Last Update: August 24, 2026

Temporary Permits for Private or Commercial Vehicles in Wisconsin

Wisconsin issues temporary credentials through the Division of Motor Vehicles, with motor carrier registration, trip, and fuel permits administered by Motor Carrier Services and oversize and overweight movement permits administered by the Bureau of Highway Maintenance. A temporary operation plate authorizes limited operation of an unregistered vehicle while titling and registration are completed, and a trip or movement permit authorizes commercial operation where full credentials are not yet in place.

What Is a Temporary Vehicle Permit in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin Statutes Section 341.09 authorizes the Department to charge a fee of $3 for each temporary operation plate or permit and may issue them for specified periods, while Section 341.06 carries the general authority for temporary operation plates and permits for unregistered vehicles. Wisconsin temporary credentials include the following:

• Temporary license plates, issued on a short-term basis of 5 to 90 days for newly purchased vehicles awaiting regular plates
• 90-day temporary plates, issued to Wisconsin residents upon proof that all registration fees have been paid
• 30-day temporary plates at no charge, issued to members of the U.S. military, allied forces, or Foreign Service on leave or furlough
• 5-day temporary plates, issued to collector and hobbyist vehicle owners for operation in January
• 30-day emission-repair temporary plates, issued for vehicles that fail an emissions inspection and hold expired registration
• 72-hour trip permits, combining temporary registration and in-lieu-of fuel tax authority for out-of-state motor carriers
• Unladen trip permits, issued for temporary registration of empty apportionable vehicles pending permanent registration
• Oversize and overweight permits, issued as single-trip or multiple-trip credentials for loads exceeding legal limits

Who May Need a Temporary Permit

A temporary permit may be required in the following situations:

• A vehicle has been purchased, and no license plate is available to transfer, so a plate must be displayed within two business days of purchase
• A buyer applies online to title and register a new purchase, and requires a printable plate before metal plates arrive
• A military member or Foreign Service officer on leave operates a vehicle while on furlough
• A vehicle fails its emissions inspection, and the registration has expired, requiring time to complete repairs
• A collector or hobbyist vehicle without a January registration period must be operated on public roads during that month
• An out-of-state motor carrier operates in Wisconsin without IRP or IFTA credentials
• An apportionable vehicle must be moved empty before permanent IRP registration is issued
• A load exceeds Wisconsin's legal dimensions or weight

Private Vehicle Temporary Plates in Wisconsin

For private vehicles, Wisconsin requires automobiles and light trucks weighing up to 8,000 pounds to display a permanent or temporary plate within two business days of purchase. A temporary plate valid for 90 days may be issued with proof that all registration fees have been paid. A buyer purchasing from a Wisconsin dealer receives metal plates or a temporary plate from the dealer as needed; a buyer applying online through eMV Public prints a temporary plate upon completion of the application; and a buyer visiting a DMV customer service center or a third-party title registration provider receives metal plates immediately, with no temporary plate needed.

The fee for a temporary plate is $3 when purchased by mail on Form MV2505, plus a $5 counter service fee when obtained at a customer service center or emissions testing station. The plate must be taped inside the lower corner of the rear window on the driver's side or to the rear passenger window if the rear window is too small.

Military service members may receive a temporary plate, valid for 30 days at no charge, while on leave, upon presentation of a copy of active service and furlough documentation; additional plates may be requested to cover the duration of the leave. A vehicle that fails an emissions inspection and has expired registration may still be operated with the purchase of a 30-day temporary plate while repairs are made, and collector or hobbyist plates may be supplemented with a 5-day temporary plate for January operation using Form MV2750.

Commercial Vehicle Temporary Permits in Wisconsin

Commercial carriers without proper Wisconsin registration or fuel tax credentials may obtain temporary authority from Motor Carrier Services. The 72-hour trip permit is issued to out-of-state motor carriers traveling intrastate or interstate without valid registration or fuel tax credentials in Wisconsin, as set forth in Section 341.41(7) and Section 341.45, and to carriers lacking credentials in jurisdictions belonging to the international trip permit compact. The permit is valid for 72 hours from the time and date on the permit, authorizes one round trip only, and must be presented in paper form; it is not accepted in electronic format.

The temporary registration portion and the in-lieu-of fuel tax portion may be purchased separately at $15 each, for a total of $30 when both are purchased. The permit is not available to move unregistered vehicles for trips beginning in Wisconsin, and exempt for-hire carriers must have Wisconsin authority and insurance on file before obtaining a permit. Vehicles registered in Iowa, Michigan, and Minnesota do not require a trip permit within the established reciprocity zones.

The unladen trip permit, also known as the Hunter's permit, provides temporary registration of an empty apportionable vehicle prior to permanent registration. It is valid for 30 days from the time and date on the permit, is valid in all member IRP jurisdictions, costs $15, and must be presented in paper form. A Temporary Vehicle Registration (TVR) is issued to motor carriers already registered under the IRP and is valid for 30 days, allowing both interstate and intrastate operation in all jurisdictions listed on the document.

