Wisconsin offers two black license plates: the Blackout plate, with a solid black background, and the Elkhart Lake’s Road America plate, which shows the racing circuit’s outline in white on black. The Blackout plate costs $27 to issue plus a $25 annual donation to the state transportation fund. The Road America plate costs $15 to issue with no recurring donation. Both are ordered through the Wisconsin DMV on Form MV2999 and are available to any Wisconsin resident with an eligible vehicle.
The Two Designs
The Blackout plate (plate code BOP) is the all-black design most people have in mind when they search for Wisconsin black plates. The $25 annual donation collected with it goes to the state transportation fund, which pays for road and bridge construction.1Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Blackout License Plates
The Elkhart Lake’s Road America plate (code RAM) shows the outline of the 4-mile racing circuit in white over a black background, honoring the Elkhart Lake track that has hosted international racing since the 1950s. It carries no annual donation.2Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Elkhart Lake’s Road America
What You’ll Pay
Each plate has its own fees on top of your regular annual registration, which is $85 for a standard automobile.3Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Vehicle License Plate Fees Many counties and municipalities also charge a wheel tax, typically $20 to $40.
Blackout Plate
- Issuance fee: $27, charged once when the plates are first ordered
- Annual donation: $25, paid at every renewal
- Annual registration: $85 for a standard automobile
- Local wheel tax where it applies
First-year cost on a standard car runs about $137 before any wheel tax. In renewal years you pay the $25 donation plus your registration and any wheel tax.3Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Vehicle License Plate Fees
Road America Plate
- Issuance fee: $15, one-time
- Annual donation: none
- Annual registration: $85 for a standard automobile
- Local wheel tax where it applies
First-year cost on a standard car is about $100 plus any wheel tax. Renewal years are just your normal registration and wheel tax.2Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Elkhart Lake’s Road America
Which Vehicles Qualify
Both designs are available for the same vehicle types: automobiles, motor homes, and motor trucks (including dual-purpose farm trucks) with a gross weight of no more than 8,000 pounds. Farm trucks up to 12,000 pounds also qualify.4Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 341.14 – Special Group License Plates5Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Special License Plates
Motorcycles are not eligible. Neither are commercial trucks over the 8,000-pound limit (12,000 for farm trucks). You must be a Wisconsin resident with a vehicle registered in your name.
If you drive a hybrid or fully electric vehicle, Wisconsin collects a separate annual surcharge alongside your registration: $75 for hybrid electric vehicles and $175 for fully electric vehicles, on automobiles and light trucks up to 8,000 pounds. This surcharge is independent of the plate design you choose.6Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Vehicle Fuel Surcharge
How to Order
Use Form MV2999, the Special Plates General Application. The same form covers both the Blackout plate (BOP) and the Road America plate (RAM). It asks for your vehicle identification number, current plate number, and your legal name and Wisconsin address.7Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Special Plates General Application
Mail the completed form with payment to:
WisDOT Special Plates Unit
PO Box 7911
Madison, WI 53707-7911
Make the check or money order payable to “Registration Fee Trust” for the total of your fees and any donation.7Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Special Plates General Application
The DOT also runs an online ordering portal for non-personalized specialty plates through its eMV Public system, though the service has been intermittently unavailable. When it is working, allow about four weeks before checking on your order. Mail orders take several weeks as well because the plates are custom-manufactured, and the DOT recommends checking current processing times on its website rather than relying on a fixed estimate.8Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Special License Plates
Keep using your existing plates until the new ones arrive. Your new registration certificate and validation stickers will come in the same shipment, sent to the address on your application.
Personalizing a Black Plate
Both designs can carry a custom message for an extra $15 per year on top of the other fees.5Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Special License Plates The Blackout plate allows up to seven characters, more than most specialty plates permit.7Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Special Plates General Application Only capital letters and numbers are allowed; no punctuation or special characters.
The Special Plates Unit reviews every custom message and can reject any combination it considers offensive, misleading, or in poor taste. A combination already assigned to another vehicle is unavailable unless those plates have been expired for at least two years.9Wisconsin State Legislature. Personalized and Special Plates – Frequently Asked Questions Mark the personalization request on Form MV2999 when you apply; the custom manufacturing adds to the overall processing time.
Transferring to a New Vehicle
If you replace your car, you can transfer your black plates rather than ordering a new set. Transfers are allowed between vehicles of the same type belonging to you, your spouse, or your domestic partner. There is no fee for the transfer itself, though you will owe a renewal fee if your registration expires within 30 days.10Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Wisconsin Title and License Plate Application
Some plate transfers can be done through the DOT’s online service, but certain categories require Form MV1, the Wisconsin Title and License Plate Application, submitted by mail.11Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Plate to Transfer Restrictions Plates on heavy trucks or trailers stay with the vehicle when it is sold and cannot be transferred.