The Wisconsin MV11 form is the Title and License Plate Application you file with the Department of Transportation to put a vehicle in your name and get plates after a private sale, gift, inheritance, or move into the state. As of October 2025, the title transfer fee is $214.50, and state law requires you to apply “immediately” after taking ownership, with a forfeiture of up to $200 if you delay.1Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 342 – Section 342.15(6) You can submit it online through eMV Public, in person at a DMV service center, or by mail to Madison.
One note on the form number: WisDOT’s current title and plate application PDF is labeled MV1. If you were sent to “MV11,” you’re in the right place — it’s the same title-and-registration application described here.
When You Need to File It
The most common trigger is buying a car, truck, or motorcycle from another person rather than a dealer. The form also covers several other situations:
- A vehicle given to you as a gift or distributed to you from an estate.
- Establishing Wisconsin residency with an out-of-state vehicle.2Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Apply for Title and/or License Plates (Registration)
- Buying from an out-of-state dealer that doesn’t handle Wisconsin registration for you.
- Adding or removing a lienholder on an existing title. If the secured party isn’t filing electronically, WisDOT charges a $5 processing fee for a lien-only update.3Wisconsin Department of Transportation. MV1 Wisconsin Title and License Plate Application
- Transferring plates from a vehicle you’re selling to one you just bought.
What to Have Ready Before You Start
Assembling everything up front is the difference between one trip and two, or between a clean mail-in and a rejection letter.
- The original title, signed by the seller on the back. A photocopy will not work. If any information on the title has been altered or corrected, you also need a Statement of Intent (Form MV2489).4Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Title and Register Your Vehicle With eMV Public
- An original lien release from the lender if a lien still appears on the title but the loan is paid off.
- The odometer reading. For vehicles model year 2011 and newer, the seller must write it on the back of the title at the time of sale. Vehicles 20 or more model years old are exempt from federal odometer disclosure.
- Your Wisconsin driver’s license or state ID number, and the last four digits of your Social Security Number. A business uses its full FEIN.
- VIN, year, make, model, body type, and fuel type from the title or the vehicle itself.
- Valid liability insurance. Wisconsin requires at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $10,000 for property damage. You don’t attach proof to the form, but you must carry it before you drive.
Filling Out the Form
The application is divided into sections labeled A through F. Complete only the sections that apply to your transaction.3Wisconsin Department of Transportation. MV1 Wisconsin Title and License Plate Application
Vehicle and Owner Information
Section A is the vehicle: VIN, year, make, model, body type, fuel type, and odometer reading. Check the VIN against the title character by character. A single wrong digit stalls the application. Section B is the owner: full legal name, mailing address, date of birth, Wisconsin driver’s license or ID number, and the last four of the SSN (or full FEIN for a business). A co-owner’s information goes here as well.
Fees and Sales Tax
Section D is where most mail-in rejections start. Wisconsin charges 5% state sales tax on the purchase price.5Wisconsin Department of Revenue. Tax Rates Seventy of Wisconsin’s 72 counties add a 0.5% county tax, and Milwaukee County charges 0.9%.6Wisconsin Department of Revenue. County and City Sales and Use Taxes The county rate depends on where the vehicle is kept, not where you bought it.
A vehicle received as a gift is exempt from sales and use tax; select the correct exemption code on the form and leave the purchase price at zero. A vehicle distributed to an heir from an estate is likewise exempt. But if you buy a vehicle from the estate’s personal representative at a negotiated price, that’s a taxable sale at the full amount.
On top of tax, add the fixed fees for a standard automobile:
- Title transfer fee: $214.50.7Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Vehicle Title Fees
- Annual registration fee: $85.8Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Vehicle License Plate Fees
- Plate issuance fee: $12 for new plates. Not charged if you’re transferring plates from another vehicle you own.
Some municipalities also charge a local vehicle registration surcharge, often called a wheel tax, that can add roughly $10 to $50 depending on the city. That amount may need to be included in your total. Qualifying family members can have the $214.50 title fee waived; WisDOT Form MV2300 lists who qualifies.9Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Transfer a Vehicle to an Heir
Lien Information and Signature
If you financed the vehicle, list the lender’s name and address in the secured party section so the lienholder’s interest appears on the electronic title. No loan means leave it blank. Sign and date the form. Your signature certifies that the purchase price and every other entry are accurate. Understating the price to reduce sales tax is fraud, and the penalty structure treats it as such.
Where to Submit It
Online Through eMV Public
WisDOT’s eMV Public portal handles most title-and-plate transactions for automobiles, light trucks, motorcycles, mopeds, motorhomes, and trailers. You can pay by credit card, debit card, or PayPal with a convenience fee, or by ACH bank transfer at no extra charge. At the end, you print a temporary license plate valid for 90 days.4Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Title and Register Your Vehicle With eMV Public
The catch is that you still have to mail your original signed title, the printed eApplication/Receipt, and any lien release afterward. Send them to WisDOT-eMV Public, P.O. Box 7907, Madison, WI 53707-7907. The transaction isn’t fully complete until those originals reach WisDOT.
In Person at a DMV Service Center
Walking into a customer service center gets you metal plates the same day, so you can skip the temporary plate step entirely.10Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Temporary License Plates Payment is by credit card, debit card, check, or money order, with a small convenience fee on card payments. This is the fastest route if you need to drive right away.
By Mail
Mail the completed form, the original signed title, any lien release, and your payment to:
WI Dept. of Transportation
P.O. Box 7949
Madison, WI 53707-79493Wisconsin Department of Transportation. MV1 Wisconsin Title and License Plate Application
Make checks or money orders payable to “Registration Fee Trust.”11Wisconsin Department of Transportation. DMV Fees Mail is the slowest option. Most plates and registration certificates ship within 10 days of processing but can take up to three weeks to arrive.12Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Processing Time for DMV Products Add time for the envelope to reach Madison and clear the queue. If you need to drive during that window, get a temporary plate through eMV Public or an in-person visit first.
The Two-Business-Day Plate Rule
Wisconsin law requires vehicles weighing up to 8,000 pounds to display a permanent or temporary plate within two business days of purchase.10Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Temporary License Plates A Wisconsin dealer provides plates or a temporary tag at the point of sale. For a private-party purchase, your practical options are filing in person (metal plates the same day) or filing online through eMV Public (a 90-day temporary plate you can print). Pick your submission method before you pick up the vehicle.
Penalties for Filing Late
The statute says you must apply for a new title “immediately” upon transfer, which is deliberately open-ended. The two-business-day plate display rule creates a hard operational deadline even where the title statute is not specific. Failing to apply promptly can bring a forfeiture of up to $200. If the delay is intentional and meant to deceive, for example to avoid sales tax or hide ownership, the penalty rises to a fine of up to $1,000, up to 30 days in jail, or both.13Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 342 – Section 342.15(6)(b)
An application counts as filed once it’s been delivered to the department or dropped in the mail with proper postage and the correct fee. If you’re mailing, the postmark date matters. Don’t sit on the envelope.
One Boundary: Emissions Testing
If you keep the vehicle in Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Washington, or Waukesha County, it may need an emissions inspection before registration can be finalized. Motorcycles are exempt, and the newest model years are exempt from testing. Vehicles garaged outside those seven counties do not need an emissions test regardless of age.14Wisconsin Vehicle Inspection Program. Inspection Elements Check the program’s rules for your specific model year before you submit.