Wisconsin corporations and limited liability companies are registered and governed by the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. When a for-profit corporation or limited liability company--often abbreviated as LLC--forms in the state of Wisconsin, it must provide in its Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Organization the business name, purpose of business, names of Incorporators, the entity's Registered Agent and identify the person who wrote the articles.

Choose a new business name for your Wisconsin-based company. Go to the State of Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Corporate and Consumer Services website at WDFI.org.

Click on the "FAQ" link, which appears at the center top of WDFI's website. Click on "Corporations FAQ" on the next page, then "Name Availability & Reservation" under the bold title "Names."

Scroll down to "Reserve a Name" and download PDF Form 1, entitled "Name Reservation Application," which appears to the right of "name change amendment."

Fill out the "Name Reservation Application." Return the completed form to the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Corporate and Consumer Services.

Rewrite your Wisconsin business's Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Organization for your corporation or limited liability company to reflect the company's new name. File the amended articles with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Corporate and Consumer Services.