Registered name; application; renewal; revocation.

(1) A foreign corporation may register its corporate name, or its corporate name with any addition required by s. 617.1506, if the name is distinguishable upon the records of the department from the corporate names that are not available under s. 617.0401(1)(e).

(2) A foreign corporation registers its corporate name, or its corporate name with any addition required by s. 617.1506, by delivering to the department for filing an application:

(a) Setting forth its corporate name, or its corporate name with any addition required by s. 617.1506, the state or country and date of its incorporation, and a brief description of the nature of its purposes and the affairs in which it is engaged; and

(b) Accompanied by a certificate of existence, or a certificate setting forth that such corporation is in good standing under the laws of the state or country wherein it is organized, or a document of similar import, from the state or country of incorporation.

(3) The name is registered for the applicant’s exclusive use upon the effective date of the application and shall be effective until the close of the calendar year in which the application for registration is filed.

(4) A foreign corporation the registration of which is effective may renew it from year to year by annually filing a renewal application which complies with the requirements of subsection (2) between October 1 and December 31 of the preceding year. The renewal application when filed renews the registration for the following calendar year.

(5) A foreign corporation that has so registered its name may thereafter qualify to conduct its affairs in this state as a foreign corporation under the registered name or consent in writing to the use of that name by a corporation thereafter incorporated under this chapter or by another foreign corporation thereafter authorized to conduct its affairs in this state. The registration terminates when the domestic corporation is incorporated or the foreign corporation qualifies or consents to the qualification of another foreign corporation under the registered name.

(6) The department may revoke any registration if, after a hearing, it finds that the application therefor or any renewal thereof was not made in good faith.