Wisconsin title answers · Inherited and family
What does AND versus OR mean on a Wisconsin title?
Short answer
AND means every owner listed must sign the title to transfer the vehicle. OR means any one owner can sign alone. WisDOT prints that rule on its own title forms, and Wisconsin law has allowed an OR owner to transfer alone since 1997. The word matters most when one owner dies or the owners stop getting along.
The rule in one line each
WisDOT's Title and License Plate Application (MV1) explains it directly: "And" means all owners must sign the title to transfer ownership, and "Or" means only one owner must sign. The Replacement Title Application (MV2119) repeats the same definitions, and WisDOT's selling page says names joined by AND must all sign while names joined by OR allow any one to sign.
The legal basis for OR is Wis. Stat. 342.15(1)(d). It lets a person who holds title with someone else transfer the vehicle when the names are written in the alternative, such as "(name) or (name)", for transfers after June 1, 1997.
Where you choose it
You pick the word when a title is issued. Section A of MV1 has the owner name, the co-owner name, and a box to check OR or AND between them. The bonded title application (MV2082) has the same choice for the co-owner.
A replacement title does not let you change it. MV2119 says the names on a replacement will match what is already in WisDOT's records.
Why it matters most after a death
WisDOT's guide for families of the recently deceased gives the two outcomes. On an OR title, only one seller signature is required, so the surviving spouse, domestic partner or heir signs as seller. On an AND title, the surviving co-owner and the decedent's legal representative must both sign as seller, and if you are both of those people you sign twice.
So with AND, a surviving co-owner may still need someone with legal authority for the estate before the car can be sold. With OR, the survivor can usually move forward alone.
Why it matters in a breakup
With OR, either owner can sell the car without the other. That is convenient when you trust each other and risky when you do not. With AND, neither owner can sell without the other's signature, which protects both of you and can also leave a car stuck if one person refuses. See our page on a joint owner who will not sign for what that looks like in practice.
Where sales get stuck
The most common snag is simple. Two names are joined by AND, only one person signs the seller line, and the buyer drives off with a title they cannot put in their own name. Before you hand over money, look at the word between the names and count the signatures. If it says AND, you need every one of them.
The second snag shows up after a death. On an AND title, the surviving owner's signature alone is not enough. WisDOT also wants the signature of the decedent's legal representative, so a survivor who has not been appointed can end up waiting on paperwork from the estate before anyone can sell or retitle the car.
Changing the word later
WisDOT's Title/Registration Correction Request (MV1020) has an And/Or Conjunction box, and it asks you to send the current title plus every owner's signature. That form is meant for fixing a word WisDOT printed wrong.
Changing who is on the title is different. The same form notes that adding or deleting a co-owner counts as a transfer of ownership, which goes through MV1 and carries the $214.50 title fee. If you only want to switch AND to OR on purpose, ask WisDOT which way it will treat your request before you mail anything.
Step by step
- Find the word printed between the owner names on your title.
- If you are applying for a new title, check the AND or OR box on MV1 on purpose.
- If WisDOT printed the wrong word, use MV1020 with the current title and every owner's signature.
Common questions
Which is better for a married couple?
It is a personal choice. OR lets either spouse sell or deal with the car alone; AND requires both. Think about what you would want if one of you died.
Does OR mean the survivor automatically owns the car?
WisDOT's guide says the survivor can sign as seller alone on an OR title. Taking the other name off and getting a new title still uses MV2300 for a spouse or domestic partner.
Can there be more than two owners?
MV1 has lines for an owner and a co-owner. For heirs after a death, WisDOT says to use extra MV2300 forms when there are more than two new owners.
Does AND or OR change the title fee?
No. The fee depends on the type of transaction, not the conjunction.
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Related answers
What if a co-owner will not sign the car title in Wisconsin?
If the title says OR, one owner can sign alone. If it says AND, WisDOT needs every owner's signature, and only a deal or a court changes that.
Read this guide →How do you change a car title after a divorce in Wisconsin?
After a Wisconsin divorce, the ex signs the title to whoever got the car, who files MV1. A decree awarding the car can support a sales tax exemption.
Read this guide →How does a surviving spouse transfer a car title in Wisconsin?
A Wisconsin surviving spouse or domestic partner mails MV2300, the title and MV1. No title fee, up to five newer vehicles, and plates can stay.
Read this guide →How do you remove a name from a car title in Wisconsin?
A living co-owner comes off by signing the title over and filing MV1 ($214.50). A deceased owner comes off with MV2300; a spouse pays no title fee.
Read this guide →How do you sign over a car title in Wisconsin?
Seller signs and dates the back of the title, writes mileage (2011 or newer), price and buyer's name, and gives a lien release if a loan is listed.
Read this guide →Sources, checked 2026-10-31: WisDOT form MV1, Title and License Plate Application (PDF) · WisDOT form MV2119, Replacement Title Application (PDF) · WisDOT: Selling your vehicle · WisDOT: Guide for family members of the recently deceased (BDS367) · WisDOT form MV1020, Title/Registration Correction Request (PDF) · Wis. Stat. 342.15 (transfer of interest in a vehicle). Rules can change; confirm with WisDOT before you file.
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