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Personalized and special plates -
frequently asked questions

How do I reserve a personalized plate message?

Download, complete and send the Personalized License Plate Application form MV2428  with $15. (Click the form number to download the form.)

If your personalized plate message is available, you will receive a confirmation notice explaining how to order the plates. Personalized plate messages may be reserved for up to two years.

If your personalized plate message is not available, your check will be returned with a notice explaining that the message you requested cannot be reserved.

Personalized plates cannot be reserved by charge card or on the Internet.

Personalized license plates must be special ordered. To both reserve and order the plates, download the Personalized License Plate Application form MV2428 . Complete the vehicle information section for the vehicle to which you want the personalized plates assigned and send the form with $15.

If you reserved your plates beforehand, send the confirmation notice you received and a copy of your current certificate of registration. If your current license plates will expire within the next 3 months, send your annual registration fee.

How much do personalized plates cost?

Personalized plates cost $15 each year in addition to your regular registration fee. For biennial registration, the cost is $30 in even numbered years, $15 in odd numbered years.

Why do I have to pay the personalized plate fee every year?

When the personalized plate program legislation was enacted in the late 1970s, other states charged a one-time fee of $100 or more for personalized plates. To make the plates available to more people, the state Legislature decided to spread that higher fee over the expected life of a plate, 7 to 10 years. At that time, the personalized plate fee was $10 annually. Legislative Act 39 increased the fee to $15 in 1991.

The annual personalized plate fee may be considered a voluntary tax paid to the State Transportation Fund, as authorized under section 341.145, Wisconsin statutes. Over $4.4 million was generated in fiscal year 1999 from the renewal of personalized plates. If this source of revenue were eliminated, other means to replace the funds would have to be found.

How many characters can I have on personalized plates?

• You can have from 1 to 7 characters, numbers or capital letters only, on standard design plates or Wisconsin National Guard plates.
• You can have 1 to 6 characters on most other special license plates (Celebrate Children, Civil Air Patrol, Disabled parking, Ducks Unlimited, EMT, Endangered Resources, Fire Fighter, Gold Star, Golf Wisconsin, Green Bay Packer, Military group, University, Wisconsin Salutes Veterans).
• You can have 1 to 5 characters on motorcycle plates.
• You can have from 1 to 4 characters on Disabled Veteran and Veteran Parking License plates.

What personalized plate messages are not available for issuance?

Personalized plate messages with special characters or punctuation are not available. Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) will not issue a personalized plate message that has already been issued to another vehicle, regardless of the vehicle or registration type, unless the plates have been expired two or more years.

Members of the Special Plates Unit review all personalized plate messages. WisDOT may "refuse to issue any combination of letters or numbers, or both, which the department determines may carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency or which may be misleading." (Sec. 341.145 (7), Stats.).

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Can I check on the Internet to find what personalized plates are available?

Not yet. WisDOT hopes to make this option available in the future. Until the personalized database is available, you can find out if a personalized plate message is available by e-mailing your request and the type of plate you want to have personalized to:  special-plates.dmv@dot.state.wi.us.

Personalized plates cannot be reserved by charge card.

How long will it take to receive my plates?

When your plates are ordered, new certificates of registration showing your new plate number will be issued. Your plates should arrive within four to six weeks from the time you receive your new certificate of registration.

What if I don’t renew my personalized license plate?

Personalized plate messages not renewed for two or more years may be available to others on a first come, first served basis.

What types of vehicles qualify for personalized or special license plates?

Automobiles, motor homes (registered annually), trucks registered at 4,500, 6,000 or 8,000 pounds gross weight (including dual purpose farm and dual purpose motor home) and farm truck plates registered at 12,000. Motorcycles qualify for personalized standard design plates and non-personalized disabled parking plates only.

Can I transfer my personalized or special plates from my pick-up truck to an automobile, or vice-versa?

The metal plates may transfer depending on the plate type. However, the full registration fee is required for the vehicle type you are now registering. Contact the Special Plates Unit for specific information.

