Classic Car Dealers in Wisconsin

In Wisconsin the title comes from the state DMV (WisDOT), not a county office, and sales tax is collected when the car is titled. For an older car the plate decision matters most, because Wisconsin has three plate types with different age rules, different use rules and a January restriction.

Titling the car

The title fee is $214.50. WisDOT says that if the car will be driven, the buyer must title and register it within two business days of the purchase, and must display plates or a temporary plate in that window. Buying from a private seller, the seller signs the title, records the odometer reading, discloses any title brands and writes in the price, and plates stay with the seller. You send the original title with form MV1 to the DMV by mail or through the eMV Public online service, which still requires mailing the receipt and title. A temporary plate from an authorized agent costs $3 and is valid for 90 days. Buying from a licensed Wisconsin dealer, the dealer must process your title application within 7 business days. If the dealer is out of state, titling is your job.

A title from another state can be used to apply for a Wisconsin title. WisDOT does not describe a general VIN inspection for out-of-state cars; a VIN certification form exists for cars whose VIN is unclear. New residents must also get a Wisconsin title and plates.

Wisconsin requires the seller to disclose title brands such as salvage, rebuilt salvage, flood damaged and reconstructed, and failure to do so can bring a fine of up to $5,000. A salvage car must pass a WisDOT inspection before it can be plated. If a classic comes without a title, WisDOT issues one only against a surety bond, set at 1.5 times the car's value, with the brand "Bond Posted" held for 5 years.

Antique, collector and hobbyist plates

• Antique plates are for unaltered vehicles of model year 1945 or earlier. They cost $5, do not expire, and limit the car to display, parades, testing, maintenance and storage.
• Collector plates are for vehicles 20 or more years old whose body has not been altered. The cost is a one-time $50 fee plus twice the annual registration fee, which WisDOT lists at $232 for the first automobile plate. They do not expire while you own the car, and the car can be used like other vehicles, but not for hire and not in January without a temporary plate (up to five consecutive days). You must also own or lease a regularly registered vehicle for everyday transportation.
• Hobbyist plates cover altered cars 20 or more years old, such as street rods, replicas and reconstructed vehicles, with the same fees and rules as collector plates.
• Model year plates: an antique owner may display a plate from the car's model year, and a collector car made before 1979 may display one to or from shows and parades, if the WisDOT registration is carried in the car.
• Plates do not pass to the buyer. Antique, collector and hobbyist plates remain with the seller, so you apply for your own.

Emissions

Emissions testing applies only to vehicles kept in seven southeastern counties: Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Washington and Waukesha. WisDOT lists tested vehicles as model year 1996 and newer, so a classic from before 1996 is not on the list in any county. A 1996 or newer car with collector plates may need a test before the plates are issued.

Sales tax

• The state rate is 5%. Most counties add 0.5%, and Milwaukee County is 0.9% with a further 2% in the City of Milwaukee. The rate follows the county and city where the car is kept.
• On a private sale the buyer pays the tax when titling, on the price paid minus any trade-in allowance. A licensed dealer collects it for you. The Department of Revenue investigates suspiciously low prices on titles.
• Sales tax properly paid to another state on an out-of-state purchase is credited against the Wisconsin tax. Family transfers are exempt only when the car already has a Wisconsin title.

Dealers, private sellers and warranties

A seller who sells more than five vehicles a year needs a WisDOT dealer license. Unlicensed sellers often show a title in someone else's name, so check that the title is in the seller's name. Licensed dealers must display a Wisconsin Buyers Guide that states either a warranty or "As Is - No Warranty" and discloses material history found with reasonable care. Wisconsin's lemon law covers new vehicles and transfers made within the manufacturer's express warranty, so an older classic generally falls outside it. WisDOT's Dealer and Agent Section handles dealer complaints.

Sources: Wisconsin DMV (WisDOT) title, plate, brand, bonded title, dealer and emission test pages and Form MV1, the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (Publication 201, Fact Sheet 2113) and Wisconsin Statutes 218.0171, 341.266, 342.12, 342.15 and 342.16. Rules and fees change; confirm with the Wisconsin DMV before you buy.