Jake Lawson here. Wisconsin keeps things honest with their LLC costs—no hidden fees, no surprise charges, and reasonable ongoing expenses. Here’s exactly what you’ll pay to start and maintain your LLC in the Badger State.
The Bottom Line: Wisconsin Won’t Break Your Budget
Minimum to start: $130 (if you do everything yourself)
Realistic startup cost: $255-380 (including professional registered agent)
Annual maintenance: $25-150/year
My take: Wisconsin is genuinely business-friendly with transparent, reasonable fees. No BS add-ons or surprise charges.
Required Costs: What You Can’t Avoid
Articles of Organization: $130
Online filing: $130 (recommended)
Mail filing: $170 (why pay extra for slower service?)
Jake’s filing tip: Always file online. You save $40 and get instant approval versus waiting days for mail processing.
Annual Report: $25/year
Due every year to maintain good standing. Wisconsin uses a quarterly system based on when your LLC was approved.
Reality check: $25 per year is roughly 7 cents per day. Even a parking meter costs more.
Essential but Optional Costs
Registered Agent: $0-200/year
Free option: Serve as your own registered agent if you have a Wisconsin address
Professional option: $100-200/year for a commercial service
My recommendation for most people: Hire a professional registered agent. Here’s why:
Benefits of professional service:
- Privacy protection (your home address stays private)
- Reliability (they won’t miss important documents)
- Professional appearance (better than your home address on public records)
- Mail scanning (most services digitize and email you documents)
When to use yourself as registered agent:
- You have a stable Wisconsin business address
- You’re always available during business hours
- You don’t mind your address being public record
EIN (Federal Tax ID): Free
From the IRS directly: $0
Through “services”: $50-300 (complete waste of money)
Jake’s rule: Never pay for something the government provides free. Apply directly through the IRS website—it takes 15 minutes.
Startup Cost Scenarios
Budget Approach ($130-155 total)
- Articles of Organization (online): $130
- Serve as own registered agent: $0
- EIN from IRS: $0
- Operating Agreement template: $0
- Total: $130
Smart Professional Approach ($255-330 total)
- Articles of Organization (online): $130
- Professional registered agent: $100-200/year
- EIN from IRS: $0
- Operating Agreement template: $0
- Total: $230-330
Full-Service Approach ($400-600 total)
- Formation service fee: $200-400
- Includes registered agent: Usually first year free
- EIN included: Usually part of package
- Operating Agreement: Often included
- Total: $330-530 (first year)
My recommendation: The smart professional approach gives you the best value—professional service where it matters, DIY where it’s simple.
Ongoing Annual Costs
Required Every Year:
- Annual Report: $25
- Registered Agent: $100-200 (if using service)
- Total: $125-225/year
Possible Additional Costs:
- Business licenses: $0-500+ (depends on your business type)
- Sales tax registration: Free, but you collect/remit taxes
- Accounting services: $300-900/year
- Business insurance: $200-1,000+/year
Planning tip: Budget $200-400/year for basic compliance and professional services.
Hidden Costs Other Guides Miss
DBA/Trade Name: $15
Only needed if you want to operate under a name different from your registered LLC name.
Example: If your LLC is “Johnson Holdings LLC” but you want to do business as “Badger Web Design,” you’d file a DBA.
Foreign LLC Registration: $100
Required if you form your LLC in Wisconsin but later want to do business in another state.
Jake’s interstate tip: Don’t get clever trying to save money by forming in a “cheaper” state if you’re doing business in Wisconsin. You’ll end up paying Wisconsin’s foreign LLC fee anyway, plus double the compliance work.
Expedited Processing: $25
Wisconsin offers expedited mail filing (1 business day vs. 5 days), but online filing is already instant.
When expedited makes sense: Never, if you’re filing online.
Cost Comparison: Wisconsin vs. Other States
Wisconsin ($130) vs. Popular Alternatives:
- Delaware: $90 (but $300/year franchise tax)
- Wyoming: $100 (plus $60 annual fee)
- Nevada: $75 (but higher registered agent costs)
- Florida: $125 (similar to Wisconsin)
The real comparison: Total cost of ownership, not just formation fees.
Wisconsin’s advantage: Low formation fee + low annual costs + no franchise taxes.