Do I need to wait until my current license plates are due to expire to apply for personalized or special plates?

No. You can apply for personalized or special plates at any time. However, it is more cost effective to apply three months before your current plates are renewed. The $15 personalized plate fee, and any special plate that requires a donation, is charged at renewal time each year. If your current plates are due to expire within three months, send your regular registration renewal fee with the personalized or special license plate application, certificate of title and fee.

What if I ordered personalized or special plates but haven’t received them and my current plates are about to expire?

Contact the Special Plates Unit and include a complete vehicle description and current plate number:

• E-mail: special-plates.dmv@dot.state.wi.us
• Call: (608) 266-3041 between 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
• Fax: (608) 267-5106

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What if I no longer want my personalized or special license plates and want regular plates?

Send a copy of the certificate of registration with a request to receive regular license plates. If your current plates expire within three months, add the regular registration renewal fee.

What does "CVG," "MLG," "HEG" or "WNG" mean on my certificate of registration?

WisDOT uses a three-letter designation for each special plate type. The designation does not appear on the plate.

• CVG = EMT, Civil Air Patrol, Rescue Squad Member
• DUK = Ducks Unlimited
• END = Endangered Resources
• FRF = Firefighters
• GLF = Golf Wisconsin
• GST = Gold Star Family
• HEG = Higher Education Group, used for 12 of the university plates
• HEM = Higher Education group - Madison
• KID = Celebrate Children
• MGP = Freemason and Laotian Veteran
• MLG = Military group
• PAK = Green Bay Packers
• SES = Sesquicentennial
• SPT = Wisconsin Salutes Veterans
• WHF = Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation
• WNG = Wisconsin National Guard

Can I have personalized Collector or Hobbyist license plates?

No. By state law we must assign you a number, such as 123456, when you receive your first Collector or Hobbyist plate. When you register subsequent Collector or Hobbyist vehicles, you receive plates with your Collector or Hobbyist number and an alphabetic suffix, such as 123456A for your second vehicle and 123456B for your third vehicle, etc. Also, the personalized plate fee is an annual fee, while Collector and Hobbyist plate fees are only paid once.

Can I transfer my Collector or Hobbyist plates to another vehicle?

Collector and Hobbyist registrations are valid for as long as you own the vehicle. If you sell your collector or hobbyist vehicle, you can transfer the plates to another qualifying vehicle, but the cost is the same as if you applied for a subsequent Collector or Hobbyist license plates (double the regular registration fee for the vehicle type).

How much does it cost to receive duplicate personalized or replacement special license plates if my plates are lost, stolen or illegible?

Download, complete and send the Replacement or Duplicate License Plates Application form MV2118 with the following fee:

$2 for each plate; $4 for a set of two:

• Amateur radio
• Antique
• Collector
• Collector special
• Hobbyist
• Standard design personalized plates

$5 for each plate; $10 for set of two:

• Civil Air Patrol
• Ducks Unlimited
• Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
• Endangered resources
• Fire fighter
• Freemason
• Gold Star
• Golf Wisconsin
• Laotian Veteran
• Military
• Green Bay Packers
• Rescue squad member
• Sesquicentennial
• U.S. Veteran motorcycle
• Wisconsin National Guard
• Wisconsin Salutes Veterans
• Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation

$6 for each plate; $12 for set of two:

• Celebrate Children
• University of Wisconsin

Are Sesquicentennial plates available?

As of December 31, 1998, WisDOT has no statutory authority to issue Sesquicentennial plates, except to duplicate existing Sesquicentennial plates. If you have Sesquicentennial plates, you may continue to renew them annually.

If you have questions: (Always include complete vehicle description including current plate number (if applicable))

• E-mail: special-plates.dmv@dot.state.wi.us
• Call: (608) 266-3041 between 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
• Fax: (608) 267-5106
• Write to the address above

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Questions about the content of this page:
Bureau of Vehicle Services, bur-veh-services.dmv@dot.state.wi.us
Last modified: December 18, 2007