Change Information on Vehicle Registration in Wisconsin

Vehicle title and registration records in Wisconsin are maintained by the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT). An update to the records becomes appropriate when an owner relocates, adopts a new legal name, receives a document containing an error, purchases or transfers a vehicle, or becomes a Wisconsin resident with a vehicle titled elsewhere. Many transactions can be started through DMV online services, including title applications filed through the eMV Public system, while other matters are completed by mail or at a DMV customer service center.

Wisconsin Vehicle Registration Changes that Commonly Require Action

The DMV record should be revised when one of the following conditions is present:

The residence or mailing address changes; WisDOT asks owners to notify the department within 10 days of a move.
A legal name changes, because future title, registration, and Confirmation of Ownership documents are issued in the current legal name.
A recently issued title, Certificate of Vehicle Registration, or Confirmation of Ownership contains incorrect information.
A vehicle is purchased or received as a gift, which requires application for a new Certificate of Title in the new owner's name.
A vehicle is brought into Wisconsin by a new resident.
License plates, validation stickers, or registration certificates are lost, damaged, or stolen and must be replaced.

Where to File a Wisconsin Vehicle Registration Change

Wisconsin vehicle records are administered at the state level, with no county-level registration agency; local wheel-and-license fees are simply added to state fees collected by the DMV. Owners have several filing options:

Online — Registrations may be renewed, plates and stickers ordered, and title-and-plate applications started through DMV online services. The eMV Public application accepts out-of-state titles for a Wisconsin title and plates; the completed eApplication and receipt are then mailed to the DMV.
In person — DMV customer service centers that offer registration services, process renewals, replacements, and title transactions.
Private agent — Wisconsin allows third-party title/registration service providers to process title transfers and plate renewals for walk-in customers, with maximum service fees set by statute.
By mail — Completed applications are mailed to the addresses printed on each form, generally P.O. Boxes in Madison.

Corrections involving an erroneously issued document are handled directly by the DMV by mail, as described below, rather than at a service center counter.

Wisconsin Address Changes on Vehicle Registration

WisDOT publishes an official change-of-address procedure covering both driver licenses and vehicle records. The residence or mailing address on file may be updated online, in person at a DMV customer service center, or by mailing the Address Change Notice (MV3058) to the Division of Motor Vehicles, P.O. Box 7983, Madison, WI 53707-7983.

Updating the address does not produce new title or registration documents; new cards are issued only when requested separately for the applicable fee. An updated address on file is sufficient, and the U.S. Postal Service should also be notified so that renewal notices and other mail continue to arrive.

Wisconsin Name Changes and Title-Linked Corrections

A legal name change recorded with the Social Security Administration and applied to the driver license updates the DMV's base record for the owner. According to the DMV, it is not mandatory to obtain a corrected title, Confirmation of Ownership, or registration carrying the new name; documents issued after the change simply reflect the new name.

To receive reissued documents sooner than at the next renewal, the owner mails or brings the current title or Confirmation of Ownership to the DMV; processing by mail incurs no charge. Wisconsin law requires the certificate of title to be delivered to the lienholder, so an owner financing a vehicle holds a Confirmation of Ownership instead and must contact the lienholder to obtain the title. Acceptable proof of a name change includes certified marriage certificates, certified divorce records, and certified court orders.

Correcting Incorrect Information on a Wisconsin Registration Record

Errors on a recently issued Wisconsin title, Certificate of Vehicle Registration, or Confirmation of Ownership are corrected using the Title/Registration Correction Request (MV1020), which is mailed to the address printed on the form, along with the affected document. The DMV then issues a corrected document.

When the error follows a recent purchase from a Wisconsin motor vehicle dealer, the dealer initiates the correction request on the buyer's behalf. Adding or deleting a co-owner is treated as a transfer of ownership and requires a properly reassigned title and lien release documents. This correction process is separate from replacing lost or stolen credentials, for which the DMV charges stated fees, including $6 per replacement license plate and $2 for a duplicate Certificate of Registration.

Wisconsin Deadlines for Vehicle Registration Changes

The following time limits and charges apply to vehicle records in Wisconsin:

10 days — WisDOT is to be notified of a change of address within 10 days of a move.
30 days — A seller must report the sale of a motor vehicle to WisDOT, which provides an electronic seller notification service for this purpose; the reporting duty is set out in Wis. Stat. 342.15.
Residency — A person who becomes a Wisconsin resident must apply for a Wisconsin title and license plates for the vehicle; the new residents guidance explains the online application using the out-of-state title. A Wisconsin driver license or ID card is required to use the online application, and new residents have 60 days to obtain a regular driver's license.
Renewal — Registrations expire at the end of the month in which renewal is due; a late registration renewal fee of $10 applies in addition to the regular registration fee.
Financial responsibility — An uninsured motorist registration fee of $50 is charged when an operator is required to maintain proof of financial responsibility, as listed in the DMV fee schedule.

How Much Does It Cost To Change Vehicle Registration Details in Wisconsin?

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles (WisDOT DMV), administers vehicle title and registration changes. The table below shows the statewide fees Wisconsin publishes for the registration-detail changes and related services in this list that have specific official fee information.

Registration Change or Service	Fee
Address change (record update)	Free—no fee is published for the address-change service itself (Change of address)
Duplicate/replacement title for a lost, misplaced, or damaged title	$20 (Vehicle title fees)
Vehicle purchase	$214.50 original title or title transfer fee, plus an $85 annual registration fee for an automobile with a $12 plate issuance fee (Vehicle title fees; Vehicle license plate fees)
New state residency	$214.50 original title fee, plus an $85 annual registration fee for an automobile with a $12 plate issuance fee (Vehicle title fees; Vehicle license plate fees)
License plate transfer to another vehicle	$1 plate transfer fee, plus the regular registration fee due when the plates are transferred (Vehicle license plate fees)

Contact Information

Wisconsin Department of Transportation Division of Motor Vehicles
P.O. Box 7983, Madison, WI 53707-7983
Phone: (608) 264-7447
Official Website: Wisconsin Department of Transportation Division of Motor Vehicles