Foreign registration · Form 21

Montana Corporation Foreign Registration in Wisconsin

To do business in Wisconsin, a corporation formed in Montana registers there on Form 21, with $100 in state fees. Wisconsin also asks for Montana's Certificate of Existence ($5), no older than 60 days. We file it with the Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Corporate and Consumer Services using your Montana records and act as your registered agent there for the first year.

Montana and Wisconsin side by side

	Montana formed here	Wisconsin registering here
Document	Montana Certificate of Existence	Form 21, Application for Certificate of Authority
State fee	$5	$100 at order
How it is handled	Montana: online	Filed on Wisconsin's paper form
Paid expedite		next-day $100, 4-hour (in person) $250, 1-hour (in person) $500
Office	Montana Secretary of State, Business Services	Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Corporate and Consumer Services
Official page	biz.sosmt.gov	dfi.wi.gov
Age rule	Dated when issued	Accepted if dated within 60 days
Yearly filing	Annual Report, no fee, every year	Foreign Business Corporation Annual Report, $65, every year
Due	April 15	March 31 each year after qualification
Late yearly filing	$15 late fee	$25 late fee
Agent	Your Montana registered agent	Our Wisconsin registered agent

From Montana to Wisconsin, step by step

Order the Montana certificate
The Certificate of Existence ($5) is ordered from Montana separately; it is not part of our Wisconsin order. Wisconsin counts 60 days from the day Montana issues it, so the order goes in shortly before filing.
We prepare and file Form 21
It names us as your Wisconsin registered agent, with your Montana name and formation date and the certificate attached. Once Montana's certificate is in hand, Wisconsin's filing goes in. Once Wisconsin approves it, the Montana company can do business there.

First-year cost, Montana to Wisconsin

Item	Amount
State fees, paid at order	$100
Certificate of Existence, paid to Montana	$5
Our service, with a year of Wisconsin registered agent service	$199
First-year total, Montana certificate included	$304

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

Your Montana name and Wisconsin's rules

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

Your Wisconsin agent and the Montana one

Montana and Wisconsin both call it a registered agent. Your current registered agent stays for Montana; ours takes Wisconsin's papers and notices.

Staying in good standing in Montana and Wisconsin

Each year your corporation files Montana's Annual Report (no fee) and Wisconsin's Foreign Business Corporation Annual Report ($65). With our $149 registered agent renewal, Montana plus Wisconsin comes to $214 a year. Both states' filings stay current side by side.

LLC or corporation, Montana to Wisconsin

An LLC formed in Montana files Form 521 with Wisconsin ($100 in state fees, the same; no home-state certificate is needed). After that come Montana's Annual Report ($20) and Wisconsin's Annual Report (Form 5 / CORP5) ($80). See the LLC filing.

The other way: Wisconsin into Montana

A corporation formed in Wisconsin that registers with Montana files Montana's registration (no form number) with $70 in state fees. See that filing.

Common questions: Montana to Wisconsin

Does my Montana company need to register in Wisconsin?

Yes, once a Montana 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 Montana corporations once the form is approved.

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

$299 at checkout plus $5 to Montana for the Certificate of Existence, $304 in all (checkout is $100 in state fees plus our $199).

Do I need Montana's certificate of good standing?

Yes: Wisconsin wants Montana's Certificate of Existence ($5), no more than 60 days old at filing.

What are the yearly costs for Montana and Wisconsin?

$214 a year: our $149 registered agent renewal, nothing to Montana and $65 to Wisconsin for the yearly reports.

What if I don't register with Wisconsin?

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

Does Wisconsin require a registered agent?

Yes: the Montana registered agent stays, and ours covers Wisconsin for year one.

Can I form a new Wisconsin corporation instead?

Yes, but Montana keeps the original, so you run two companies: the new one files Wisconsin's Domestic Business Corporation Annual Report ($25), and the original keeps Montana's Annual Report.

Official sources

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