How much does it cost to transfer a car title in Wisconsin?

$214.50 for original title or title transfer ($207 for a low-speed vehicle; $0 for title transfer to a surviving spouse, registered domestic partner, or qualifying family member), DMV Fees page. Security interest (lien) new listing $10; duplicate lienholder confirmation form $5.

What is the deadline to transfer a car title in Wisconsin?

Apply 'immediately' for a new Certificate of Title (eMV Public page: 'you must immediately apply for a new Certificate of Title in your name'). Display plates/temporary plate within two business days of purchase.

Does Wisconsin require an odometer disclosure when transferring a title?

For vehicles model year 2011 and newer, the seller is required to write the odometer reading from the date of sale on the back of the title. In-person process: an odometer reading completed by the seller(s) on the back of the title for vehicles less than 20 model years old.

What happens to a lien when transferring a car title in Wisconsin?

A lien release is required if a lienholder is listed on the front of the title and the loan is paid off: the buyer mails 'a valid, original lien release if the vehicle currently has a lien' with the eMV application, and the MV1 guide lists 'lien release, if removing a lien within a title transfer' as an additional required document. Security interest (lien) new listing fee $10.

How to Transfer a Car Title in Wisconsin

The Wisconsin transfer in one table

Step	Wisconsin rule
Title transfer fee	$214.50 for original title or title transfer ($207 for a low-speed vehicle; $0 for title transfer to a surviving spouse, registered domestic partner, or qualifying family member), DMV Fees page. Security interest (lien) new listing $10; duplicate lienholder confirmation form $5. $5 counter service fee for title/registration at a DMV customer service center; title/registration service providers max $16.25 renewal / $38 title transaction. Sales tax and registration fees additional (amounts vary; MV1 guide calculates them).
Deadline and late penalty	Apply 'immediately' for a new Certificate of Title (eMV Public page: 'you must immediately apply for a new Certificate of Title in your name'). Display plates/temporary plate within two business days of purchase. No fixed day-count transfer deadline or late-transfer fee was stated on the pages opened (the $10 late fee on the DMV Fees page applies to registration renewals received after expiration, not to title transfers).
Application form	Wisconsin Title and License Plate Application, form MV1 (MV1 Online Application Guide pre-fills it and calculates fees); Statement of Intent, form MV2489 (if there are alterations on the title); Form MV2300, Statement of Transfer of Vehicles to a Surviving Spouse, Domestic Partner, or Heir (survivor/heir transfers); Form MV2790, Trustee Statement for Certificate of Title (transfers to/from a trust); Form MV2922, Permission to Receive Title and/or Registration (mailing to someone other than the owner)
Odometer	For vehicles model year 2011 and newer, the seller writes the odometer reading from the date of sale on the back of the title. The in-person wording covers vehicles less than 20 model years old. Both wordings appear on the opened eMV Public page, in its online and in-person sections.
Lien	A lien release is required if a lienholder is listed on the front of the title and the loan is paid off: the buyer mails 'a valid, original lien release if the vehicle currently has a lien' with the eMV application, and the MV1 guide lists 'lien release, if removing a lien within a title transfer' as an additional required document. Security interest (lien) new listing fee $10.

What makes Wisconsin different

The current DMV fees page states a $214.50 transfer fee. A $164.50 figure in older summaries was the fee before October 1, 2025. This guide carries the current figure.

The transfer, step by step

Buyer steps:

Immediately apply for a new Certificate of Title in the buyer's name upon purchase, gift, or becoming a new Wisconsin resident; never buy a vehicle without receiving a title signed by the previous owner.
eMV Public (online): review restrictions; have ready a Wisconsin driver license/ID, last four of SSN and date of birth, the seller-signed title (with odometer and lien release as applicable), and payment; complete the online process, then mail the eApplication/Receipt, the valid original seller-signed title, and a valid original lien release if the vehicle has a lien to WisDOT-eMV Public, P.O. Box 7907, Madison, WI 53707-7907.
MV1 (mail/in person): submit the completed, signed MV1 Wisconsin Title and License Plate Application with the reassigned title or manufacturer's certificate of origin, fees, and any additional required documents (including lien release if removing a lien) to WI Dept. of Transportation, P.O. Box 7949, Madison, WI 53707-7949.
In person: bring the Certificate of Title (not a photocopy) signed by the seller(s), driver license/ID, and payment ($5 counter service fee for in-person service); a pre-filled MV1 helps calculate fees.
Display Wisconsin license plates or a temporary plate within two business days of purchase to legally operate the vehicle.

Seller steps:

Sign the title over to the new owner (seller-signed title is required; 'Never buy a vehicle without receiving a title signed by the previous owner').
For model year 2011 and newer, write the odometer reading from the date of sale on the back of the title (in-person wording: odometer reading on the back for vehicles less than 20 model years old).
Provide a lien release if a lienholder is listed on the front of the title and the loan is paid off (the buyer submits the original lien release; the seller's act is providing it with the signed title).
Upon receipt of title, the new owner should promptly complete and submit an application to transfer the vehicle into their name (eMV Public FAQ summary of Wis.

Check the requirements before you go

Run your state through the Title Transfer Requirements Checker: pick your state and see the fee, the deadline, the forms, and the odometer rule as the official pages state them. Then compare how the other states do it in the Car Title Transfer by State directory.

Coming from another state

Wisconsin and out-of-state titles can be used to apply online (eMV Public) for both a Wisconsin title and plates; the MV1 Online Application Guide can be used for transfer of a new or used vehicle with either a Wisconsin or an out-of-state title.

Renewing is not transferring

If the owner is staying the same and only the registration needs renewing, see Vehicle Registration Renewal in Wisconsin for deadlines, grace periods, and late fees.

Transferring a title somewhere else

See Transferring a title in Washington.

See Transferring a title in Arizona.

For all states side by side, see the Car Title Transfer by State directory.

Source

Facts verified 2026-10-29.

This page explains how the process works and what the official rules say. It is general information, not legal advice. For a dispute about your specific situation, talk to your state motor vehicle agency.