Wisconsin Limited Liability Company Articles of Organization

Last Revised: August 9, 2019.

About this Form

An articles of organization form is the document that one must complete and submit to the state to establish the creation of an LLC within Wisconsin. It sets forth the name of the proposed company and contact information for its registered agent, among other details. It may only include information required explicitly under state law and no other information. The purchased version of this form is guaranteed compliant with the laws of the state of Wisconsin. It comes complete with instructions and filing details for creating an LLC within the state.

Accepted Filing Methods

Wisconsin accepts the filing of an articles of organization form via U.S. mail, walk-in, or online via the Secretary of State's online system for e-filing documents.

Name Availability & Requirements

The requirements for naming an LLC within the state are set forth in Wis. Stat. § 183.0103. The name of the LLC must contain the words “limited liability company" or “limited liability co." or end with the abbreviation “L.L.C." or “LLC". The name must be distinguishable from those of all other entities on file with the state. It may not infringe on any active trademark or service mark registered with the state or the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. One may search online Wisconsin's trademark database and the USPTO's trademark database.

One may determine the availability of a proposed business name for use within Wisconsin by querying the state's Corporate Registration Information System (CRIS) database.

Required Fees

Wisconsin imposes a fee of $170 for the filing and processing of articles of organization submitted by postal mail or in-person delivery. The state imposes a fee of $130 if filed electronically. Students who are enrolled in a post-secondary institution in Wisconsin, who are at least 18 years of age, and who will serve as a member or organizer of the LLC upon formation, qualify for a fee waiver but will not receive the waiver when electronically filing; students must mail-in the articles of organization form using Form 502SE to avail themselves of the benefit of the fee waiver.

Statutory Authority & Requirements

The statutory authority for an LLC within the state is the Wisconsin Limited Liability Company Act (Wis. Stat. § 183.0102 et seq.).

The statutory requirements for a valid articles of organization filing are codified in Wis. Stat. §§ 183.0201-0202. The text of the statutes read as follows:

§ 183.0201.  Organization.

One or more persons may organize a limited liability company by signing and delivering articles of organization to the department for filing. The organizer or organizers need not be members of the limited liability company at the time of organization or thereafter.

§ 183.0202.  Articles of organization.

The articles of organization shall contain all of and only the following information:
(1) A statement that the limited liability company is organized under this chapter.
(2) A name for the limited liability company that satisfies § 183.0103.
(3) The street address of the registered office and the name of the registered agent at that office.
(4) If management of the limited liability company is vested in one or more managers, a statement to that effect.
(5) The name and address of each person organizing the limited liability company.
(6) If applicable, the delayed effective date and time of the articles of organization permitted under § 183.0111 (2).