Form MV1: Wisconsin Title/License Plate Application

Applying for a title only (without plates) does not allow you to legally operate your vehicle on a Wisconsin roadway; to legally operate your vehicle, you must also apply for Wisconsin license plates.

Police/Taxi: a vehicle that has been used, or will be used, as a police vehicle or taxi.

Flood Damaged: a vehicle damaged by water to the extent that the estimated or actual repair costs, whichever is greater, exceeds 70% of fair market value.

Hail Damaged: a vehicle less than 7 years old damaged solely by hail to the extent that the estimated or actual cost, whichever is greater, to repair the vehicle exceeds 70% of its fair market value.

For the definition of homemade, reconstructed, replica and/or street modified vehicles, refer to Wisconsin Statutes 341.268.

Salvage: a vehicle less than 7 years old which has been damaged by collision or other occurrence to the extent that the cost of repairing the vehicle would exceed 70% of fair market value, or a vehicle last titled in another state as a salvage vehicle.

You cannot drive a salvage vehicle until it passes a salvage inspection, except to travel to the inspection site.

Owner/Co-owner: the names that will be on the new title; "And" means all owners must sign the title to transfer ownership, and "Or" means only one owner must sign the title.

Opt Out: you may remove your name(s) from mailing lists that contain 10 or more individual names by checking the box; businesses are not eligible for opt out.

If you are applying as an individual, you are required to provide your Social Security Number (SSN); if you have a WI driver license, you may provide that number instead of your SSN.

FEIN: the Federal Employer Identification Number is required for corporations or other non-individual owners.

If this is a leased vehicle, list the Lessee Name and the Lessee Social Security number, Driver License number or FEIN Number (required).

Enter the Vehicle Identification Number (a standard VIN has 17 characters).

To legally operate a car, light truck or autocycle, you must display license plates within two business days of purchase.

You may transfer the following plates from a vehicle you no longer use to another vehicle of the same type that belongs to you, your spouse, or your domestic partner (as defined by Ch. 770 Wis. Statues): Auto (passenger vehicle), Farm Truck (up to 12,000 lbs.), Driver Ed, Truck (up to 8,000 lbs.), Municipal, AutoCycle, Motorcycle, Motor Home and Dual Purpose (up to 8,000 lbs.).

There is no charge to transfer current license plates, but include a renewal fee if the plates are expiring in less than 30 days.

Enter the County where the vehicle is kept and check City, Village or Town (check one). Check the box if plates are transferred between spouses/domestic partners (Ch. 770); license plates cannot be transferred between other family members.

If you do not have a plate to transfer, take your application to a DMV Customer Service Center that processes vehicle registration or an agent authorized by DMV to obtain a metal or temporary plate.

An agent will charge a $3 temporary plate fee, give you a temporary plate valid for 90 days and may also charge a service fee (checked October 19, 2026).

Enter the From and Through dates: the vehicle described on this application has not been operated upon public highways between dates indicated.

Use this section if you are adding a new lien.

Use form MV2051 to list a second lender and attach it to MV1.

Any title with a lien (loan) listed on or after July 30, 2012, will be sent to the lien holder, and vehicle owners will receive a Confirmation of Ownership and will receive the actual title when all liens are cleared.

Pay the $10 Loan Filing Fee for each loan in Section D (checked October 19, 2026).

If the application is solely to add a loan and the Secured Party is not filing electronically, add $5 for DMV processing (checked October 19, 2026).

Pay the $214.50 Title Fee (checked October 19, 2026) if you are changing the owner(s) on the title, or titling the vehicle in Wisconsin for the first time.

It is a crime to understate the purchase price.

Enter the Purchase Price, the Less trade-in allowance and the Amount subject to tax; State Sales Tax is the amount subject to tax x 0.05.

Pay 5% sales tax unless one of the reasons listed here applies; list the code number and information requested.

Code 1: a motor vehicle previously titled in Wisconsin and purchased from spouse, parent, child, spouse's parent, child's spouse, stepparent or stepchild; list the appropriate one.

Code 2: the purchaser is a Common or Contract Carrier using the vehicle exclusively as such; list the Authority Number.

Code 3: a lessor reporting gross receipts from rental or lease; list the Seller's Permit or Use Tax Number.

Code 4: the purchaser is State of WI or other Federal or WI government unit or agency.

Code 5: tax paid to another state; list the state and submit proof.

Code 6: the purchaser is not a resident of WI and will not use the motor vehicle in WI except to remove it from WI; list the residence state.

Code 7: the purchaser is a WI dealer for a vehicle purchased solely for resale.

Code 8: a religious, charitable, educational or other nonprofit organization; list the appropriate one and CES#.

Code 9: miscellaneous; specify in 'if other, list reason'.

If tax exempt, enter the code; if the tax exempt code selected is 1, Qualifying Family Member, enter the qualifying family member relationship, and if other, list the reason.

Local sales tax includes county and municipal (city, town or village) taxes based on where the vehicle is kept; multiply the amount subject to tax by the combined tax rate (if any) for that county and municipality.

License Plate Fee is required (check one): Passenger Vehicle $85 or Light Truck (private operation only) at 4,500 or 6,000 pounds gross weight or less $100 or at 8,000 pounds gross weight or less $116.60 (checked October 19, 2026).

License Plate Issuance Fee: $12 ($6 per plate) (checked October 19, 2026).

Counter Service Fee: $5 if you apply in person at WisDOT (checked October 19, 2026).

If an owner is under 18 years old, also complete Section H, Consent to Purchase, which a legal custodian, parent or guardian must complete.

The legal custodian, parent or guardian signs and dates the certification: I certify that I have legal custody of the person named as owner and consent to the purchase by such person and registration of the vehicle described in the applicant's name.

Section H, Consent to Purchase, also has these notary public lines: County, Date my commission expires, Date subscribed and sworn to before me, and Notary Signature.

Sign and date on the Owner/Lessee Signature line and, for a co-owner or lessee, on the Co-Owner/Lessee Signature line. The signers certify that the information and statements on this application are true and correct.

If you are not purchasing regular passenger vehicle or light truck plates, determine the plate type you need, write the plate type and fee in Section E, and complete all applicable information in Section F.

Mail the original vehicle title (not a copy), application and check to WI Dept. of Transportation, P.O. Box 7949, Madison WI 53707-7949, with the check payable to Registration Fee Trust.

Form MV1, the Wisconsin Title/License Plate Application, is for applying for a title and/or license plates for a vehicle.

To obtain a replacement title, use form MV2119, Replacement Title Application.