# Wisconsin Franchise Search Scraper (`muhammadafzal/wisconsin-franchise-search-scraper`) Actor

Search Wisconsin DFI active franchise registrations by legal or trade name and return normalized names, statuses, expiration dates, identifiers, and official links for due diligence and compliance research.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/muhammadafzal/wisconsin-franchise-search-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Muhammad Afzal](https://apify.com/muhammadafzal) (community)
- **Categories:** Lead generation, Automation
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $5.00 / 1,000 franchise registration records

This Actor is paid per event and usage. You are charged both the fixed price for specific events and for Apify platform usage.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## Wisconsin Franchise Search Scraper

Search and export public franchise registration data from the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI). Use it for franchise due diligence, compliance research, franchise-law workflows, and market analysis.

### What it returns

Each dataset item represents one unique row from the official Wisconsin portal:

| Field | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `name` | Legal or trade name shown by Wisconsin DFI |
| `status` | Displayed status, or `Active` for the active-registration list |
| `expirationDate` | Registration expiration date when shown |
| `registrationId` | Filing/registration ID when exposed |
| `registrationUrl` | Official detail/document link when exposed |
| `sourceUrl` | Official page used to produce the row |
| `sourceType` | `activeRegistrations` or `franchiseSearch` |
| `searchName` | Name filter used for the run |
| `scrapedAt` | UTC collection timestamp |

### Input

```json
{
  "searchName": "7-Eleven",
  "maxItems": 20,
  "maxPages": 10
}
```

The actor reads Wisconsin DFI's active-registration list, which is the fastest and most predictable public source. `searchName` is applied as a case-insensitive legal/trade-name filter. A blank `searchName` returns the current active list.

### Example output

```json
{
  "name": "7-Eleven, Inc.",
  "status": "Active",
  "expirationDate": "04/24/2027",
  "registrationId": null,
  "registrationUrl": null,
  "sourceUrl": "https://apps.dfi.wi.gov/apps/FranchiseEFiling/activeFilings.aspx",
  "sourceType": "activeRegistrations",
  "searchName": "7-Eleven",
  "scrapedAt": "2026-08-13T00:00:00.000Z"
}
```

### Pricing and limits

The Actor is designed for pay-per-event pricing at `$0.005` per saved result. The run reports its maximum possible result cost before scraping and never charges duplicate or schema-invalid rows. `maxItems` caps both output records and result charges. Local runs do not charge Apify events.

### Reliability and scope

This Actor reads public pages only. It does not log in, submit filings, bypass access controls, download private account material, or provide legal advice. Wisconsin DFI may change its portal markup or access policy; if the portal returns an access block, the Actor reports the failure honestly instead of returning fabricated records. Confirm important status, expiration, and filing information against the original DFI source and consult qualified counsel for compliance decisions.

Official sources:

- [Wisconsin DFI Franchise Search](https://apps.dfi.wi.gov/apps/FranchiseSearch/MainSearch.aspx)
- [Wisconsin DFI Active Registrations](https://apps.dfi.wi.gov/apps/FranchiseEFiling/activeFilings.aspx)
- [Wisconsin DFI franchising information](https://dfi.wi.gov/Pages/Securities/Filings/Franchising.aspx)

# Actor input Schema

## `searchName` (type: `string`):

Use this to search Wisconsin DFI franchise filings by legal or trade name. Example: 7-Eleven. Leave blank to list active registrations.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of unique franchise records to save and bill. Use 1-500; default is 50.

## `maxPages` (type: `integer`):

Maximum result pages to inspect on the official portal. Use 1-100; default is 10.

## `maxConcurrency` (type: `integer`):

Playwright concurrency. Keep at 1 for this state portal to reduce rate-limit risk.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "searchName": "",
  "maxItems": 50,
  "maxPages": 10,
  "maxConcurrency": 1
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

Normalized Wisconsin DFI franchise registration records.

## `summary` (type: `string`):

Terminal status, counts, warnings, and normalized input.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("muhammadafzal/wisconsin-franchise-search-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("muhammadafzal/wisconsin-franchise-search-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{}' |
apify call muhammadafzal/wisconsin-franchise-search-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,muhammadafzal/wisconsin-franchise-search-scraper"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/Rvcdpfwz47LfdLcsb/builds/SAa1Q17Q28RWd0tZC/openapi.json