How to Get New License Plates in Wisconsin: Costs and Plate Types

To get new license plates in Wisconsin, file a Title and License Plate Application (Form MV1) with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation online, by mail, or at a DMV customer service center, along with proof of insurance and payment. For a vehicle titled on or after October 1, 2025, the title fee is $214.50 and standard automobile registration is $85 per year.¹² Most plates arrive within about three weeks.

What You Need Before You Apply

Form MV1 is available as a printable form or through the guided MV1 Online Application portal on the WisDOT website.³ Before you start, gather:

The 17-character Vehicle Identification Number, found on the driver’s side dashboard or door jamb.
Your Wisconsin title number, or the valid out-of-state title if you are new to Wisconsin.
Your Social Security number, required under Wis. Stat. § 341.08.⁴
Proof of liability insurance that meets Wisconsin minimums.
The vehicle’s gross weight, which determines your registration tier.

Getting the weight or identity information wrong can trigger a rejection and push your timeline back by weeks, so verify each field before submitting.

Insurance Minimums

Wisconsin will not register a vehicle without proof of liability insurance meeting these minimums: $25,000 for injury or death of one person, $50,000 for injury or death of two or more people, and $10,000 for property damage.⁵ Collision or comprehensive coverage alone does not satisfy the requirement. Your insurer must be able to verify the policy electronically when WisDOT checks.

Emissions Testing

Most of Wisconsin does not require an emissions test. Seven southeastern counties do: Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Washington, and Waukesha.⁶ If your vehicle is kept in one of them, pass the test before you finish registering. Everyone else can skip this step.

What It Will Cost

Wisconsin charges separately for titling and registering. When you are plating a vehicle you just bought or brought in from out of state, you pay both.

Title fee: $214.50 for an original title or transfer.¹
Automobile registration: $85 per year.²
Light truck up to 6,000 lbs: $100 per year.²
Light truck at 8,000 lbs: $116.60 per year.²
Hybrid electric vehicle surcharge: $75 per year on top of the base registration fee.²
Electric vehicle surcharge: $175 per year on top of the base registration fee.²

Handling the transaction in person at a DMV customer service center adds a $5 counter service fee for combined title and registration work, or $3 for a registration-only renewal. Third-party providers can charge up to $38 for a title transaction or $16.25 for a registration renewal.⁷

Choosing a Plate Type

Your plate choice changes both your upfront cost and any recurring add-on fees.

Standard and Personalized

Standard plates carry only the base registration fee. A custom letter-and-number combination adds $15 per year to your registration cost.² Decide before you submit, because the fee structure shifts with the plate type you pick.

Specialty and Group Plates

Specialty plates represent organizations, causes, or military service, and many require an annual donation (commonly $25) to a designated state fund on top of your registration fee.² Eligibility varies. Disabled veteran plates require a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs statement certifying a service-connected disability that limits the ability to walk, renewed every four years. Ex-prisoner of war, Medal of Honor, and National Guard member plates each have their own documentation rules under the same statute.⁸ Gather supporting paperwork before you start.

Disability Plates

Permanent disability plates are available to anyone certified by a licensed health care provider as having a qualifying condition, such as being unable to walk 200 feet without stopping, requiring a mobility aid, or having certain cardiac or respiratory limitations. The application is Form MV2162, which includes a section your provider must complete and sign based on an exam within the previous 12 months. Recertification is required every four years.⁹

How to Submit Your Application

Three ways to file. Pick the one that matches how fast you need plates and how you prefer to handle paperwork.

Online

The fastest route is the eMV Public portal, which lets you title and register an eligible vehicle, order new plates, or transfer existing plates.¹⁰ You need a printer for a temporary plate if one applies, a valid credit or debit card or checking account, and your driver license number. You get a printable Certificate of Vehicle Registration immediately.

By Mail

Print and complete Form MV1, then mail it with payment to WI Dept. of Transportation, P.O. Box 7949, Madison, WI 53707-7949.³ Make checks or money orders payable to “Registration Fee Trust.”¹¹ Mail is the slowest option, so add processing time on top of delivery.

In Person

Visit any DMV customer service center that handles title and registration, or an authorized third-party provider. Face-to-face review can head off the back-and-forth that sometimes delays mailed applications. Service centers accept cash, checks, and major credit and debit cards, and the $5 counter service fee applies.⁷

After You Apply

Most plates, stickers, and the Certificate of Vehicle Registration ship within 10 days of processing and arrive within about three weeks. Personalized and some specialty plates take an additional six to eight weeks beyond that.¹²

If you cannot legally drive while waiting, WisDOT issues a temporary operating permit at no charge for automobiles and trucks weighing 8,000 pounds or less. The permit is valid for 90 days or until your regular plates arrive, whichever comes first.¹³ Keep it in the vehicle.

Displaying Your Plates

Attach plates firmly, horizontally, and where they can be clearly read. Vehicles issued two plates must display one on the front and one on the rear. Registration decals go on the rear plate as WisDOT directs, unless you drive a truck tractor or road tractor, in which case the decal goes on the front plate.¹⁴ Frames, covers, or dirt that obscure any part of the plate give officers a reason to pull you over.

Transferring Existing Plates Instead

If you already have Wisconsin plates in your name and buy a different vehicle, you can transfer them instead of buying new. Transferring through eMV Public is free when no renewal is due.³ You need the current plate number and the new vehicle’s VIN. If renewal happens to be due, you pay the renewal fee during the transfer. Transfers that do not qualify for the online system go through Form MV1 at a service center or by mail. Completing an online transfer generates a new Certificate of Vehicle Registration immediately so you can drive while waiting for updated stickers.

Replacing Lost, Damaged, or Stolen Plates

Replacement plates cost $12 on top of any renewal fees that come due at the same time.¹⁵ Peeling, bent, or unreadable plates can be replaced through WisDOT’s online replacement portal. For stolen plates, file a police report first so there is a record that the old number is no longer in your possession.

Penalties for Driving Unregistered

A lapse is not just paperwork. A $10 late fee applies to auto, light truck, motorcycle, and moped renewals received after the expiration date.⁷ The legal cost runs higher. Driving an unregistered vehicle carries a forfeiture of up to $200 for automobiles and other vehicles with a gross weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less, and up to $500 for heavier vehicles. On top of the fine, the court orders you to register the vehicle and pay the fee. If WisDOT does not receive your application and fee within 45 days of conviction, the department can order compliance, and if you still ignore it for another 20 days, WisDOT can suspend all of your vehicle registrations until you comply.¹⁶ The suspension covers every vehicle registered in your name, not only the one that drew the ticket.

1
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Vehicle Title Fees
2
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Vehicle License Plate Fees
3
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. MV1 Online Application Guide
4
Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 341.08
5
Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance. Consumers Guide to Auto Insurance
6
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Emission Test
7
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. DMV Fees
8
Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 341.14
9
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. MV2162 Disabled Parking License Plates Information and Application
10
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. eMV Public
11
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Vehicle Fees
12
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Processing Time for DMV Products
13
Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 341.09(9)
14
Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 341.15
15
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Reissuance of License Plates
16
Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 341.04