How to fill out the Form MV1 in Wisconsin
A field-by-field walkthrough of the Wisconsin Form MV1 (Wisconsin Title & License Plate Application) for licensed used car dealers — what goes in every section, who signs what, and the documents you attach. Verified against the official form as of September 2026.
Filling out the WI Form MV1 after a sale:
- What it is
- Wisconsin's application to title a vehicle and issue/transfer its plates
- Who completes it
- The dealer files it electronically via eMV PARTNER on a dealer sale; the owner signs
- Where to file it
- Wisconsin DMV — dealers e-file through eMV PARTNER; individuals mail the paper MV1
- Processing time
- Registered at delivery when the dealer e-files; the title mails after processing
- Cost
- $214.50 title fee + 5% state tax + county tax (0.5% most counties) + plate fees ($85/yr passenger)
This guide is informational and does not replace the official Wisconsin instructions. Always confirm the current form and procedure with Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles before you file.
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What the Form MV1 is and why it matters
Form MV1 is Wisconsin's Title & License Plate Application — the record that titles a vehicle and issues or transfers its plates. On a dealer sale the dealer files it electronically through eMV PARTNER within a few business days of the sale, so the buyer drives off registered. The paper MV1 is the same application an individual mails in, and it's the map for the electronic fields.
The fee section (Section E) is where the money lands, and two current facts matter: Wisconsin's title fee jumped to $214.50 on October 1, 2025 (2025 Act 15), and the state's 5% tax is reduced by a trade-in before county tax is added. Get the purchase price and trade-in right and the rest follows. This guide walks the MV1 section by section (current Rev. 10/2025).
The MV1 is the underlying title-and-registration application, but Wisconsin dealers don't mail the paper form — they're required to file the transaction electronically through eMV PARTNER (or an approved vendor system), which builds the same MV1 data and submits it to the DMV. Knowing the paper form cold still matters: eMV walks the identical fields, and it's what an individual buyer files by mail. One Wisconsin quirk to flag up front — the odometer disclosure is NOT on the MV1; it's made on the title reassignment (or form MV2488 when the title's reassignment space is full).
Documents to have before you start
Gather these before you complete the Form MV1. A missing attachment is the number-one reason the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles bounces a title application back.
- The original Certificate of Title (not a copy), properly assigned — For a new vehicle, the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin (MCO) instead.
- Odometer disclosure — Made on the title's reassignment area — or form MV2488 when the reassignment space is full. It is NOT on the MV1.
- Owner's SSN or Wisconsin driver license number — Required for individual owners (FEIN for a business), per Wis. Stat. 342.06.
- Lien / loan information, if financed — Lender name, address, and Secured Party Number for Section D (a second lien uses form MV2051).
- Consent to Purchase (Section H), if an owner is under 18 — Completed by a parent or guardian.
Form MV1, section by section
Section A — Vehicle owner information
The buyer — the owner the title is issued to. Enter the legal name and either the SSN or Wisconsin driver license number (required), plus the address. The AND/OR designation for co-owners decides whether one or both must sign to transfer later. There's an open-records opt-out checkbox and a birth date.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Owner legal name | Buyer |
SSN or WI driver license number Required for individuals; FEIN for a business. | Buyer |
Birth date + AND/OR co-owner designation | Buyer |
Street address, city, state, ZIP | Buyer |
Section B — Vehicle information
Identifies the vehicle and where it's kept — which sets the county (and any city) tax. Enter the VIN, year, make, type, and color, plus the plate to transfer or a temporary plate, and the date the buyer first drove it in Wisconsin. Branded-title checkboxes (salvage, flood, hail, reconstructed, etc.) live at the top of the form.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
VIN (17 characters) Must match the title and VIN plate. | You (dealer) |
Year, make, type, color | You (dealer) |
County + city/village/town where kept Sets the county/local tax rate. | Buyer |
Plate to transfer or temporary plate | You (dealer) |
Section D — Loan information
If the buyer financed, the lender's name, address, and Secured Party Number go here so the lien is recorded on the title. A second lien is added on form MV2051. (Section C, above it, is for reporting periods the vehicle wasn't operated — usually left blank on a fresh sale.)
