Wisconsin Registered Agent
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What Is a Wisconsin Registered Agent
A registered agent receives communication and notices (including service of process) from the state on behalf of a business. They will then share this communication with the appropriate business contact. Some other names for registered agents include resident agents and statutory agents. The state of Wisconsin requires, by law, all formal businesses to have a registered agent. In Wisconsin, a registered agent is elected upon the formation of a business. The registered agent provides a single, specific point of contact to prevent confusion and keep businesses accountable for filing annual reports by their due date.What Are the Requirements To Be a Registered Agent in Wisconsin?
The requirements to be a registered agent in Wisconsin are not strict at all. All you need is to be 18 or older, maintain a physical address within the state, and keep regular business hours. If these three things apply to you, then you can be the registered agent for your company if you want to. You could also have a spouse, business partner, friend, or employee act as a registered agent. Of course, there are a number of reasons why many businesses prefer to hire registered agent services instead, and we’ll get to those next.Why Businesses Need a Wisconsin Registered Agent
![Businessman in suit against a blurred office background](https://businessnerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Businessman-in-suit-against-a-blurred-office-background.jpg)
Compliance
Every year, the state of Wisconsin requires businesses to file certain documents. The most common are annual reports. Businesses are given a deadline by which they must file, and if they are late, they can lose their good standing with the state. This should be avoided at all costs as a company with bad standing may lose benefits such as limited liability protection. Similarly, businesses can get into trouble and may face fees if they don’t respond to service of process on time. Registered agents help businesses meet deadlines by keeping track of them via compliance calendars. Agents will also send reminders so that companies don’t miss any due dates.Privacy
A registered agent’s address is public record, and anyone can find it on the Wisconsin Business Search. Whether you simply want privacy or just want to avoid junk mailing lists, this is one reason that some business owners prefer to hire registered agents. There’s also something to be said for discretion. While you can use the address of your business’s building, this means that employees may be around to witness certain notifications you receive, such as service of process. Should you find your business at the end of a lawsuit, it may lower the morale of your workers and be embarrassing for you. Employing a registered agent service allows the service to discreetly receive this legal correspondence and forward it to you at a convenient time.Online-Only Business
It’s no secret that the internet is taking over. There have long been articles discussing whether or not the rise of the internet will cause brick and mortar establishments to go out of business, perhaps even for good. In the USA, 85% of households reported having an internet subscription in 2018. It’s now easy for businesses to operate completely online. If this is the case for your business, then you may not have an address to use as a registered agent aside from your personal address. If you don’t wish for your personal address to be easily accessible, then hiring a registered agent rather than acting as your own may be the best option.Irregular Business Hours
One of the requirements for registered agents is to keep regular business hours so that they will be available at predictable times to receive communication and notices from the state. Of course, following a nine-to-five schedule isn’t realistic for everyone. If you work irregular hours, then you won’t be able to be the registered agent for your company and will likely have to hire one.Organization
Registered agents often receive communication in the form of mail and paper documents. This means that part of their job is to keep these documents organized. Most registered agents will immediately scan and upload documents onto a server so that they are easily accessible. Even if you work regular business hours, keeping track of correspondence from the state can be a hassle. You may be too busy to organize documents immediately. A hired registered agent is likely only focused on registered agent work and thus can manage and organize paperwork much more efficiently.Locations in Different States
If your business is operating in more than one state or you’d like to expand your business in the future, then you will need to hire registered agents. You must have a registered agent in each state your business is active in. While you could certainly cover the registered agent duties in your own state should you choose to, you’ll still need agents in other states.What To Look for When Choosing a Wisconsin Registered Agent
![smiling businesswoman in black blazer against grey background](https://businessnerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/smiling-businesswoman-in-black-blazer-against-grey-background.jpg)