TRANSPORTATION / MOTOR VEHICLE INFORMATION
New residents must apply for a Wisconsin drivers license within 30 days. Complete the application form including your Social Security number, answers to medical questions, and a sponsoring section for those under 18 years of age. You must pass the vision screening, pay all fees, and surrender your out-of-state license. Required documentation includes one acceptable proof of residency and one proof of identity that has your signature or photograph. Those who do not have a valid out-of-state license must also provide proof of name and date of birth. Only those who licenses have expired for more than eight years will have to take the knowledge and highway signs test and skills exam. For more information or answers to specific questions, contact:
Department of Transportation
Drivers License Information
608-264-7447
http://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/online-srvcs/online.aspx
Drivers License Service Centers
www.dot.wisconsin.gov/about/locate/dmv/scmap.htm
Vehicle Registration & Title
New residents in Wisconsin only have two days of grace period before they must register and title their automobiles. The Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles or WisDOT maintains service centers around the state and has contracted with numerous partners or DMV agents to provide even more convenient locations. Most offices will issue your plate immediate with the title arriving in the mail within about a week. Some offices issue a temporary plate for 90 days.
Required documentation includes the vehicle title or registration card from your previous state of residence. If you submit your registration card as proof of ownership, Wisconsin law still requires a title. If you submit a title to DMV, a Wisconsin title can be issued at no additional charge. If you have owned your vehicle for less than 90 days, bring proof of sales tax paid to your former state of residence. You must also verify the vehicle identification number on the vehicle against the VIN shown on the title or certificate of registration. For complete information on registration and titling of vehicles in Wisconsin, contact:
Department of Transportation
Registration & Titling
608-264-7447
http://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/dmv/vehicles/title-plates/registration.aspx
Motor Vehicle Service Centers
www.dot.wisconsin.gov/about/locate/dmv/scmap.htm
Emissions Testing
The Department of Natural Resources sets the emission standards for vehicles in Wisconsin, although WisDOT administers the testing program. Emission tests are required on automobiles and trucks with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight less than 10,000 pounds that are kept in the counties of Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Washington, and Waukesha. Special exemptions apply, including vehicles manufactured prior to 1968. Vehicles can be tested at any of the inspection facilities scattered throughout southeastern Wisconsin. For more information, a list of inspection facilities, or answers to specific questions, contact:
Wisconsin Vehicle Inspection Program
414-266-1080
800-242-7510
http://www.wisconsinvip.org/WivipPublic/
Financial Responsibility
Wisconsin maintains a financial responsibility law designed to guarantee that any motorist licensed to drive in Wisconsin maintains automobile insurance or sufficient funds to pay for damages to others that may be caused by a motor vehicle. These requirements can be met through a motor vehicle liability insurance policy, a surety bond, personal funds, or a certificate of self-insurance.
Safety Regulations
Wisconsin’s seat-belt law requires the driver and all front-seat passengers to be restrained, as well as those in rear seats equipped with shoulder harnesses. All children under the age of four must be properly restrained in a safety seat, and children from age four through eight must be secured in a safety seat or properly restrained by a seat belt. The following link offers more detailed information on safety regulations and safe-driving tips.
Vehicle & Equipment Safety
www.dot.wisconsin.gov/safety/vehicle
