United States · Wisconsin

Annual meeting requirements in Wisconsin (WBCL)

Wisconsin corporations must hold an annual shareholders' meeting under Wis. Stat. § 180.0701 at a time fixed by the bylaws. The meeting can be replaced by majority written consent under § 180.0704.

Governing statute
Wisconsin Business Corporation Law, Wis. Stat. Ch. 180
Wis. Stat. § 180.0701Annual meeting required
Wis. Stat. § 180.0704Action without meeting
Wis. Stat. § 180.0705Notice of meeting
Wis. Stat. § 180.0721Voting
DeadlineEach year as fixed by bylaws
Written consentMajority sufficient for most actions
At a glance
  • Annual meeting under Wis. Stat. § 180.0701 at time fixed by bylaws
  • Wisconsin follows the MBCA framework
  • Written consent under § 180.0704 permits majority for most actions
  • Notice 10-60 days before the meeting under § 180.0705
  • Court-ordered meeting available under § 180.0703

Wis. Stat. § 180.0701 requirements

Section 180.0701 of the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law requires every Wisconsin corporation to hold an annual shareholders' meeting at a time fixed by the bylaws. The meeting elects directors and addresses other proper business. Wisconsin adopted the MBCA, so the framework follows MBCA Chapter 7 closely.

Written consent under § 180.0704

Wisconsin's consent regime permits action by written consent signed by holders of the minimum votes required at a meeting. For most actions including director elections, majority consent is sufficient.

Notice under § 180.0705

Notice must be sent not less than 10 nor more than 60 days before the meeting, consistent with MBCA conventions.

What's distinctive about Wisconsin

Wisconsin is largely MBCA-aligned for annual-meeting purposes. The state's distinctive features (DFI administration of corporate filings, quarterly-anchored annual report deadline) are concentrated in the corporate-filings framework, not the annual-meeting framework itself. The standard MBCA majority-consent regime applies.

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