How to Transfer a Car Title in Wisconsin: Forms, Fees, and Filing

To transfer a car title in Wisconsin, the buyer completes Form MV1 and submits it with the seller-signed title and payment either online through eMV Public, by mail, or at a walk-in service provider. The title fee is $214.50, and the state charges 5% sales tax on the purchase price with local taxes added on top. The seller has separate duties: sign the title over, remove the plates, and notify the Department of Transportation within 30 days of the sale.

What the Seller Has to Do

Wisconsin law requires the seller to sign the “Assignment of Ownership” section on the back of the certificate of title and hand the signed title to the buyer at delivery.¹ Both parties should print their names and sign in the correct fields. If the vehicle is less than 20 model years old, the seller also fills in the odometer reading on the back of the title.²

Plates come off before the vehicle changes hands. Wisconsin plates belong to the owner, not the vehicle, and cannot legally be used by someone else. If you don’t plan to move them to another car, destroy them by cutting them up.³

Individual sellers must notify WisDOT of the sale within 30 days through the state’s Seller Notify portal at sellernotify.wi.gov, entering the VIN, the buyer’s identity, the sale date, and the purchase price.⁴ Skipping this step can leave you exposed to parking tickets, toll violations, or liability tied to a car you no longer own. A seller who fails to execute the title assignment and deliver it to the buyer can face a forfeiture of up to $500.¹

What the Buyer Files

The buyer’s central document is the Wisconsin Title and License Plate Application, Form MV1. You can pre-fill it using the online MV1 Application tool on the WisDOT site, which also calculates fees automatically.⁵ If you bought from a licensed Wisconsin dealer, the dealer handles the title and registration paperwork for you, so Form MV1 usually isn’t your problem.²

Along with Form MV1, you’ll submit:

The original signed title, not a photocopy. The seller’s signature must be in the assignment section, and the odometer reading must be filled in for vehicles less than 20 model years old.
The purchase price and date of sale, which drive sales tax. The Department of Revenue reviews reported prices, and fraudulent entries can trigger penalties.
A lien release if the seller still had a loan on the vehicle. The lender must sign the lien release section on the title or provide a separate release letter before the transfer can go through.

You must display Wisconsin plates or a temporary plate within two business days of purchase to legally drive on state roads.² That tight window is why many buyers use the online application, which lets you print a temporary plate immediately.

If the Title Is Lost

If the seller can’t find the original title, they need a replacement before the sale can proceed. Wisconsin charges $20 for a replacement title, plus a $5 counter service fee if you apply in person.⁶ The application uses Form MV2119 and can be submitted online, by mail, or at a walk-in location. Online replacements typically arrive within 7 to 10 business days. Only the owner listed on the title can apply.

Three Ways to Submit the Application

Online Through eMV Public

The fastest route is the state’s eMV Public portal. You enter your information, upload supporting documents, pay electronically, and print a temporary plate right away. Most online applications are completed in three days or less.⁷

By Mail

Mail the completed Form MV1, the original signed title, and payment to:

WI Dept. of Transportation
P.O. Box 7949
Madison, WI 53707-7949

Make checks or money orders payable to “Registration Fee Trust,” not to the Department of Transportation or the Secretary of Transportation.² Don’t send cash. Mailed applications are typically processed within 14 days, with the title mailed separately after processing.⁷ The tradeoff: no temporary plate through the mail process, so plan around the two-business-day plate rule.

At a Walk-In Service Provider

Wisconsin uses authorized third-party agents rather than traditional DMV offices for in-person title transfers. These providers handle title transfers and plate issuance, and you’ll usually walk out with your plates the same day. WisDOT mails the title itself to you separately.⁸ Title-only transfers are not allowed at walk-in locations, so you’ll need to be getting plates at the same time.

Fees and Taxes

The title transfer fee is $214.50, effective October 1, 2025, and applies to both original titles and transfers.⁹ On top of that, expect several additional costs.

Sales Tax

Wisconsin charges 5% state sales tax on the purchase price of a used vehicle. Most counties that have adopted a local sales tax add 0.5%.¹⁰ Milwaukee is the notable exception: Milwaukee County charges 0.9% and the City of Milwaukee adds 2%, for a combined local rate of 2.9% inside the city. On a $15,000 vehicle purchased in Milwaukee, that works out to roughly $1,185 in total sales tax versus $825 in a county with the standard 0.5% local rate.

