180.0401(2)(a)1.
1. The corporate name of a domestic corporation or a foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this state.
180.0401(2)(a)4.
4. The fictitious name adopted by a foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this state.
180.0401(2)(a)5.
5. The corporate name of a nonstock corporation incorporated in this state.
180.0401(2)(a)6.
6. The name of a limited partnership formed under the laws of, or registered in, this state.
180.0401(2)(a)7.
7. The name of a cooperative association incorporated or authorized to transact business in this state.
180.0401(2)(a)8.
8. The name of a limited liability company organized under the laws of, or registered in, this state.
180.0401(2)(a)9.
9. The name of a limited liability partnership formed under the laws of, or registered in, this state.
180.0401(2)(b)
(b) The corporate name of a corporation is not distinguishable from a name referred to in
par. (a) 1. to
9. if the only difference between it and the other name is the inclusion or absence of a word or words referred to in
sub. (1) (a) 1. or of the words "limited partnership", "limited liability partnership", "cooperative" or "limited liability company" or an abbreviation of these words.
180.0401(3)
(3) A corporation may apply to the department for authorization to use a name that is not distinguishable upon the records of the department from one or more of the names described in
sub. (2). The department shall authorize use of the name applied for if any of the following occurs:
180.0401(3)(a)
(a) The other corporation or the foreign corporation, limited liability company, nonstock corporation, limited partnership, limited liability partnership or cooperative association consents to the use in writing and submits an undertaking in a form satisfactory to the department to change its name to a name that is distinguishable upon the records of the department from the name of the applicant.
180.0401(3)(b)
(b) The applicant delivers to the department a certified copy of a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction establishing the applicant's right to use the name applied for in this state.
180.0401(4)
(4) A corporation may use the name, including the fictitious name, that is used in this state by another domestic corporation or a foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this state if the corporation proposing to use the name has done any of the following:
180.0401(4)(a)
(a) Merged with the other domestic corporation or foreign corporation.
180.0401(4)(b)
(b) Been formed by reorganization of the other domestic corporation or foreign corporation.
180.0401(4)(c)
(c) Acquired all or substantially all of the assets, including the corporate name, of the other domestic corporation or foreign corporation.
180.0402(1)(1) A person may reserve the exclusive use of a corporate name, including a fictitious name for a foreign corporation whose corporate name is not available, by delivering an application to the department for filing or by making a telephone application. The application shall include the name and address of the applicant and the name proposed to be reserved. If the department finds that the corporate name applied for under this subsection is available, the department shall reserve the name for the applicant's exclusive use for a 120-day period, which may be renewed by the applicant or a transferee under
sub. (2) from time to time. If an application to reserve a name or to renew a reserved name is made by telephone, the department shall cancel the reservation or renewal if the department does not receive the fee required under
s. 180.0122 (1) (e) or
(f) within 15 business days after the application is made.
180.0402(2)
(2) A person who has the right to exclusive use of a reserved corporate name under
sub. (1) may transfer the reservation to another person by delivering to the department a written and signed notice of the transfer that states the name and address of the transferee.
180.0403(1)(a)(a) A foreign corporation may register its corporate name if the name is distinguishable upon the records of the department from the names described in
s. 180.1506 (2) (a) 1. to
7. and if the foreign corporation delivers to the department for filing an application complying with
par. (b).
180.0403(1)(b)
(b) A foreign corporation's application to register a corporate name shall be accompanied by a certificate of status or similar document from the state or country of incorporation and shall include all of the following information:
180.0403(1)(c)
(c) The registration expires December 31. The foreign corporation may renew its registration by delivering to the department for filing a renewal application, which complies with
par. (b), between October 1 and December 31 of each year that the registration is in effect. The renewal application when filed renews the registration for the next year.
180.0403(2)
(2) A domestic corporation or a foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this state may, upon merger, change of name or dissolution, register its corporate name for no more than 10 years by delivering to the department for filing an application, executed by the domestic corporation or foreign corporation, simultaneously with the delivery for filing of the articles of merger or dissolution, the articles of amendment or restated articles that change the corporate name or an application for an amended certificate of authority that changes the corporate name.
180.0403(3)
(3) A corporate name is registered under
sub. (1) or
(2) for the applicant's exclusive use on the effective date of the application.
180.0403(3m)
(3m) A person who has the right to exclusive use of a registered name under
sub. (1) or
(2) may transfer the registration to another person by delivering to the department a written and signed notice of the transfer that states the name and address of the transferee.
180.0403(4)(a)(a) A foreign corporation whose registration is effective under
sub. (1) may thereafter apply for a certificate of authority under the registered name or consent in writing to the use of that name by a domestic corporation thereafter incorporated under this chapter or by another foreign corporation thereafter authorized to transact business in this state. The registration terminates when the domestic corporation is incorporated or the foreign corporation obtains a certificate of authority or consents to another foreign corporation obtaining a certificate of authority under the registered name.
180.0403(4)(b)
(b) The holder of a registration effective under
sub. (2) may thereafter incorporate as a domestic corporation or obtain a certificate of authority under the registered name or consent in writing to use of that name by a domestic corporation thereafter incorporated under this chapter or by a foreign corporation thereafter authorized to transact business in this state. The registration terminates when any of the following occurs:
180.0403(4)(b)1.
1. The holder incorporates as a domestic corporation or obtains a certificate of authority under the registered name.
180.0403(4)(b)2.
2. The domestic corporation that has consent to use the registered name is incorporated.
180.0403(4)(b)3.