Oversize and overweight movement is administered by the WisDOT Bureau of Highway Maintenance through the multiple-trip permit program and single-trip credentials. Multiple-trip permits allow unlimited trips, are available for periods of 3 to 12 months, and are valid on all roadways subject to posted bridge and local restrictions. Maximum permitted weights vary by load type: 88,000 pounds for grain, coal, and iron ore movements; 98,000 pounds for fluid milk, milk byproduct, raw forest products, and inter-plant distribution movements; and up to 170,000 pounds for specialized equipment movements.

When a Temporary Permit Is Required

A private vehicle may require a temporary permit in the following circumstances:

• After purchase from a dealer or private seller, when no plate is available to transfer, and the two-business-day display requirement applies
• While a complete registration application is processed for a vehicle of 8,000 pounds or less
• During a military leave or furlough, when the vehicle is not titled or registered in the member's name
• When an emissions failure suspends renewal and repairs require additional time
• During January, when collector and hobbyist plates do not authorize public-road operation

A commercial vehicle may require a temporary permit when:

• The vehicle is subject to the IRP or IFTA and enters Wisconsin without those credentials
• An apportionable vehicle must travel empty before permanent registration is issued
• The vehicle or load exceeds legal dimensions or weight, including movements across multiple trips over a defined permit period

How to Get a Temporary Permit in Wisconsin

Where To Apply

Private vehicle temporary credentials may be obtained through several channels:

• Licensed dealers, which issue temporary plates electronically through the Department-issued system at the point of sale
• eMV Public, the online title and registration application, which prints a temporary plate upon completion
• DMV customer service centers, which issue temporary plates for a $3 fee plus a $5 counter service fee, and issue metal plates immediately when an application is completed in person
• Third-party title registration providers, which issue metal plates at the time of service
• By mail, using Form MV2505 for standard temporary plates or Form MV2750 for collector and hobbyist January plates

For commercial carriers, 72-hour trip permits and unladen trip permits are purchased through the online permitting application, and oversize and overweight permits are obtained through the OSOW online system or by contacting the issuing bureau.

Documents Commonly Required

The documentation required to obtain temporary credentials varies with the transaction and may include:

• A complete Temporary License Plate Application (MV2505), with the applicable fee
• Proof that all registration fees have been paid for a 90-day temporary plate
• A complete registration application with the title, odometer statement, and registration fee, for dealer- or department-issued plates
• Evidence of any required inspection under Section 110.20, where applicable
• A copy of the active service and furlough documentation for military temporary plates
• Form MV2750 for collector and hobbyist January plates, with the applicable fee

Temporary Permit Fees in Wisconsin

The following table summarizes the principal permit and credential fees published by WisDOT and the Wisconsin Statutes.

Can a Wisconsin Temporary Permit Be Used Across State Lines?

A 72-hour trip permit authorizes one round trip into and out of Wisconsin and is valid for the jurisdictions listed on the permit, which may carry different dates and times; the permit does not authorize operation beyond the listed jurisdictions or for trips originating in Wisconsin with unregistered vehicles. The unladen trip permit is valid in all IRP member jurisdictions, and a Temporary Vehicle Registration authorizes both interstate and intrastate operation in every jurisdiction listed on the document. Vehicles from Iowa, Michigan, and Minnesota operate without a trip permit within the established reciprocity zones near the Wisconsin border.

Private temporary plates are valid in Wisconsin for their stated term and do not confer operating authority in other states; a purchaser titling or registering the vehicle in another state must comply with that state's temporary registration requirements. Oversize and overweight permits authorize movement only over the routes and within the timeframes stated on the permit, and continuation into another state requires separate permitting by that state.

Penalties for Driving Without the Proper Temporary Permit

Wisconsin imposes penalties for operating a vehicle without valid registration or the required temporary authority.

• A vehicle operated without a permanent or temporary plate after the two-business-day display period is unregistered, and an expired or altered temporary plate provides no operating authority; enforcement is carried out under the registration provisions of Chapter 341 (penalty amounts for this offense are not itemized in the sources retrieved this term and should be confirmed against the current statutes).
• A temporary plate issued without proof that registration fees have been paid, or used on a vehicle other than the one named in the application, is invalid, and operation under it is treated as operation without registration.
• A dealer that misuses temporary operation plates or permits, or that fails to maintain the records prescribed by the Department, may be issued an order prohibiting the dealer from issuing temporary plates under Section 341.09.
• A collector or hobbyist vehicle operated on public roads in January without the required 5-day temporary plate violates the plate display requirements applicable to those registration classes.
• Commercial carriers operating without a 72-hour trip permit, unladen permit, or apportioned credentials are subject to enforcement by Motor Carrier Services and by law enforcement at scales and ports of entry (specific fine amounts unconfirmed in this review).

Contact Information

Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles
4822 Madison Yards Way, Madison, WI 53705
Phone: (608) 266-1425
Official Website: Wisconsin Department of Transportation Division of Motor Vehicles