fee at cost.

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<v Maya>The catch?

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<v Dan>Two other services on the list charge $99, so Mainstay is not the lowest price.

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<v Maya>Second?

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<v Dan>Northwest Registered Agent. $125 a year, and its page says the price hasn't risen in

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<v Dan>20 years. Up to 10 pieces of business mail a year are scanned free.

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<v Maya>The catch?

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<v Dan>Signup auto-enrolls you in its annual report filing service.

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<v Dan>It's $100 plus state fees per filing, until you cancel.

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<v Maya>What would Wisconsin's report cost?

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<v Dan>$25 online. So the service is four times that, on top of the state's fee.

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<v Maya>Third?

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<v Dan>WI Registered Agent.org, $99 a year and the same

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<v Dan>at renewal. The office address on your filings, same-day scanning of legal mail, and

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<v Dan>reminders for state deadlines.

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<v Maya>And switching?

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<v Dan>$10 for the state fee, filed online.

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<v Maya>The catch?

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<v Dan>Annual report filing is a separate service.

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<v Maya>Versus number one?

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<v Dan>$50 a year less than Mainstay.

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<v Maya>Four?

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<v Dan>Bizee, formerly Incfile. Free for the first year with a formation package, then $149

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<v Dan>a year.

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<v Maya>Fine print?

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<v Dan>The free year needs a formation order, and the $149 renewal is automatic.

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<v Maya>What if my LLC is already formed?

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<v Dan>Then you pay $149 from the first year.

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<v Dan>That's $447 over three.

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<v Maya>And five?

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<v Dan>Wisconsin Registered Agent.co.

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<v Dan>A flat $99 a year, with a physical address, scanned legal mail, and compliance

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<v Dan>alerts.

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<v Maya>Anything different from number three?

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<v Dan>Same price, same catch. Annual report filing is a separate service.

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<v Maya>What address does Wisconsin accept?

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<v Dan>An actual physical location with a street address.

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<v Dan>It can't be solely a P O box, a mailbox service, or a telephone answering service.

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<v Maya>A mailbox service doesn't count?

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<v Dan>Not by itself. The registered office has to be the business office of the registered

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<v Dan>agent, and it must be in Wisconsin.

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<v Maya>Can the LLC be its own agent?

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<v Dan>No. The rule is plain that an entity may not name itself as its own registered

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<v Dan>agent.

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<v Maya>Does the agent have to agree?

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<v Dan>Entities must get the agent's consent before naming it.

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<v Maya>Where does the agent go on the formation filing?

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<v Dan>On the Articles of Organization, Form 502.

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<v Dan>Article 3 is the agent's name, Article 4 is the agent's email, and Article 5 is the

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<v Dan>registered office address.

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<v Maya>What does it cost?

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<v Dan>$130 online, or $170 on paper.

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<v Maya>So two parts of the form just for the agent.

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<v Dan>Three, if you count the email.

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<v Maya>How do I change it?

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<v Dan>With Form 13, the Statement of Change.

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<v Dan>It covers the agent's name, email, and registered office.

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<v Maya>What's the cost?

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<v Dan>$10 online, or $25 on paper. A $100 option expedites it.

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<v Maya>Where does a paper form go?

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<v Dan>To the Department of Financial Institutions in Milwaukee, at a post office box.

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<v Maya>Can the annual report do it instead?

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<v Dan>Yes. If your report lists a different agent or office than the record shows,

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<v Dan>Wisconsin treats the difference as a statement of change.

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<v Maya>What if my agent quits?

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<v Dan>It files Form 13R, Resignation of Registered Agent.

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<v Dan>That one is $10.

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<v Maya>When does it take effect?

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<v Dan>The earlier of 60 days after the Department receives it, or the day a successor

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<v Dan>agent takes over.

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<v Maya>Who tells me?

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<v Dan>The agent agrees on the form to promptly send your entity notice of the resignation

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<v Dan>and the date it was filed.

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<v Maya>Sixty days is a long time to forget.

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<v Dan>And it goes by fast when the notice lands in an old inbox.

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<v Maya>What if there is no agent to serve?

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<v Dan>Then the company can be served by registered or certified mail, return receipt

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<v Dan>requested, or a similar commercial delivery service.

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<v Dan>It's addressed to the company at its principal office.

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<v Maya>And the risk to the LLC?

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<v Dan>Two grounds for administrative dissolution matter here.

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<v Dan>Being without a registered agent for at least one year, and not telling the

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<v Dan>Department within one year of a change or a resignation.

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<v Maya>Is there a warning?

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<v Dan>Written notice goes to the registered agent, and then you get 60 days to cure.

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<v Maya>And if the agent was the one who left?

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<v Dan>Then the notice goes to an agent that's no longer there.

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<v Dan>That's the trap.

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<v Maya>What does Wisconsin ask every year?

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<v Dan>An annual report, $25 online, or $40 on paper.

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<v Maya>When is it due?

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<v Dan>By the end of the calendar quarter of your anniversary.

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<v Dan>That's March 31, June 30, September 30, or December 31.

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<v Maya>Does it list the agent?

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<v Dan>It lists the agent's name, email and office.

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<v Dan>File the change first, then the report.

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<v Maya>Can I do it myself in Wisconsin?

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<v Dan>As a Wisconsin resident whose business office is the registered office, yes.

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<v Maya>What's the downside?

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<v Dan>You need a real office address, and so does anyone you name.

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<v Dan>And the state mail goes there too.

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<v Maya>So there's a deadline risk.

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<v Dan>Yes. If the Department's notice goes unread, nobody else catches it.

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<v Maya>How would a Milwaukee or Madison owner choose?

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<v Dan>Three questions. Does the price hold at renewal, is the office address a real

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<v Dan>Wisconsin street address, and who files Form 13.

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<v Maya>What's the three-year gap?

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<v Dan>Mainstay is $447, and a $99 service is $297.

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<v Dan>That's $150 apart, for the free scanned government mail and the change filed for

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<v Dan>you.

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<v Maya>Your pick?

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<v Dan>Mainstay Filing. Our pick for Wisconsin, at $149 a year.

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<v Maya>All five one more time.

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<v Dan>One, Mainstay Filing: $149, the same at renewal.

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<v Dan>Two, Northwest: $125, with the report service to cancel.

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<v Dan>Three, WI Registered Agent.org: $99 flat.

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<v Dan>Four, Bizee: free the first year with a formation order, then $149.

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<v Dan>Five, Wisconsin Registered Agent.co: $99 flat.

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<v Maya>The links are in the show notes.

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<v Maya>Thanks for listening to The Business Formation Podcast.