Wisconsin does not run UCC filings through a Secretary of State. The Department of Financial Institutions, the DFI, is the filing office, and its Division of Corporate and Consumer Services handles every financing statement. The part that surprises people is the price gap: the DFI charges half the paper fee or less when you file online.
Business registration at the DFI is covered in the Wisconsin office guide. This page sticks to liens. For the basics of what a search shows, read our UCC search guide.
What does a Wisconsin UCC search show?
A search returns financing statements filed against a debtor, or filed by a secured party. Each result tells you who the secured party is and when the filing was made. Lenders run it before they advance money against equipment, inventory or receivables. Buyers of a business run it to see what is already pledged.
The DFI says you can create a free account and begin searching the same day. Read its search tips and keying standards first, because debtor names are matched by set rules, and a small spelling change can hide a record.
| Who takes UCC filings | Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Corporate and Consumer Services (dfi.wi.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Search fee | Free online search of filings (dfi.wi.gov, checked ) |
| Copies and certified searches | $4.00 for each initial financing statement copy (dfi.wi.gov, checked ) |
| File a UCC-1 | $20.00 on paper for a standard form (dfi.wi.gov, checked ) |
| Filing online | Online standard filing costs $10 (dfi.wi.gov, checked ) |
| Processing time | Free account, search the same day (dfi.wi.gov, checked ) |
| Worth knowing | Fixture filings go to the county Register of Deeds, not DFI (dfi.wi.gov, checked ) |
How much does a UCC search cost in Wisconsin?
The online uncertified search is free. If you need a formal answer, you file a UCC-11 information request. Online, the search listing is $7.00. On paper, the same listing is $50.00, so the online route is far cheaper.
Copies of initial financing statements are $4.00 each. A certified search adds a $10.00 certification fee. A secured party search is also $7.00. All of these amounts come from the DFI fee page, and you should check it on the day you order.
How do you file a UCC-1 in Wisconsin?
The DFI takes the standard IACA forms, UCC-1 for the first filing, UCC-3 for changes and UCC-5 for information statements. Both the older and the newer versions of these forms are accepted.
- Pick online or paper. Online costs $10 for a standard filing and lets you upload attachments.
- Use the debtor's exact legal name. The name decides where a search will find the record.
- Add the extra fee if the filing is for public finance or a manufactured home, which is $20 more. A transmitting utility adds $150.
- If you file on paper, mail the form with a check payable to the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. A standard paper filing is $20.00.
- Keep the acknowledgment the DFI sends back.
A paper filing with two or more addenda adds $20.00, and a partial non-standard filing adds $40.00.
What is different about Wisconsin UCC filings?
Fixture filings are the main exception. A filing tied to real estate goes to the county Register of Deeds, so check there if your collateral is attached to land or a building. Lien releases on a motor vehicle title are a Division of Banking matter, handled by a different DFI unit.
Terminations are free. If a loan is paid off, ask the secured party to file a UCC-3 termination, or file one yourself if you have the right to do so.
Online or paper, and how long does it take?
The DFI says online filing costs half the paper fee or less, which is why most filers use the portal. It does not publish a set turnaround for UCC filings on the pages we read, so check the filing office if timing matters for your deal.
If a lender gives you a closing date, file early and keep the confirmation. If you want help with the paperwork, you can ask our private filing service. State fees are separate, and you can always file with the DFI yourself.
Sources
- dfi.wi.gov/Pages/BusinessServices/BusinessEntities/Fees.aspx: office name, division, mailing address, street address, phone, contact page, LLC filing fee, corporation filing fee, nonprofit filing fee, foreign LLC fee, report fee, expedite fees. Checked .
- dfi.wi.gov/Pages/About/Secretary.aspx: officeholder. Checked .
- dfi.wi.gov/Pages/BusinessServices/BusinessEntities/FAQ.aspx: business search, search fields, name check, search disclaimer, name reservation term, online filing, processing time, registered agent rule, status terms. Checked .
- docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/183/i/0103: LLC name endings, name rule. Checked .
- docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/180/IV/0401: corporation name endings. Checked .
- dfi.wi.gov/Documents/BusinessServices/BusinessEntities/Forms/CORP1.pdf: name reservation fee, name reservation form. Checked .
- dfi.wi.gov/Documents/BusinessServices/BusinessEntities/Forms/CORP5i.pdf: report due date. Checked .
- dfi.wi.gov/Pages/BusinessServices/BusinessEntities/AdministrativeDissolutions.aspx: late penalty. Checked .
- dfi.wi.gov/Pages/BusinessServices/BusinessEntities/CertificatesAndCertCopyFees.aspx: good standing certificate, certificate fee, certificate ordering. Checked .
- dfi.wi.gov/Pages/BusinessServices/Trademarks/TrademarksFAQ.aspx: assumed names (DBA). Checked .
- dfi.wi.gov/Pages/BusinessServices/UCC/Forms.aspx: who takes ucc filings, worth knowing. Checked .
- dfi.wi.gov/Pages/BusinessServices/UCC/Fees.aspx: search fee, copies and certified searches, file a ucc-1, filing online. Checked .
- dfi.wi.gov/Pages/BusinessServices/UCC/SearchLienFilings.aspx: processing time. Checked .