Every Wisconsin LLC should have an Operating Agreement, but getting one doesn’t have to be expensive. You can download and customize your own Operating Agreement for free using our template below.
Wisconsin LLC Operating Agreement (Member-managed)
Wisconsin LLC Operating Agreement (Manager-managed)
What is a Wisconsin LLC Operating Agreement?
A Wisconsin LLC Operating Agreement is a written contract between the LLC Members (LLC owners). This legal document includes detailed information about LLC ownership of the company’s assets and how the LLC is managed.
Single-Member LLCs and Multi-Member LLCs should draft an Operating Agreement, keep it with their business records, and give a copy to all Members.
What should be included in LLC Operating Agreements?
Basic Information
Your Operating Agreement will include basic information about your Limited Liability Company. Some of the information will be the same as what is listed in your Wisconsin LLC Articles of Organization. Operating Agreements should include:
- LLC Name
- LLC effective date
- Wisconsin Registered Agent
- purpose of your LLC
- duration of your LLC
- and how your LLC will be taxed
Related Reading: Is a Registered Agent a Member of an LLC?
LLC Ownership (“Limited Liability Company Membership Interest”)
Your Operating Agreement will list all the LLC Members and how much of the Limited Liability Company they each own.
How much of the LLC someone owns is called their “LLC Membership Interest” (aka Ownership Interest).
LLC Membership Interest is most often expressed as a percentage (like 5%, 50%, 100%, etc.).
Initial Capital Contributions (putting money into your LLC)
After your LLC is approved, you should open an LLC bank account and put money into that account.
Each of the LLC Members makes an initial capital contribution. Capital contribution simply means a deposit of money into the LLC bank account.
You will list the initial capital contributions in your LLC’s Operating Agreement.
Pro tip: If you complete your Operating Agreement before you have opened an LLC bank account, just enter the amount the Members plan to deposit. If the amount of your deposit changes, it’s okay to edit your Operating Agreement later with the actual amounts.
- Related article: To learn more about capital contributions, like how much you should contribute, check out LLC Capital Contributions.
Statement about taxes
You will list how your LLC will be taxed in your Operating Agreement. There are four common ways an LLC can be taxed:
- LLC taxed as a Sole Proprietorship
- LLC taxed as a Partnership
- LLC taxed as an S-Corporation
- LLC taxed as a C-Corporation
Voting Rights of LLC Members
Your Wisconsin LLC’s Operating Agreement determines the rules of membership voting.
If you use the Member-managed Operating Agreement, the voting powers are proportionate to the LLC Membership Interest.
If you use the Manager-managed Operating Agreement, the voting powers are also proportionate to the LLC Membership Interest. Then the Members vote to elect a Manager or Managers. The Manager(s) then has authority to make certain decisions on behalf of the LLC (without needing a vote by the Members).
However, certain things, like adding or removing an LLC Member, require a vote of the Members (and the Manager has no say).
Make sure all LLC Members have a copy
Once you finalize your Operating Agreement, make sure all the Members have a copy.
And keep a copy of the Wisconsin Operating Agreement with your LLC business records.
Operating Agreement FAQs
Is an Operating Agreement required for an LLC in Wisconsin?
While it’s not legally required in Wisconsin to conduct business, we strongly recommend having an Operating Agreement for your LLC.
Additionally, financial institutions (like banks) and other organizations may need to see a copy of this paperwork in order for you to do business with them.
Does a Single-Member LLC need an Operating Agreement?
It’s best to have an Operating Agreement, even if you are the only Member of your Wisconsin LLC (a Single-Member LLC).
If you go to court, an Operating Agreement helps prove that your Single-Member LLC is being run as a separate legal entity. This confirms the company’s limited liability status, and that is what protects your personal assets.
Does a Multi-Member LLC need an Operating Agreement?
It’s best to have an Operating Agreement, especially for a Wisconsin Limited Liability Company with multiple members (a Multi-Member LLC). This document will spell out ownership structure, profit distribution, and management responsibilities for day to day operations.
If you go to court, a Multi-member Operating Agreement helps prove that your Multi-member LLC is being run as a separate legal entity. That maintains the limited liability protection of your personal property.
Do I have to send my Operating Agreement to the state?
No, you don’t have to send your Operating Agreement to the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), or any other government agency.
Operating Agreements are “internal documents”. Meaning, the Members just need to keep a copy with their business records.
The Operating Agreement is a legally binding document upon the LLC Members because of the Members’ signatures. It doesn’t need a government stamp of approval.
However, in the future, if you were involved in a lawsuit or an audit, a court or government agency might ask to see a copy of your Operating Agreement.
Additionally, you may also need to show this document to:
- financial institutions when you open a business bank account
- financial institutions if you apply for a loan for the LLC
- a title company if your LLC is buying real estate
Does my LLC Operating Agreement need to be notarized?
No, your Operating Agreement doesn’t need to be notarized. Each Member just needs to sign it.
Once you (and the other LLC Members, if applicable) sign the Operating Agreement, then it becomes a legal document.
Can I write my own Operating Agreement?
Yes, but we recommend using an Operating Agreement template instead.
An Operating Agreement is a legal document. You don’t have to hire a business attorney to write one, though. Using a template helps make sure you cover everything you need to.
LLC University® offers free Operating Agreement templates that you can download and edit to write your own LLC Operating Agreement.
How do you write a simple Operating Agreement?
If you wanted to write a simple Operating Agreement without using a template, you could. You’d need to check with the Wisconsin Limited Liability Company Act to make sure it meets all the requirements.
For example, at a minimum, you’d want your Wisconsin LLC name, your Registered Agent information, your business purpose, the names of the LLC Members, and information about initial capital contributions.
However, there is a lot more information that would be important to document about your LLC.
It’s probably a lot easier to start with an existing template. We have a free template you can download above on this page.
What is the difference between an LLC and an Operating Agreement?
An LLC (Limited Liability Company) is a type of business structure. It’s a legal business entity that you form by filing a document called the Articles of Organization with the state.
An Operating Agreement is an internal document that governs how your LLC is run. It contains rules about how much of the company each Member of the LLC owns, and other details about management and taxes.
Said another way, the LLC is your legal entity. And the Operating Agreement is a written set of rules for how the LLC will operate.
You could have an LLC without an Operating Agreement (but you shouldn’t). But you can’t have an Operating Agreement without an LLC.
References
IRS: Paying Yourself
Wisconsin LLC Act: Article 3 (members)
Wisconsin LLC Act: Article 4 (managers)
Wisconsin DFI: Business Entities FAQs
Wisconsin DFI: Limited Liability Company Forms
Matt holds a Bachelor's Degree in business from Drexel University with a concentration in business law. He performs extensive research and analysis to convert state laws into simple instructions anyone can follow to form their LLC - all for free! Read more about Matt Horwitz and LLC University.
Wisconsin LLC Guide
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