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Lending agency / person name So the lien is recorded on the title. | You (dealer) |
Secured Party Number | You (dealer) |
Lender address & phone | You (dealer) |
Section E — Fees and tax
The money section. Enter the title fee, the purchase price, and the trade-in allowance; the amount subject to tax is the price minus the trade-in, and the state tax is that times 5%. County tax (0.5% in most counties, 0.9% in Milwaukee) is added on the same base. The form warns it's a crime to understate the purchase price — so the number here matches the buyer's order. Plate, loan-filing, and any miscellaneous fees round out the total.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Title fee ($214.50) | You (dealer) |
Purchase price It's a crime to understate the purchase price. | You (dealer) |
Less trade-in allowance Reduces the amount subject to tax. | You (dealer) |
Amount subject to tax → State tax (× 0.05) | You (dealer) |
County / local sales tax 0.5% most counties; 0.9% in Milwaukee County. | You (dealer) |
License plate fee + loan filing fee | You (dealer) |
WI State tax & title fee calculator
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Wisconsin state tax is 5% of the price after the trade-in allowance; most counties add 0.5% (Milwaukee County is 0.9%) on the same base — look up the rate for where the vehicle is kept. The title fee is $214.50 (raised by 2025 Act 15, effective October 1, 2025). Passenger registration is about $85/year plus a $6-per-plate issuance fee. Dealers file through eMV PARTNER and must process/submit within 7 business days of the sale. Confirm current rates with the Wisconsin DMV.
DealerVLO computes this on every deal and fills it straight onto the WI Form MV1 — no re-keying.
Try it freeOwner signature (and Section H if under 18)
The owner signs the application. If an owner is under 18, a parent or guardian must complete the Consent to Purchase (Section H). On an electronic filing, eMV captures the certification the same way.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Owner signature | Buyer |
Consent to Purchase (Section H) Only if an owner is under 18 — signed by a parent/guardian. | Buyer |
Common Form MV1 mistakes that cause rejections
Wisconsin requires the original assigned title (not a photocopy) for a used vehicle, or the MCO for a new one. A copy gets the application returned. Confirm you have the signed-over original before you file.
It doesn't. The federal odometer disclosure is made on the title's reassignment area — or on form MV2488 when the reassignment space is full — not on the MV1. Missing that disclosure is a separate, common rejection.
The MV1 itself warns that understating the purchase price is a crime, and the price drives the 5% tax. Put the real number in and match it to the buyer's order — the tax base is auditable.
An individual owner's Social Security number or Wisconsin driver license number is required (FEIN for a business). And if any owner is under 18, the Consent to Purchase in Section H must be completed by a parent or guardian, or the application is incomplete.
Wisconsin raised the title fee to $214.50 effective October 1, 2025 (2025 Act 15). Worksheets and templates still showing $164.50 undercollect and leave the buyer short at filing.
Common questions
What form titles a vehicle in Wisconsin?+
Form MV1, the Wisconsin Title & License Plate Application, issued by the Wisconsin DMV. On a dealer sale the dealer files it electronically through the eMV PARTNER system; the paper MV1 is what an individual mails in.
How much is the Wisconsin title fee?+
$214.50 for an original title or title transfer, effective October 1, 2025 (raised by 2025 Wisconsin Act 15). It replaced the older $164.50 fee, so make sure your paperwork reflects the current amount.
What is the sales tax on a car in Wisconsin?+
5% state sales tax on the price after a trade-in allowance, plus county tax — 0.5% in most counties and 0.9% in Milwaukee County — based on where the vehicle is kept. Look up the exact combined rate for the buyer's location.
Does a trade-in lower Wisconsin sales tax?+
Yes. On the MV1, the trade-in allowance is subtracted from the purchase price to get the amount subject to tax, then the 5% state and county rates apply to that reduced base.
Is the odometer disclosure on the MV1?+
No. Wisconsin makes the odometer disclosure on the title's reassignment area, or on form MV2488 when the title's reassignment space is full — not on the MV1. It's a separate, required step on a used sale.
How do Wisconsin dealers file the MV1?+
Electronically, through the DMV's eMV PARTNER system (or an approved vendor system) — not by mailing the paper form. Dealers are required to process and submit the title/registration transaction within 7 business days of the sale.
How fast must a Wisconsin dealer title a sold vehicle?+
Within 7 business days of the sale, the dealer must process and complete or submit the title transaction to the Wisconsin DMV, and upload or mail completed documents the business day after completion.
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