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How to Get a Certificate of Good Standing in Wisconsin

Wisconsin calls it the Certificate of Status and charges $10. Here is how to order it and what must be current first.

At a glance

Document name
Certificate of Status
State fee
$10
Online ordering
Yes
Typical turnaround
Online: immediate through DFI Corporate Records search. Mail: standard processing
Issuing office
Wisconsin SOS ↗

How to order it

  1. Clear any past-due filings first. The Wisconsin SOS will not issue a certificate while you have unpaid tax or an unfiled report. The state-specific requirements are in the points below.
  2. Order it online. Search your LLC in the Wisconsin portal, request the certificate, and download it. Link in the table above.
  3. Pay the $10 fee. Pay by card at checkout. A small card surcharge usually applies.
  4. Use it inside the recipient's window. The certificate has no state expiration, but banks and other states usually want one dated within the last 30 to 90 days. Order it close to when you need it.
Full ordering details for Wisconsin

Wisconsin issues the Certificate of Status through the Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), Division of Corporate and Consumer Services, not through a Secretary of State. Order online through the DFI Corporate Records search by paying $10 per certificate. Also known as Certificate of Good Standing. Certified document copies are $10 per document.

Processing and expedited tiers: Online: immediate through DFI Corporate Records search. Mail: standard processing

Important to know about Wisconsin

  • The WI LLC annual report ($25 domestic / $80 foreign, due in the assigned anniversary quarter each year) must be current. Missing it by over a year triggers administrative dissolution; reinstatement is $100 plus overdue reports.
  • Wisconsin is unique in routing all entity filings through the DFI rather than the Secretary of State. Foreign-qualification checklists and apostille requests that reference a Wisconsin SOS are incorrect - route everything through DFI.
  • Expedited service is available for an additional $25 on some DFI filings, but standard online Certificate of Status delivery is already immediate so expedite is rarely needed for this specific document.

Ordering this to register in another state?

A certificate of good standing is what a new state asks for when you register your Wisconsin LLC to do business there. Start with the guide for where you are expanding.

Wisconsin foreign LLC guide · Foreign qualification by state

Related guides

This page provides general information based on publicly available Wisconsin Secretary of State requirements. It is not legal advice. Names, fees, and procedures can change. Verify with the Wisconsin SOS before ordering.