The Wisconsin MV2896 form is a one-page request you mail to the Department of Transportation to obtain driver records, vehicle records, or title and registration history from the state’s database. Download it from the WisDOT website, complete the lettered sections, and send it with a check to a Madison PO Box. The form is the only route for records about anyone other than yourself; if you just need your own driving abstract, WisDOT sells it online.
Filling Out the Form Section by Section
The MV2896 is organized by letter, and working straight through keeps the request clean.
Section A: Requester Information
Enter your full legal name, mailing address, and daytime phone number. WisDOT uses this to verify who is asking and to mail the finished records back. Illegible or incorrect entries here mean the response goes to the wrong place or comes back undeliverable.
Sections B and D: Identifying the Record
Section B is for driver records. Provide the person’s full name, date of birth, and Wisconsin driver license number if you have it. Section D is for vehicle records: year, make, VIN, and the Wisconsin plate number or Disabled Parking Identification Permit number. Each section allows up to three lookups per form, so one submission can cover multiple drivers or vehicles.
Accuracy matters more here than on most government forms. WisDOT adds a $5 surcharge per record when incomplete or incorrect identifiers force extra searching, and the search fee applies even if no record turns up. Double-check names, license numbers, and VINs before you mail.
Section C: Permissible Use
Section C is where you declare, under the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, why you are entitled to the records. Check the box that matches your reason, then sign and date. WisDOT reviews this section before releasing anything, and the form will not be processed without it. If your reason does not fit any of the listed categories, WisDOT will redact personal identifiers before releasing the records.
Certified or Non-Certified
The form lets you choose between a non-certified record and a certified copy. Non-certified records cover personal reference, background checks, and most business purposes. Certified copies carry an official seal and are what courts and government agencies typically require as evidence. The fees differ, so checking the wrong box means either overpaying or receiving a document that will not be accepted where you need it.
Fees and Payment
Driver records and vehicle records are priced differently:
- Non-certified driver record: $7 each
- Certified driver record: $12 each
- Non-certified vehicle record: $5 each
- Certified vehicle record: $10 each
A full ownership history adds $5 for each owner in the chain of title. Incomplete or incorrect identifiers add $5 per record on top of the base fee.
Make your check or money order payable to Registration Fee Trust. Do not send cash. If your payment does not match what is owed, WisDOT will either return the form or bill you for the difference.
Where to Mail It
Send the completed form and payment to:
Driver Records or Vehicle Records
WisDOT
PO Box 7995
Madison, WI 53707-7995
The form prints separate labels for driver records and vehicle records, but both go to the same PO Box. Use the label that matches your request. Staff verify your permissible-use declaration and payment before searching the database; if anything is missing they will mail the form back or send a notice for the balance due.
Be Careful With the Permissible-Use Declaration
The DPPA controls who can access personal information from state motor vehicle records, and Wisconsin enforces those restrictions through Section C. Misrepresenting your purpose carries federal criminal fines and civil liability, including liquidated damages, punitive damages for willful violations, and attorney fees. Wisconsin law adds its own restrictions under Wis. Stat. ยง 343.24, particularly for juvenile records. Check the box that honestly applies to your situation.
If You Only Need Your Own Driving Record
You can skip the paper form. WisDOT sells your own driving record online and emails it to you. The online option is limited to your record only; it cannot be used to pull another person’s driving history or any vehicle records. For anything else, the MV2896 is the only route.