Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 343 - Operators' licenses.
343.06 - Persons not to be licensed.

343.06 Persons not to be licensed.
(1) The department shall not issue a license:
(a) To any person whose operator's license or nonresident's operating privilege was withheld, suspended, revoked or canceled under the provisions of the law in effect prior to September 1, 1941, unless such person complies with the requirements of this chapter relative to obtaining a license or restoration of operating privileges after suspension, revocation or cancellation.
(b) To any person whose operating privilege has been suspended or revoked or is subject to immediate mandatory suspension or revocation under this chapter, except as otherwise expressly provided in this chapter.
(c) To any person under age 18 unless the person is enrolled in a school program or high school equivalency program and is not a habitual truant as defined in s. 118.16 (1) (a), has graduated from high school or been granted a declaration of high school graduation equivalency, or is enrolled in a home-based private educational program, as defined in s. 115.001 (3g), and has satisfactorily completed a course in driver education in public schools approved by the department of public instruction, or in technical colleges approved by the technical college system board, or in nonpublic and private schools or tribal schools, as defined in s. 115.001 (15m), that meet the minimum standards set by the department of public instruction, or has satisfactorily completed a substantially equivalent course in driver training approved by the department and given by a school licensed by the department under s. 343.61, or has satisfactorily completed a substantially equivalent course in driver education or training approved by another state and has attained the age of 16, except as provided in s. 343.07 (1g). The department shall not issue a license to any person under the age of 18 authorizing the operation of “Class M" vehicles unless the person has successfully completed a basic rider course approved by the Wisconsin department of transportation motorcycle safety program. The department may, by rule, exempt certain persons from the basic rider course requirement of this paragraph. Applicants for a license under s. 343.08 or 343.135 are exempt from the driver education, basic rider or driver training course requirement. The secretary shall prescribe rules for licensing of schools and instructors to qualify under this paragraph. The driver education course shall be made available to every eligible student in the state. Except as provided under s. 343.16 (1) (bm) and (c) and (2) (cm) to (e), no operator's license may be issued unless a driver's examination has been administered by the department.
(cm) To operate “Class D" vehicles to any person under 18 years of age, unless the person has accumulated at least 50 hours of behind-the-wheel driving experience, at least 10 hours of which were during hours of darkness. Each hour of behind-the-wheel driving experience while accompanied by a qualified instructor, as defined in s. 343.07 (1c), shall be considered to be 2 hours of behind-the-wheel driving experience, except that no more than 5 hours of behind-the-wheel driving experience while accompanied by a qualified instructor may be counted in this manner. This paragraph does not apply to applicants for a restricted license under s. 343.08 or a special restricted operator's license under s. 343.135. The department may promulgate rules that waive the requirement of accumulating at least 50 hours of behind-the-wheel experience for qualified applicants who are licensed by another jurisdiction to operate “Class D" vehicles.
(d) To any person whose dependence on alcohol has attained such a degree that it interferes with his or her physical or mental health or social or economic functioning, or who is addicted to the use of controlled substances or controlled substance analogs, except that the secretary may issue a license if the person submits to an examination, evaluation or treatment in a treatment facility meeting the standards prescribed in s. 51.45 (8) (a), as directed by the secretary, in accordance with s. 343.16 (5).
(e) To any person who is unable to exercise reasonable control over a motor vehicle, as defined by the department by rule.
(f) To any person who is required by this chapter to take an examination, unless such person takes and successfully passes such examination. Deaf persons otherwise qualified under this chapter to receive a license shall be issued such license in the discretion of the secretary.
(g) To any person who is required under the motor vehicle financial responsibility laws of this state to furnish proof of financial responsibility, and who has not furnished such proof in the manner prescribed by statute and any lawful rules of the department pertaining thereto.
(h) To any person when the secretary has good cause to believe that the operation of a motor vehicle on the highways by such person will be inimical to the public safety or welfare.
(i) To any person who has been convicted of any offense specified under ss. 940.225, 948.02, 948.025, 948.07, or 948.085 or adjudged delinquent under ch. 938 for a like or similar offense, when the sentencing court makes a finding that issuance of a license will be inimical to the public safety and welfare. The prohibition against issuance of a license to the offenders shall apply immediately upon receipt of a record of the conviction and the court finding by the secretary, for a period of one year or until discharge from any jail or prison sentence or any period of probation, extended supervision or parole with respect to the offenses specified, whichever date is the later. Receipt by the offender of a certificate of discharge from the department of corrections or other responsible supervising agency, after one year has elapsed since the prohibition began, entitles the holder to apply for an operator's license. The applicant may be required to present the certificate of discharge to the secretary if the latter deems it necessary.
(k) To any person who is not a resident.
(L) To any person who does not satisfy the requirements under s. 343.165 (1).
(m) To any person who has been declared incompetent under s. 54.25 (2) (c) 1. d. to apply for an operator's license.
(2) The department shall not issue a commercial driver license, including a renewal or reinstated license, to any person, or reinstate a person's authorization to operate a commercial motor vehicle, during any period of disqualification under s. 343.315 or 49 CFR 383.51, under the law of another jurisdiction disqualifying a person from operating a commercial motor vehicle under circumstances similar to those specified in s. 343.315 or 49 CFR 383.51, or under a determination by the federal motor carrier safety administration that the person is no longer qualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle under 49 CFR 391, or to any person whose operating privilege is revoked, suspended, or canceled. Any person who is known to the department to be subject to disqualification as described in s. 343.44 (1) (d) shall be disqualified by the department as provided in s. 343.315.
(3) The department may not issue a commercial driver license valid for use in interstate commerce to any person to whom any of the following applies:
(a) The person is less than 21 years of age.
(b) The person does not meet the physical qualifications for drivers contained in 49 CFR 391.
(c) The person does not satisfy the rules of the department concerning qualifications of drivers in interstate commerce.
(d) The person has not satisfied the entry-level training requirements contained in 49 CFR 380, subparts F and G.
History: 1971 c. 40 s. 93; 1971 c. 154 s. 79 (3); 1971 c. 219; 1975 c. 184 s. 13; 1975 c. 421; 1977 c. 29 s. 1654 (7) (a), (c); 1977 c. 41, 238, 273, 360, 447; 1983 a. 17, 243; 1985 a. 202; 1987 a. 40, 122; 1987 a. 332 s. 64; 1987 a. 403; 1989 a. 31, 105; 1993 a. 16, 227, 363, 399, 491; 1995 a. 27 s. 9145 (1); 1995 a. 77, 113, 448; 1997 a. 27, 84, 283; 1999 a. 9, 140; 2001 a. 38; 2003 a. 33; 2005 a. 126, 149, 277, 387; 2007 a. 20, 97; 2009 a. 28, 103, 302; 2011 a. 23, 32, 260; 2013 a. 371; 2021 a. 64, 152; s. 35.17 correction in (3) (intro.).
Performance of the duty to apply sub. (7) [now sub. (1) (e)] delegated to a state driver license examiner is within the rule of civil immunity. Lifer v. Raymond, 80 Wis. 2d 503, 259 N.W.2d 537 (1977).
The offering of driver education courses by public schools is optional rather than mandatory; but if offered, all qualified students must be allowed to participate. The state superintendent may require private schools to consent to on-site inspections for compliance verification as a condition of approval granted those schools under that section. 59 Atty. Gen. 27.

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