Wisconsin
Vehicle Resource Center
Wisconsin is a state known for its cheese, its food, and its lighthouses. It's also home to some of the most diverse drivers and vehicles, and the state has a long list of automotive laws and regular requirements. Owning and driving a vehicle in Wisconsin can be overwhelming, and only learning to understand the laws, the regular paperwork requirements, and all the extra information will keep a driver safe and protected.
Ownership and Maintenance
Owning a vehicle in Wisconsin legally comes with some regular requirements that must be maintained. As the owner of a Wisconsin motor vehicle, it's essential to understand those regular duties, such as registration renewal, driver's license maintenance, and more. Learn about the essential duties in this section.
Nearly all Wisconsin vehicles must go through emissions testing every two years or sooner to remain legal. Emissions tests can be performed at emission testing facilities quickly and affordably.
When having the vehicle tested, bring along the following items:
Some Vehicles are Exempt from Emissions Testing
There is a small list of vehicles that are exempt from emissions testing:
Vehicles that currently are not driveable may qualify for a temporary emissions test exemption, but they must not be driven during that time.
Every vehicle owner in Wisconsin must have their vehicle tested for emissions every two years to renew their plates successfully. Get more information about emissions testing from the Wisconsin emissions testing information page.
Every vehicle used on Wisconsin roads by state residents must have liability insurance covering damages caused by accidents. Residents must go to an approved insurance company and purchase a liability insurance policy with at least the minimum coverage options:
When these coverage specifications are met, a driver is legally allowed to drive their vehicle without worrying about being ticketed if they get into an accident.
It's important to note that Wisconsin citizens will be required to have collision insurance coverage as well if they have an active vehicle loan. This is a requirement from the lender to protect them if the vehicle is damaged. It's also worth considering higher coverage terms because accidents often cost more than the minimum coverage amounts listed above. If a driver causes an accident that does more damage than their insurance will pay, the driver is liable for all the additional damages and can be sued for the money.
Additional insurance details are available on the Wisconsin Government Insurance Page.
Every eight years, Wisconsin drivers must renew their driver's licenses. They can follow a simple online renewal process if they do not wish to change their vision requirements, the photo, or any of the information on the license itself. The process takes less than 30 minutes and is simple to go through.
For residents who wish to change their photo, their vision requirements, or attain a REAL-ID license, the renewal must take place in person.
In-Person License Renewal
Show up at a DMV Customer Service Center with the MV3001 form filled out and prepared. If you do not wish to print the document, you can get one at the DMV location as well.
Get your photo taken, go through a vision screening, and complete a written or driving exam if you meet one of the specific disability requirements that demands taking the tests. Pay the $34 renewal fee, and you'll receive a temporary paper license from the center. The final license is mailed from one official printing location and takes approximately 10 business days to arrive at the address registered on your license.
Each year, Wisconsin license plate registration stickers must be renewed to make it legal for vehicles to drive. In order to successfully renew the sticker, the vehicle must have a current emissions inspection.
As long as the inspection is current, it's possible to renew a plate sticker online or at a DMV Customer Service Center location. Bring the renewal notice with you to a center location, along with your driver's license and money to cover the necessary renewal fees to get a new sticker.
Easily renew a license plate sticker online using the online renewal platform here by supplying the requested information and paying the fees. This process only takes a few minutes online.
Plate renewal fees are approximately $85.00 and may come with local registration fees between $10 and $30 additionally. A state convenience fee of 1.7% is also charged when performing an online renewal. It's important to note that late renewals come with a $10 surcharge as well. For more information about license plate renewal procedures, visit the Official Wisconsin Government License Plate guide page.
Fully Replace Old Plates After 10 Years
It's important to note that Wisconsin residents are required by law to replace their physical license plates every 10 years. This is different from updating the plate registration, which expires once a year.
Buying & Selling
When buying a vehicle in Wisconsin, it's essential for buyers to protect themselves by getting a history report for the vehicle and getting the necessary paperwork information from the seller before completing the transaction. This makes changing the title and registration a simple process.
Any individual who sells a vehicle should complete and submit a seller notification. This can be completed online or mailed to the state DMV. This form includes the VIN, identity of the buyer, sale price, and the sale date. Submit a seller notification to make it clear the vehicle is no longer yours and that any tickets, registration duties, and more are the duty of the buyer now. Learn more about seller notification requirements through the Seller Notification Guide page.
Both the seller and buyer must fill out the required information on the vehicle's title before completing the sale. That includes the odometer reading, any brand disclosures, the sale price, and more. Both individuals must sign the title as well.
Once the sale is complete, the buyer must submit the title and an Application of Registration to the state DMV to transfer the title and get it legally registered.
Create a Bill of Sale
Vehicle sellers are encouraged to create a Bill of Sale that buyers fill out when purchasing their vehicle. This is an important record item that should be kept after a sale.
