Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 342 - Vehicle title and anti-theft law.
342.15 - Transfer of interest in a vehicle.

342.15 Transfer of interest in a vehicle.
(1)
(a) If an owner transfers an interest in a vehicle, other than by the creation of a security interest, the owner shall comply with the requirements of s. 342.155 and, at the time of the delivery of the vehicle, execute an assignment and warranty of title to the transferee in the space provided therefor on the certificate, and the owner or person in possession of the certificate, as shown by the records of the department, shall cause the certificate to be mailed or delivered to the transferee, except that if the vehicle being transferred is a junk vehicle or has been junked, the owner shall return the certificate to the department in accordance with s. 342.34.
(bm) No person may transfer a motor vehicle without disclosing in writing to the transferee whether any of the information specified in s. 342.10 (3) is applicable to the vehicle. No transferor shall knowingly give a false statement to a transferee in making the disclosure. The department shall prescribe the manner in which the written disclosure shall be made and retained.
(c) If an owner transfers his or her interest in a salvage vehicle, the owner shall at the time of the delivery of the vehicle, execute an assignment and warranty of title to the transferee in the space provided therefor on the certificate, and the owner or person in possession of the certificate, as shown by the records of the department, shall cause the certificate to be mailed or delivered to the transferee.
(d) Notwithstanding s. 340.01 (42), any person who holds legal title of a vehicle with one or more other persons may, after June 1, 1997, transfer ownership of the vehicle under this subsection if legal title to the vehicle is held in the names of such persons in the alternative, including a vehicle held in a form designating the holder by the words “(name of one person) or (name of other person)".
(2) Except as provided in s. 342.16, the transferee shall, promptly after delivery to him or her of the vehicle, execute the application for a new certificate of title in the space provided on the certificate or as the department prescribes, and deliver or mail the certificate and application to the department. A salvage vehicle purchaser shall comply with s. 342.065 (1) (a).
(3) Except as provided in s. 342.16 and as between the parties, a transfer by an owner is not effective until the provisions of this section have been complied with. An owner who has delivered possession of the vehicle to the transferee and has complied with the provisions of this section is not liable as owner for any damages thereafter resulting from operation of the vehicle.
(4)
(a) If the vehicle being transferred is a motorcycle or an automobile registered under s. 341.27 or a motor home or a motor truck, dual purpose motor home, or dual purpose farm truck that has a gross weight of not more than 8,000 pounds, the owner shall remove the registration plates and retain and preserve them for use on any other vehicle of the same type and any gross weight of 8,000 pounds or less that may subsequently be registered in his or her name. If the vehicle being transferred is a farm truck that has a gross weight of not more than 12,000 pounds, the owner shall remove the registration plates and retain and preserve them for use on a farm truck of the same gross weight that may subsequently be registered in his or her name.
(b) If the vehicle being transferred is a vehicle registered under s. 341.26 at a special fee and the new owner will not be entitled to register the vehicle at such fee, the transferor shall remove and destroy the plates.
(c) In all other cases the transferor shall permit the plates to remain attached to the vehicle being transferred, except that if the vehicle has been junked the transferor shall remove and destroy the plates.
(5) Any owner of a vehicle for which a certificate of title has been issued, who upon transfer of the vehicle fails to execute the assignment and warranty of title required by sub. (1), or the owner or person in possession of such certificate of title, as shown by the records of the department, who fails to deliver the assignment and warranty of title required by sub. (1), may be required to forfeit not more than $500.
(5m)
(a) Except as provided in par. (b), any person who violates sub. (1) (bm) may be required to forfeit not more than $1,000.
(b) Any person who violates sub. (1) (bm) with intent to defraud may be fined not more than $5,000.
(6)
(a) Except as provided in s. 342.16, any transferee of a vehicle who fails to make application for a new certificate of title immediately upon transfer to him or her of a vehicle may be required to forfeit not more than $200. A certificate is considered to have been applied for when the application accompanied by the required fee has been delivered to the department or deposited in the mail properly addressed with postage prepaid.
(b) Except as provided in s. 342.16, any transferee of a vehicle who with intent to defraud fails to make application for a new certificate of title immediately upon transfer to him or her of a vehicle may be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than 30 days or both. A certificate is considered to have been applied for when the application accompanied by the required fee has been delivered to the department or deposited in the mail properly addressed with postage prepaid.
(7) Any owner of a vehicle currently registered in this state who fails to comply with the requirements of sub. (4) may be required to forfeit not more than $200.
History: 1971 c. 278; 1975 c. 121, 199; 1977 c. 29 ss. 1453, 1654 (7) (a); 1977 c. 79, 129, 203, 418, 447; 1983 a. 126, 227, 270, 538; 1985 a. 29, 202, 332; 1987 a. 349; 1993 a. 63, 159; 1995 a. 421; 1997 a. 27; 1999 a. 9, 80; 2011 a. 32; 2021 a. 154.