3. The holder consents to another foreign corporation obtaining a certificate of authority under the registered name.
OFFICE AND AGENT
180.0501
180.0501
Registered office and registered agent. Each corporation shall continuously maintain in this state a registered office and registered agent. The registered office may, but need not, be the same as any of its places of business. The registered agent shall be any of the following:
180.0501(1)
(1) A natural person who resides in this state and whose business office is identical with the registered office.
180.0501(2)
(2) A domestic corporation, a nonstock corporation or a limited liability company incorporated or organized in this state, whose business office is identical with the registered office.
180.0501(3)
(3) A foreign corporation or limited liability company authorized to transact business in this state whose business office is identical with the registered office.
180.0501 History
History: 1989 a. 303;
1993 a. 112.
180.0502
180.0502
Change of registered office or registered agent. 180.0502(1)(1) A corporation may change its registered office or registered agent, or both, by doing any of the following:
180.0502(1)(a)
(a) Delivering to the department for filing a statement of change.
180.0502(1)(b)
(b) Including the name of its registered agent and the street address of its registered office, as changed, in articles of amendment to its articles of incorporation, in a restatement of its articles of incorporation or in articles of merger.
180.0502(1)(c)
(c) If a domestic corporation, including the name of its registered agent and the street address of its registered office, as changed, in its annual report under
s. 180.1622 or
180.1921. A change under this paragraph is effective on the date the annual report is filed by the department.
180.0502(2)
(2) Except as provided in
sub. (3), a statement of change shall include all of the following information:
180.0502(2)(a)
(a) The name of the corporation and, if applicable, a statement that the corporation is incorporated under this chapter.
180.0502(2)(e)
(e) The street address of its registered agent, as changed.
180.0502(2)(f)
(f) A statement that after the change or changes are made, the street addresses of its registered office and the business office of its registered agent will be identical.
180.0502(3)
(3) If a registered agent changes the street address of his or her business office, he or she may change the street address of the registered office of any corporation for which he or she is the registered agent by notifying the corporation in writing of the change and by signing, either manually or in facsimile, and delivering to the department for filing a statement that complies with
sub. (2) and recites that the corporation has been notified of the change.
180.0503
180.0503
Resignation of registered agent. 180.0503(1)
(1) The registered agent of a corporation may resign by signing and delivering to the department for filing a statement of resignation that includes all of the following information:
180.0503(1)(a)
(a) The name of the corporation for which the registered agent is acting.
180.0503(1)(c)
(c) The street address of the corporation's current registered office and its principal office.
180.0503(1)(e)
(e) If applicable, a statement that the registered office is also discontinued.
180.0503(2)
(2) After filing the statement, the department shall mail a copy to the corporation at its principal office.
180.0503(3)
(3) The resignation is effective and, if applicable, the registered office is discontinued on the earlier of the following:
180.0503(3)(a)
(a) Sixty days after the department receives the statement of resignation for filing.
180.0503(3)(b)
(b) The date on which the appointment of a successor registered agent is effective.
180.0503 History
History: 1989 a. 303;
1995 a. 27.
180.0504
180.0504
Service on corporation. 180.0504(1)
(1) A corporation's registered agent is the corporation's agent for service of process, notice or demand required or permitted by law to be served on the corporation.
180.0504(2)
(2) Except as provided in
sub. (3), if a corporation has no registered agent or the agent cannot with reasonable diligence be served, the corporation may be served by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the corporation at its principal office. Service is perfected under this subsection at the earliest of the following:
180.0504(2)(a)
(a) The date on which the corporation receives the mail.
180.0504(2)(b)
(b) The date shown on the return receipt, if signed on behalf of the corporation.
180.0504(2)(c)
(c) Five days after its deposit in the U.S. mail, if mailed postpaid and correctly addressed.
180.0504(3)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (b), if the address of the corporation's principal office cannot be determined from the records held by the department, the corporation may be served by publishing a class 3 notice, under
ch. 985, in the community where the corporation's principal office or registered office, as most recently designated in the records of the department, is located.
180.0504(3)(b)
(b) If a process, notice or demand is served by the department on a corporation under
s. 180.1421 and the address of the corporation's principal office cannot be determined from the records of the department, the corporation may be served by publishing a class 2 notice, under
ch. 985, in the official state newspaper.
180.0504(4)
(4) This section does not limit or affect the right to serve any process, notice or demand required or permitted by law to be served on a corporation in any other manner permitted by law.
180.0504 History
History: 1989 a. 303;
1995 a. 27.
180.0504 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also s.
801.11 (5).
SHARES AND DISTRIBUTIONS
180.0601(1)(1) The articles of incorporation shall prescribe the classes of shares and the number of shares of each class that the corporation is authorized to issue, except that an investment company may prescribe that each class has an indefinite number of authorized shares. If more than one class of shares is authorized, the articles of incorporation shall prescribe a distinguishing designation for each class. Before the issuance of shares of a class, the corporation shall describe in its articles of incorporation the preferences, limitations and relative rights of that class. All shares of a class shall have preferences, limitations and relative rights identical with those of other shares of the same class unless the class is divided into series.
180.0601(2)
(2) The articles of incorporation may create series of shares within a class of shares, except that an investment company may prescribe that each series has an indefinite number of authorized shares. Before the issuance of shares of a series, the corporation shall describe in its articles of incorporation the number of shares of each series that the corporation is authorized to issue or that there is an indefinite number of authorized shares, a distinguishing designation for each series within a class and the preferences, limitations and relative rights of that series. All shares of a series shall have preferences, limitations and relative rights identical with those of other shares of the same series and, except to the extent otherwise provided in the description of the series, with those of other series of the same class.
180.0601(3)
(3) The articles of incorporation shall authorize all of the following:
