Wisconsin Form MV2488, the Vehicle Transfer and Odometer Mileage Statement, is the separate odometer disclosure a seller completes when the mileage cannot be recorded directly on the certificate of title.1Wisconsin Department of Transportation. eMV PARTNER FAQs Once both seller and buyer sign it, the form is filed with the MV1 Title and License Plate Application at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
When You Actually Need the Form
Federal and Wisconsin law require the seller of a motor vehicle to give the buyer a written odometer disclosure at the time of transfer.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 32705 – Disclosure Requirements on Transfer of Motor Vehicles In most private sales the seller writes the mileage on the title itself, signs, and hands it over. That’s enough. The MV2488 only comes into play when the title can’t carry the disclosure.
Wisconsin administrative rules identify the situations that call for a separate form:3Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Administrative Code Trans 154.11
- The title has no odometer disclosure space, or the space on it doesn’t meet current federal formatting requirements.
- A lienholder holds the physical title, so the seller uses a power of attorney to let the buyer handle the transfer. The mileage still needs a home, and the MV2488 is where it goes.
- The title has been reassigned through several dealers and the reassignment spaces are used up. Dealers continue the disclosure chain on the MV2488.
If the title has a valid odometer section and the seller can sign there, skip the MV2488. The title entry stands on its own.
Vehicles That Skip Odometer Disclosure Entirely
Some transfers don’t need any odometer statement, on the title or elsewhere. Wisconsin follows the federal exemptions, and vehicles in these categories are marked “exempt” on the title:4Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Administrative Code Trans 154.05
- Model year 2010 and older vehicles, once transferred at least 10 years after January 1 of the model year. In practice, every 2010-and-older vehicle qualifies today.5Wisconsin Department of Transportation. eMV Public FAQs – Vehicle Information
- Model year 2011 and newer vehicles, once transferred at least 20 years after January 1 of the model year. A 2011 model becomes exempt starting in calendar year 2031.6eCFR. 49 CFR 580.17 – Exemptions
- Vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating over 16,000 pounds.
- Non-self-propelled vehicles such as trailers.
- Mopeds.
If the vehicle fits one of these, no MV2488 is needed and no mileage goes on the title.
How to Get a Copy
The MV2488 is not a direct download from the WisDOT website. To request it, submit Form DT1435, the form-ordering request, to the Department of Transportation.1Wisconsin Department of Transportation. eMV PARTNER FAQs You can also call WisDOT’s Maps and Publications office at (608) 246-3265, or write to Wisconsin Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 7713, Madison, WI 53707-7713.7Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Forms DMV customer service centers should have copies if you’d rather pick one up in person.
Filling Out the Form
The MV2488 captures the same information federal law requires for any written odometer disclosure, split between a seller’s section and a buyer’s section.8eCFR. 49 CFR 580.5 – Disclosure of Odometer Information
Vehicle Details
At the top, enter the make, model, year, body type, and full 17-digit VIN. Copy them from the title or manufacturer’s certificate of origin exactly. A single transposed digit in the VIN can delay the title application.
Seller’s Section
The seller (transferor) enters the odometer reading at the time of sale, without tenths of a mile, and checks one of three certification boxes: that the odometer reflects the actual mileage, that the mileage exceeds the odometer’s mechanical limit, or that the reading is not accurate and the actual mileage is unknown. The seller also fills in the date of transfer, printed name, current address, and signature. If the vehicle has more than one seller listed, at least one must sign.
The certification box is the part that matters most. Checking “actual mileage” when the odometer was replaced or has rolled over is where sellers get themselves into trouble.
Buyer’s Section
The buyer (transferee) prints their name and current address and signs to acknowledge receipt of the disclosure. Signing confirms the buyer received the mileage information, not that the buyer agrees the reading is correct.
Submitting the Form
The MV2488 doesn’t go to the DMV by itself. It travels with the rest of the title transfer package:
- Form MV1, the Wisconsin Title and License Plate Application, generated through mv1.wi.gov.9Wisconsin Department of Transportation. MV1 Online Application Guide
- The original certificate of title signed over by the seller, or the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin for a new vehicle.
- The completed MV2488 with both seller and buyer sections filled in.
- Payment for the applicable fees.
Mail the package to:
WI Dept. of Transportation
P.O. Box 7949
Madison, WI 53707-79499Wisconsin Department of Transportation. MV1 Online Application Guide
You can also bring everything to a Wisconsin DMV customer service center to handle in person.
Fees
The title fee for a standard Wisconsin vehicle transfer is $214.50, effective October 1, 2025.10Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Vehicle Title Fees Low-speed vehicles have a title fee of $207. Transfers to a surviving spouse, registered domestic partner, or qualifying family member carry no title fee. Registration and plate fees are separate and depend on vehicle weight and plate type; the MV1 online tool estimates them for your specific vehicle. The MV2488 itself has no separate fee.
Getting the Mileage Certification Right
Wisconsin and federal law both take odometer tampering seriously. Altering an odometer, disconnecting it, or selling a vehicle with a tampered odometer without telling the buyer is illegal, with fines, imprisonment, or both on the table.11Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Odometer Tampering
The more common problem isn’t tampering. It’s a seller casually checking “actual mileage” when the odometer was replaced or the true mileage is unknown. If you have any doubt about whether the reading is accurate, check the “not actual” box. That honest disclosure protects you. Federal law prohibits any false statement in an odometer disclosure, and the buyer can pursue civil damages in addition to any criminal penalties.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 32705 – Disclosure Requirements on Transfer of Motor Vehicles