The document must have all of the following information:
There is also a $157 title transfer fee that buyers will have to pay as well to get the paperwork changed over to their name.
Visit the Title Fees or Registration Fees pages for information about additional specialized fees.
Sales Tax Costs
Along with paying title and registration fees when purchasing a vehicle, the buyer must pay sales tax on the vehicle's purchase price and any delivery fees. The base state tax is 5.0% of the purchase price. There is also a local tax cost in most locations. Most cost as little as an additional 0.50%, but Milwaukee costs between an additional 0.90% and 2.0%. This means the effective vehicle purchase tax is 5.5% outside of Milwaukee and between 5.9% and 7.0% inside Milwaukee. Plan to add this tax figure to the purchase price and delivery fee of the vehicle. Get more information about all the sales and county tax requirements using the DOT eMV public glossary page.
Laws and Regulations
Every driver in Wisconsin is agreeing to follow the state's driving laws when driving down the road. This quick section explains some of the most important laws and what to watch for as a regular driver.
Wisconsin drivers are strictly prohibited from operating a vehicle while impaired by alcohol or restricted controlled substances.
Drivers who are found with a BAC (blood alcohol content) of more than 0.08 can be charged with OWI (operating while intoxicated). Drivers who are found with any detectable restricted substance in their system while driving can also be charged with an OWI. It's important to note that drivers who have received three or more OWI charges must have less than a 0.02 BAC when pulled over to avoid an OWI charge.
Drivers charged with a first-time OWI are fined between $150 and $300 and face a license revocation of between 6 and 9 months. Second-time offenders are charged between $350 and $1,100 and may be incarcerated for between 5 days and six months. They will also lose their license for between 12 and 18 months. Third-time offenders will pay $600 to $2,000, go to jail for between 45 days and one year, and lose their license for two years or longer.
Get more details about OWI penalties using the Wisconsin OWI Penalties Chart.
Everyone riding in a vehicle in Wisconsin must be legally buckled using the proper restraint. The restraints required vary based on the age and size of the passenger in the vehicle. Parents should learn the car seat requirements carefully to keep their children safe and within the state's car seat requirements.
More seat belt details are available via this guide page by the Wisconsin DOT.
Adding tint to a vehicle's windows is the simplest way to reduce interior temperatures naturally, to prevent the interior from fading, and to boost privacy for the passengers. There are restrictions to the type of tint allowed on the windows of a Wisconsin car, though, and any vehicle owner considering adding tin needs to know these laws.
The Front Windows
All front windows must allow at least 50% of the visible light to pass through them. A tint that stops more light than that is not allowed.
Rear Windows
All the rear windows in a vehicle must allow 35% of visible light to pass through them. If the tint allows that much light through, it's legal to have it installed.
To learn more about the specific tint laws affecting vehicles throughout Wisconsin, read through the state's guidelines.
Vehicles less than one-year-old may qualify as lemons if they suffer from problems covered under the manufacturer's warranty that are not sufficiently repaired by the dealership. The vehicle is a lemon if the dealership attempts to repair the same problem four or more times without success. The vehicle is also a lemon if it is in a dealership shop and is being repaired for more than 30 days during the first year of ownership. If the car qualifies as a lemon, it must be replaced by the dealership. Get more details about the Wisconsin Lemon Law using this Lemon Law site.
Useful Things to Know
Use these extra resources to get information quickly and handle most Wisconsin driver needs effectively:
Wisconsin Vehicle Inspection Facility Locator
Find the nearest location to have a vehicle inspection performed using this simple locator: Vehicle Inspection Facility Locator
Wisconsin EV Charging Station Search Tool
Find all the local EV charging stations throughout Wisconsin using this simple search tool. It sorts through the station options based on charging speed and type for quick reference: Wisconsin EV Charging Station Locator
Learn About Wisconsin State Crash Trends
Wisconsin is one of the safest states to drive in, according to 2021 IIHS statistics, but the state still suffers from vehicle crash fatalities. There were 620 accident-related deaths from 572 accidents in 2021. Knowing more specifics can help drivers understand what to expect within the state and may help with safety concerns. Get the complete picture using car crash statistics from GoodCar.
Wisconsin Teen Driver Portal
The Wisconsin DOT offers useful resources for teen drivers available via this information portal: Teen Driver Information Portal
Wisconsin Motorist's Handbook
Brush up on the rules of the road, prepare for the written driver's license exam, and more using the state's motorist handbook: Wisconsin Motorist's Handbook
Get the Latest Wisconsin Vehicle Information with GoodCar
Wisconsin vehicle owners owe it to themselves to have the most up-to-date information about state laws, maintenance requirements, recalls, and more. Refer to this useful resource for residents looking for help and GoodCar's VIN and license plate lookup tools for help getting additional information about specific vehicles.