Business Registration

Make it Official

Depending on the structure of your business, you may need to register with different state and federal institutions to be a legally functioning business. To do so, you will need to know at least three things to get started: the location of your business, the name of your business, and the business’s structure (i.e. sole proprietor, partnership, limited liability company, etc.).

Note: According to the SBA, if you are a sole proprietor, conducting your business by yourself, using your legal name, you do not need to register your business with any institution. Although, there are instances when a sole proprietor may want to file for a state tax ID number such as to protect against identity theft or to hire employees.

To conduct business in Wisconsin, registering your business with the Department of Revenue and/or the Department of Financial Institutions. One Stop Business Registration is also a great way to get your business registered with several agencies, including the Department of Financial Institutions, the Department of Revenue, and the Department of Workforce Development, at https://onestop.wi.gov/.

Legally defining your business not only makes your business more official, but it also assists with taxation purposes. Go ahead—make it official in Wisconsin at https://www.revenue.wi.gov/Pages/Businesses/New-Business-home.aspx

You may also want to register your business with the federal government to receive federal and tax ID number.

Check out the Small Business Administration’s website for more tips about registering your businesses at https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/launch-your-business/register-your-business