Money-Saving Strategies
DIY What Makes Sense:
- File Articles of Organization yourself (save $200-400 in service fees)
- Get EIN directly from IRS (save $50-300)
- Use free Operating Agreement templates (save $100-500)
Invest Where It Matters:
- Professional registered agent (worth $100-200/year)
- Quality accounting software (saves money at tax time)
- Proper business insurance (protects your investment)
Avoid These Money Wasters:
- Expedited mail filing (when online is instant and cheaper)
- EIN services (IRS does it free)
- Unnecessary DBAs (use your LLC name for business)
- Out-of-state formation (creates more costs, not savings)
Banking Costs: The Often-Forgotten Expense
Business Bank Account Fees:
- No-fee options: Many credit unions and online banks
- Traditional banks: $10-25/month (often waivable with minimums)
- Premium accounts: $25-50/month (unnecessary for most LLCs)
Jake’s banking strategy: Start with a free business account. You can always upgrade later when your business grows.
What Banks Require:
- EIN confirmation letter
- Articles of Organization (or Certificate of Good Standing)
- Operating Agreement (some banks request this)
- Initial deposit: $25-100 typically
Professional Services: When to Spend
Accountant/CPA: $300-900/year
Worth it for:
- Tax planning and preparation
- Quarterly estimated tax calculations
- Multi-state tax issues
- Business growth planning
DIY alternatives:
- Simple LLCs: TurboTax Business ($120/year)
- Basic bookkeeping: QuickBooks Simple Start ($30/month)
Attorney: $800-2,500 (formation) or $200-400/hour
Worth it for:
- Complex ownership structures
- Industry-specific requirements
- Contract review and preparation
- Dispute resolution
When to skip: Simple single-member or family LLCs with standard operations.
Formation Services: $50-400
Good value: Professional registered agent + formation for $200-300
Poor value: Basic formation for $400+ when you can DIY for $130
Industry-Specific Costs
Retail/E-commerce:
- Sales tax registration: Free
- Business license: $0-200 (varies by city)
- Total additional: $0-200
Professional Services:
- Professional licensing: $100-500/year
- Errors & omissions insurance: $500-2,000/year
- Total additional: $600-2,500/year
Food Service:
- Health department permits: $100-500
- Liquor license: $100-10,000+ (if applicable)
- Total additional: $200-10,500+
Planning advice: Research your industry’s specific requirements before forming your LLC.
Multi-Year Cost Planning
Year 1 (Formation Year):
- Formation costs: $230-330
- Partial annual report: $0 (due next year)
- Setup costs: $200-500
- Total Year 1: $430-830
Years 2+ (Maintenance Years):
- Annual report: $25
- Registered agent: $100-200
- Professional services: $300-900
- Total per year: $425-1,125
Budget planning: After initial formation, expect $400-600/year in basic business costs for a simple LLC.
Red Flags: When You’re Being Overcharged
Formation Services Charging:
- $500+ for basic formation (Wisconsin’s fee is only $130)
- Monthly fees (Wisconsin has no monthly requirements)
- EIN fees (IRS provides this free)
- Operating Agreement fees over $200 (templates work fine for most LLCs)
Registered Agent Services Charging:
- $300+ per year (market rate is $100-200)
- Setup fees (should be included)
- Document forwarding fees (should be included)
Frequently Asked Questions
“Can I form an LLC for less than $130?”
No. Wisconsin’s $130 filing fee is mandatory. Anyone promising cheaper formation is either lying or adding hidden costs.
“Are there monthly fees for Wisconsin LLCs?”
No. Wisconsin only requires an annual report ($25/year). No monthly fees, franchise taxes, or publication requirements.
“Is it cheaper to form in Delaware or Wyoming?”
Not if you’re doing business in Wisconsin. You’d pay their formation fee PLUS Wisconsin’s $100 foreign LLC fee, doubling your compliance work.
“Do I need an attorney to save money?”
Usually not. Most LLCs are straightforward enough for DIY formation. Save attorney fees for complex situations or ongoing legal needs.
The Bottom Line: Wisconsin Keeps It Simple
Wisconsin’s approach: Reasonable fees, transparent requirements, no hidden costs.
My budgeting recommendation:
- Startup: $250-350 (professional but not excessive)
- Annual: $150-250 (basic compliance and services)
- Growth phase: Add professional services as revenue justifies the cost
The real value: Wisconsin won’t nickel-and-dime you with excessive fees or surprise requirements. You can focus on building your business instead of managing complex compliance.
Ready to start your Wisconsin LLC? Check out my complete Wisconsin formation guide and step-by-step instructions. I’ve guided over 1,200 entrepreneurs through U.S. business formation—including helping them budget smartly for long-term success.
Jake Lawson
LLC Formation Strategist
Independent. Unbiased. No upsells. Ever.
P.S. Wisconsin’s business-friendly approach extends beyond just LLC costs. Reasonable regulations, helpful state staff, and practical policies make it one of the better states for entrepreneurs. Your money is well-spent here.