Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 341 - Registration of vehicles.
341.12 - Design, procurement and issuance of registration plates.

341.12 Design, procurement and issuance of registration plates.
(1) The department upon registering a vehicle pursuant to s. 341.25 or 341.30 shall issue and deliver prepaid to the applicant 2 registration plates for an automobile, motor truck, motor bus, school bus, motor home, or dual purpose motor home and one plate for other vehicles. The department upon registering a vehicle pursuant to any other section shall issue one plate unless the department determines that 2 plates will better serve the interests of law enforcement.
(2) The department shall purchase plates from the Waupun Correctional Institution unless otherwise approved by the governor. Subject to any specific requirements which may be imposed by statute, the department shall determine the size, color and design of registration plates with a view toward making them visible evidence of the period for which the vehicle is registered and the fee class into which the vehicle falls as well as making them a ready means of identifying the specific vehicle or owner for which the plates were issued.
(3) All registration plates shall have displayed upon them the following:
(a) The registration number assigned to the vehicle or owner. The registration number shall be composed of numbers or letters or both.
(b) The name “Wisconsin" or abbreviation “Wis".
(c) An indication of the period for which the specific plate is issued or the date of expiration of registration.
(4)
(a) Subject to par. (am), all registration plates issued under s. 341.25 (1) (a) and for motor trucks having a gross weight of not more than 8,000 pounds shall be treated with a reflectorized material or substance. The department shall prescribe the term for the use of reflectorized plates.
(am) Beginning with registrations initially effective July 1, 2022, all registration plates issued by the department shall be constructed with aluminum plates tempered to a hardness and thickness of approximately 0.027 inches and prismatic sheeting with embedded security features. Registration plate sheeting shall be of a type successfully used by the manufacturer in multiple jurisdictions and shall have an initial minimum coefficient of reflectivity of 150 candelas per lux per square meter and an initial minimum luminance factor greater than 55.
(b) The department, in conjunction with the department of corrections and the department of administration, shall establish the specifications for the reflectorized material and invite bids for supplying reflectorized material. The department of administration shall establish a date for the opening of such bids and shall award the contract for supplying reflectorized material to the lowest responsible bidder. The specifications shall be drawn up for each base plate year.
History: 1971 c. 164 ss. 71, 83; 1975 c. 136; 1977 c. 29 ss. 1415, 1654 (7) (a); 1977 c. 418 s. 924 (18) (a); 1979 c. 34; 1989 a. 31; 1993 a. 16; 1999 a. 9; 2007 a. 11; 2021 a. 163.

Structure Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations

Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations

Chapter 341 - Registration of vehicles.

341.01 - Words and phrases defined.

341.03 - Operating vehicle after suspension, revocation or cancellation of registration.

341.04 - Operation of unregistered or improperly registered vehicle.

341.045 - Use of registered farm trucks regulated.

341.05 - When vehicles exempt from registration.

341.055 - Snowmobiles.

341.057 - All-terrain vehicles and utility terrain vehicles.

341.058 - Electric scooters and electric personal assistive mobility devices.

341.0585 - Personal delivery devices.

341.059 - Off-highway motorcycles.

341.06 - Optional registration.

341.067 - Registration of special vehicles.

341.07 - Certain vehicles to be registered by resident lessee.

341.075 - Mobile air conditioner servicing information.

341.08 - Application for registration.

341.085 - Registration of ambulances.

341.09 - Temporary operation permits and plates.

341.10 - Grounds for refusing registration.

341.11 - Contents, issuance and display of certificate of registration; issuance of duplicate certificate.

341.12 - Design, procurement and issuance of registration plates.

341.13 - Additional specifications for design of certain plates.

341.135 - Rebasing registration plates.

341.14 - Application for and issuance of special plates.

341.142 - Veterans honorary medal decals.

341.145 - Personalized registration plates.

341.147 - Fleet registration plates.

341.15 - Display of registration plates.

341.16 - Issuance of replacement plate.

341.17 - Department to compile registration lists.

341.18 - Evidence of registration to be displayed on vehicles registered under quarterly or consecutive monthly systems; operation without display of registration prohibited.

341.185 - Application for quarterly or consecutive monthly registration.

341.19 - Telephone authorization for quarterly and consecutive monthly registration.

341.195 - Suspension for failure to pay fees for telephone authorization.

341.20 - Alternative vehicle registration and title pilot projects.

341.21 - Registration and title transactions by contractors.

341.25 - Annual and biennial registration fees.

341.255 - Special transaction fees.

341.26 - Special registration fees for certain vehicles.

341.264 - Permanent semitrailer registration.

341.265 - Antique motor vehicles; registration, plates, use.

341.266 - Special interest vehicles; registration, plates, use.

341.267 - Driver education motor vehicles; registration and insurance.

341.268 - Reconstructed, replica, street modified and homemade vehicles; registration, plates, use.

341.269 - Historic military vehicles; registration, plates, use.

341.27 - Registration periods for private automobiles, certain motor trucks, and taxicabs.

341.28 - Part-year fees.

341.29 - Registration for vehicles other than private automobiles, certain motor trucks, and taxicabs.

341.295 - Special registration period for certain vehicles.

341.297 - Biennial registration.

341.30 - Quarterly registration.

341.305 - Consecutive monthly registration.

341.308 - Optional trailer fleet registration.

341.31 - When part-period fees payable for vehicles other than automobiles and certain motor trucks; computation of part-period fees.

341.32 - Vehicle to be reregistered if subject to a different fee.

341.33 - When fees refundable.

341.335 - Notice of change of address, name or vehicle color.

341.35 - Municipal or county vehicle registration fee.

341.36 - Fee to reinstate suspended or revoked registration.

341.40 - Exemption of nonresidents and foreign-registered vehicles.

341.405 - International registration plan.

341.409 - Reciprocal registration exemption agreements for federally recognized Indian tribes or bands.

341.41 - Reciprocity agreements authorized.

341.43 - Audits and appeals.

341.45 - Importation in vehicle tanks regulated; taxes; fee; permits.

341.47 - When vehicles of dealers, distributors, manufacturers and transporters exempt from general registration requirements.

341.51 - When department to register dealer, distributor, manufacturer or transporter; application.

341.52 - Design of registration plates.

341.53 - Expiration of registration; transferability of plates.

341.55 - Penalty for misuse of plates.

341.57 - Registration of finance companies and financial institutions.

341.60 - Fraudulent application for registration or license.

341.605 - Unlawful transfer of evidence of registration.

341.61 - Improper use of evidence of registration.

341.615 - Reproducing evidence of registration prohibited.

341.62 - False evidence of registration.

341.625 - Special registration plates.

341.63 - When registration to be suspended.

341.64 - Transfer of vehicle ownership while registration is suspended.

341.65 - Unregistered motor vehicles prohibited; immobilization; removal; disposal.