Wisconsin title answers · Auction and salvage
What do the brands on a Wisconsin title mean?
Short answer
A title brand is a permanent note WisDOT prints on every Wisconsin title for a vehicle, telling the next owner something about its history or condition, such as SALVAGE, FLOOD DAMAGED, MANUFACTURER BUYBACK or BOND POSTED. On titles issued after December 2004 you find them under Additional Vehicle Detail. Most brands never come off, and Wisconsin carries over brands from other states. A seller must disclose any brand that applies but is not already printed, or face a fine of up to $5,000.
Where to look on the title
Brands print under Additional Vehicle Detail on Wisconsin titles issued after December 2004. If the vehicle came from another state, Wisconsin carries over the brands recognized through the national title database (NMVTIS), so an out-of-state history does not disappear when the car crosses the border.
Brands are about the vehicle, not you. Selling the car does not remove them, and WisDOT says most of them are permanent.
Damage brands
These are the ones that move the price the most, so read them carefully before you buy.
- SALVAGE VEHICLE: under 7 years old with repair costs over 70% of fair market value, or any vehicle last titled as salvage anywhere. It needs a Wisconsin salvage inspection before it can get plates.
- REBUILT SALVAGE: a salvage vehicle that passed that inspection. It can be plated and driven, and the brand stays.
- FLOOD DAMAGED: water damage with repair costs over 70% of fair market value, or any vehicle that was submerged. Under 7 years old, it also gets a salvage brand.
- HAIL DAMAGED: under 7 years old, damaged only by hail above the 70% line, and repaired without replacing exterior sheet metal or plastic panels.
- CLAIM PAID: under 7 years old, damaged more than 30% of fair market value, and transferred to an insurer after a claim.
History and use brands
These say nothing about damage. They tell you how the vehicle was used or how it came to be titled.
- BOND POSTED: the owner had no proper ownership document and filed a surety bond to get the title. WisDOT holds the bond for five years.
- MANUFACTURER BUYBACK: the maker bought it back under a lemon law because a defect was not fixed after a reasonable number of repair attempts.
- PRIOR POLICE VEHICLE and PRIOR TAXI: used, or meant to be used, as a police car, a taxi or for public transit.
- NON USA STANDARD: not built to all federal emission and safety standards and never brought into compliance. PRIOR NON USA means it was later modified to meet them.
- ST FARM NOT INSPECTED: a State Farm total loss that was not reported as salvage, branded under a settlement with the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
Brands WisDOT adds for built or altered vehicles
RECONSTRUCTED means the vehicle was changed so much it no longer resembles the original, and it needs an inspection before its first Wisconsin plates. STREET MODIFIED means modified but still recognizable as its original year and make. REPLICA is a reproduction body on a new, used or reproduction frame. SPECIAL DESIGNED is a home-built or similar vehicle limited to 35 mph and approved by WisDOT. NOT FOR HIGHWAY USE means the vehicle cannot be plated for public roads. TO DEFECTIVE applies to some vehicles titled before May 1, 1989, which need a safety and equipment inspection before registration.
One word you will not see is junk. Wisconsin does not issue titles with a junk brand, because a junked vehicle cannot be titled at all.
Where buyers and sellers get caught
Sellers get caught by assuming that if a brand is not printed, they do not have to mention it. Wisconsin law says otherwise: the seller marks any brand that applies on the title assignment or the MV1, and WisDOT points to a fine of up to $5,000 for failing to.
Buyers get caught at auctions, where the paperwork can say salvage or a buyback in small print and the price looks great. Check the brand area of the title, and for an out-of-state car, check its history, before you bid. A rebuilt or buyback vehicle can be titled; a junked one cannot.
Common questions
Can I get a brand removed from my Wisconsin title?
Mostly no. WisDOT says most brands are permanent. The two changes it describes are salvage becoming rebuilt salvage after inspection, and a bonded title, where WisDOT sends a letter after five years saying you can get a title without the bond brand.
Do I have to type brands into eMV Public when I title a car online?
Yes, if the seller checked any brand boxes near their signature on the title. Enter what the seller marked.
Does a brand stop me from registering the car?
Some do and some do not. SALVAGE needs an inspection first, NOT FOR HIGHWAY USE cannot be plated, and junked vehicles cannot be titled. Brands like PRIOR TAXI or BOND POSTED are history notes and do not block plates by themselves.
Is there an odometer brand on Wisconsin titles?
Mileage is recorded on the title through the odometer statement, which is separate from the brands listed on WisDOT's brand page. Check the odometer section when you buy.
Want us to do the paperwork?
You tell us your situation. We fill out the WisDOT forms for it and give you a checklist of what to include. You review, sign and mail the package yourself.
If the state asks for a bond, you buy it from a licensed surety of your choosing. We take no commission.
- ✓ $299, one flat fee, bonded titles included
- ✓ Track your case online
- ✓ The application is in your name from the start
State fees are paid to WisDOT. Any bond premium is paid to the surety you choose.
Prefer to fill out the forms yourself? The $97 do-it-yourself kit walks you through every form field, the real costs, and the 12 reasons packets get rejected.
Related answers
No title for your car in Wisconsin
Which path fits: replacement, bonded title, or neither.
Read this guide →What is the difference between salvage and junk in Wisconsin?
Salvage can be repaired, inspected and retitled as rebuilt salvage. Junk can never be titled in Wisconsin. How the law draws the line.
Read this guide →How do you remove the bonded brand from a Wisconsin title?
Wait out the 5 years for WisDOT's letter, or end it early with the old title and a full chain of ownership. Paying off the bond does not remove it.
Read this guide →How does a salvage vehicle inspection work in Wisconsin?
A certified inspector checks VINs, proof for every major replacement part and safety gear. The fee is $80. Missing receipts are the usual fail.
Read this guide →How are flood-damaged cars titled in Wisconsin?
Flood repairs over 70% of value, or any submerged car, means a permanent FLOOD DAMAGED brand. Under 7 years old, it is salvage too.
Read this guide →What should you check before buying a car at auction for use in Wisconsin?
Before you bid: the document type, any brands, the VIN, liens, and whether Wisconsin will title and register it. A short pre-bid checklist.
Read this guide →Sources, checked 2026-10-31: WisDOT: Flood damaged vehicles and other title brands · WisDOT: eMV Public FAQs, vehicle brands · WisDOT: Purchased a vehicle without a title (surety bond) · Wis. Stat. ch. 342 (342.10(3) brands, 342.15 seller disclosure). Rules can change; confirm with WisDOT before you file.
TitleSolved is a document-preparation and title-recovery assistance service operated by Nuvent66 LLC, a Wisconsin limited liability company. It is not a law firm, does not provide legal advice, and is not affiliated with, authorized by, or endorsed by any DMV or government agency, including the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT). We do not guarantee that any agency will approve or issue a title. Information on this page is provided for general reference, was verified against official WisDOT sources on the date shown, and is not legal advice.