Foreign registration · Form 21

Michigan Corporation Foreign Registration in Wisconsin

Wisconsin registers a corporation from Michigan as a foreign corporation on Form 21, with $100 in state fees. Wisconsin also asks for Michigan's Certificate of Good Standing ($10), no older than 60 days. We file it with the Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Corporate and Consumer Services using your Michigan records and act as your registered agent there for the first year.

Michigan vs Wisconsin: the paperwork

	Michigan formed here	Wisconsin registering here
Document	Michigan Certificate of Good Standing	Form 21, Application for Certificate of Authority
State fee	$10	$100 at order
How it is handled	Michigan: online, emailed to the MiLogin for Business account	Filed on Wisconsin's paper form
Paid expedite		next-day $100, 4-hour (in person) $250, 1-hour (in person) $500
Office	Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Corporations Division	Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Corporate and Consumer Services
Official page	michigan.gov	dfi.wi.gov
Age rule	Dated when issued	Accepted if dated within 60 days
Yearly filing	Annual Report, Form CSCL/CD-2500, $25, every year	Foreign Business Corporation Annual Report, $65, every year
Due	May 15	March 31 each year after qualification
Late yearly filing	$10 late fee	$25 late fee
Agent	Your Michigan resident agent	Our Wisconsin registered agent

How Michigan companies register with Wisconsin

Order the Michigan certificate
The Certificate of Good Standing ($10) is ordered from Michigan separately; it is not part of our Wisconsin order. Wisconsin accepts it within 60 days of Michigan's issue date, so it is ordered shortly before filing.
We prepare and file Form 21
It names us as your Wisconsin registered agent, with your Michigan name and formation date and the certificate attached. Once Michigan's certificate is in hand, Wisconsin's filing goes in. After approval, your Michigan corporation is registered with Wisconsin.

Wisconsin costs for Michigan companies

Item	Amount
State fees, paid at order	$100
Certificate of Good Standing, paid to Michigan	$10
Our service, with a year of Wisconsin registered agent service	$199
First-year total, Michigan certificate included	$309

Wisconsin's paid expedite is optional and not in the total.

Your Michigan name and Wisconsin's rules

We search Wisconsin's records for Michigan's name on file before anything is filed.

Your Wisconsin agent and the Michigan one

Wisconsin calls it a registered agent; Michigan says resident agent. Wisconsin papers come to us; Michigan's agent is unchanged.

Yearly filings: Wisconsin and Michigan

Each year your corporation files Michigan's Annual Report, Form CSCL/CD-2500 ($25) and Wisconsin's Foreign Business Corporation Annual Report ($65). With our $149 registered agent renewal, Michigan plus Wisconsin comes to $239 a year. Both states' filings stay current side by side.

LLC or corporation, Michigan to Wisconsin

An LLC formed in Michigan files Form 521 with Wisconsin ($100 in state fees, the same; no home-state certificate is needed). After that come Michigan's Annual Statement ($25) and Wisconsin's Annual Report (Form 5 / CORP5) ($80). See the LLC filing.

Registering a Wisconsin company in Michigan

A corporation formed in Wisconsin that registers with Michigan files Form CSCL/CD 560 with $60 in state fees. See that filing.

Questions Michigan owners ask about Wisconsin

Does my Michigan company need to register in Wisconsin?

Yes, once a Michigan business operates there; Wisconsin does not count a one-off deal finished within 30 days.

Is this a certificate of authority?

Yes: Wisconsin issues one to Michigan corporations once the form is approved.

How much does it cost to register a Michigan corporation in Wisconsin?

$299 at checkout plus $10 to Michigan for the Certificate of Good Standing, $309 in all (checkout is $100 in state fees plus our $199).

Do I need Michigan's certificate of good standing?

Yes: Wisconsin wants it ($10), no more than 60 days old at filing.

What are the yearly costs for Michigan and Wisconsin?

$239 a year: our $149 registered agent renewal, $25 to Michigan and $65 to Wisconsin for the yearly reports.

What if I don't register with Wisconsin?

Wisconsin can charge a Michigan company up to $65 for each year or part of a year.

Does Wisconsin require a registered agent?

Yes: the Michigan resident agent stays, and ours covers Wisconsin for year one.

Can I form a new Wisconsin corporation instead?

Yes, but Michigan keeps the original, so you run two companies: the new one files Wisconsin's Domestic Business Corporation Annual Report ($25), and the original keeps Michigan's Annual Report, Form CSCL/CD-2500.

Official sources

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