The Bureau offers multiple online filing options. In most cases, your filing will be accepted upon receipt and you will receive notice immediately. All online filings require a contact email address be provided. This email address will be used for all correspondence regarding that particular filing. Click on a category below or scroll to the desired form in the list:
Available Online Filings
If I cannot file online, do you have paper forms available?
The department publishes forms for almost every type of transaction. They are available
on the forms page.
Fraudulent Filing Notice:
It is a Class I felony in Wisconsin for a person to knowingly file a
false corporate document if the person intends that document to be filed
or delivered to the Department of Financial Institutions. The
Department reports fraudulent filings to the Department of Justice or
local district attorneys for criminal prosecution. See Wis. Stat.
sections 178.0120 (4), 179.0124 (4), 180.0129, 181.0129, 183.0122 (4), and 185.825.
Disclaimer: The Department of Financial Institutions acts as a
filing registry for businesses. This office lacks the authority to
certify if a business is operating legally.
Corporate Transparency Act (CTA)
Please
note that the Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) is a state of Wisconsin entity and does not administer
the CTA. The CTA is administered by the federal government. Therefore, DFI is unable to answer specific questions regarding
compliance.
Where can I get more information on this topic?
This
information is provided on behalf of the Department of the Treasury and
FinCEN, which administers the CTA's reporting requirements. Visit the
webpages below or contact FinCEN for more information:
FinCEN's beneficial ownership information webpage:
FinCEN's small entity compliance guide
FinCEN's FAQs: FinCEN email: FRC@fincen.gov
FinCEN's Regulatory Helpline: 1-800-767-2825
FinCEN's contact form
The
Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA") was enacted by Congress on a
bipartisan basis on January 1, 2021, as part of the National Defense
Authorization Act. The CTA seeks to prevent and combat money laundering,
terrorist and proliferation financing, serious tax fraud, and other
financial crimes by making it harder for bad actors to hide or benefit
from their ill-gotten gains through shell companies or other opaque
structures. Among other reforms, the CTA requires most corporations,
limited liability companies, and other similar entities formed or
registered to do business in the United States to report information
about their beneficial ownership to the Financial Crimes Enforcement
Network (FinCEN), a bureau within the U.S. Department of Treasury.
When does the CTA take effect?
What entities are required to file reports with FinCEN?
The
CTA's reporting requirements apply to corporations, limited liability
companies, and other entities created by filing a document with the
Department of Financial Institutions or a similar office in another
state (such as a secretary of state's office). The CTA refers to these
entities as domestic reporting companies. The CTA's
reporting requirements also refer to entities formed in another country
that have registered to do business in the United States by filing a
document with the Department of Financial Institutions or a similar
office in another state. The CTA refers to those entities as foreign reporting companies.
Several
types of types of entities are exempt from these reporting
requirements, including tax-exempt entities. The FinCEN resources below
provide more information on reporting requirements and exemptions.
Contact Us
Phone: (608) 261-7577
Email: DFICorporations@dfi.wisconsin.gov
Mailing Address:
Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions
Division of Corporate and Consumer Services
PO Box 93348
Milwaukee, WI 53293-0348
Physical Address:
Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions
Division of Corporate and Consumer Services
4822 Madison Yards Way, North Tower
Madison, WI 53705