WisDOT collects the sales tax on behalf of the Department of Revenue when you apply for the title. Overpayments have to be refunded through the Department of Revenue, not WisDOT.¹¹

Wheel Tax

Many Wisconsin cities, villages, and counties charge an annual vehicle registration fee known as a wheel tax. Amounts range from $10 in smaller communities to $50 in Eau Claire, with most between $20 and $40.¹² If both your city and county impose one, you pay both. Not every jurisdiction charges a wheel tax, so check the WisDOT wheel tax page for your address.

Electric and Hybrid Surcharge

A fully electric vehicle carries a $175 annual surcharge on top of the standard registration fee. Hybrid electric vehicles also carry an annual surcharge.¹³ These apply to automobiles and light trucks up to 8,000 pounds and are collected with your registration fee.

Payment

Online and in-person submissions accept credit and debit cards. Mailed applications require a check or money order payable to “Registration Fee Trust.”² If your payment doesn’t cover the full amount owed, the application is returned unprocessed.

Family Transfers, Gifts, and Inheritance

Wisconsin waives sales tax on vehicle transfers between certain family members, which can save hundreds or thousands of dollars. The qualifying relationships are spouse or ex-spouse (include a copy of the divorce decree showing the vehicle was awarded to you), parent or stepparent, child or stepchild (including the child’s spouse), mother-in-law or father-in-law, and a sole proprietor transferring to a family member (you must be the only owner of the company, not a corporation).

One catch trips people up: the family transfer exemption only applies to vehicles with a current Wisconsin title. If the car has an out-of-state title, you’ll owe sales tax regardless of the family relationship.¹¹

Inheriting a vehicle is tax-exempt as well. Buying a vehicle from an estate, on the other hand, is taxable. If the will leaves you the car, no sales tax; if you purchase it from the estate, sales tax applies.¹¹

For gifts outside the qualifying family categories, Wisconsin won’t charge sales tax on a true gift with a $0 purchase price, but the Department of Revenue reviews claimed exemptions and can penalize fraudulent entries. Reporting a below-market price to dodge tax is not the same as a gift.

Transferring a Title After a Death

How you transfer a deceased owner’s vehicle depends on the total value of property they held solely in their name.

Estates of $50,000 or Less

If the deceased person’s solely-owned property totals $50,000 or less, an heir can transfer the vehicle without probate. Submit Form MV2300 (Statement of Transfer of Vehicles to or by a Surviving Family Member, Domestic Partner or Heir) along with the certificate of title, Form MV1, and the $214.50 transfer fee.¹⁴ Qualifying family members may be eligible for a fee waiver; the MV2300 form has the details.

Estates Over $50,000

If the deceased person’s solely-owned property exceeds $50,000, the vehicle must go through probate. Instead of Form MV2300, submit a copy of the personal representative papers issued by the court. The personal representative signs the title as the seller and writes “personal representative” after their name.¹⁴ The $214.50 title fee still applies, though qualifying family members may use Form MV2300 to apply for a fee waiver even in probate. If the original title was lost, you’ll also need Form MV2119 and the $20 replacement fee before the transfer can complete.

Checking on Your Title

Once your application is in, you can check status using the title search tool on the WisDOT site. Enter the Vehicle Identification Number to see whether the title has been processed and when to expect it.⁷ If there’s a lien on the vehicle, the department sends the title directly to the lender rather than to you. The lien holder search on the same page will tell you whether one exists.

1
Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 342.15 – Transfer of Interest in a Vehicle
2
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Apply for Title and/or License Plates (Registration)
3
Wisconsin DMV Official Government Site. Selling a Vehicle
4
WisDOT. Seller Notify
5
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. MV1 Online Application Guide
6
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Replace Your Title, Plates or Stickers
7
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Processing Time for DMV Products
8
Wisconsin DMV Official Government Site. Title-Registration Service Providers
9
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Vehicle Title Fees
10
Wisconsin Department of Revenue. Sales and Use Tax on Sales of Used Motor Vehicles, Boats
11
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. eMV Public FAQs – Purchase Price Information
12
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Municipal or County Vehicle Registration Fee (Wheel Tax)
13
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Vehicle Fuel Surcharge
14
Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Transfer a Vehicle to an Heir