Wisconsin title answers · Costs and fees
Why is the Wisconsin title fee $214.50?
Short answer
It is two charges added together: a $207 title fee and a $7.50 supplemental title fee, both set by section 342.14 of the Wisconsin statutes. WisDOT has listed the combined $214.50 since October 1, 2025, so older guides showing a lower number are out of date. The common slip is sending a check for $207 and forgetting the $7.50, or forgetting the tax and plate fees that ride on the same MV1. Low-speed vehicles pay $207, and a deceased owner's car passing to qualifying family pays nothing.
The two pieces, in the statute
Wis. Stat. 342.14 is the fee section of Wisconsin's vehicle title law. Subsection (1) sets $207 for filing an application for the first certificate of title. Subsection (3) sets the same $207 for a certificate of title after a transfer. Subsection (3m) then adds a supplemental title fee of $7.50 whenever an application is filed under either of those, and says it is in addition to any other fee.
Add them and you get the $214.50 printed on WisDOT's MV1 application and on its title fee page. WisDOT's heir instructions note the $214.50 amount applies starting October 1, 2025, so older forms and articles may show a lower figure. Use the number on the current MV1.
Who pays less, or nothing
The statute carves out a few cases:
- Low-speed vehicles: the supplemental fee does not apply, so WisDOT lists the title fee at $207
- A deceased owner's vehicle passing to a surviving domestic partner or immediate family member: both the $207 and the $7.50 are waived (WisDOT uses form MV2300)
- A replacement title for a vehicle already in your name: this is a different fee, $20 under subsection (5), with no supplemental fee
What the $214.50 does not cover
The title fee only pays for the certificate of title. Other charges sit next to it on the MV1 and are easy to confuse with it:
- $10 to note a loan (security interest) on the title, a single fee that also covers the later release
- Sales tax: 5% state plus any county and city tax on the purchase price
- Plates: $85 a year for a passenger car on WisDOT's fee chart, plus a $12 plate issuance fee for new plates
- Wheel tax, if your city or county charges one, and a $75 hybrid or $175 electric vehicle surcharge on cars and light trucks
- $5 counter service fee if you apply in person at WisDOT
- $25 to reinstate a suspended or revoked title, under subsection (8)
Bonded titles pay the same title fee
There is no special bonded title fee in the statute. A bonded application pays the same $214.50 with the MV1 that goes in alongside form MV2082. The extra cost of a bonded title is the surety bond premium, paid to the surety, not to WisDOT. Make sure the check covers the full $214.50 plus tax and any plate fees, not just the $207 base.
How to confirm the current amount
Title fees are set by the Legislature, so they change only when the statute changes. Before you mail anything, check two places: the fee listed on WisDOT's vehicle title fees page, and the fee printed in Section E of the current MV1 (the version on WisDOT's site is dated 10/2026 and prints $214.50). If a guide, a forum post or an older form shows a different number, trust the current MV1.
If you are unsure whether your situation qualifies for a waiver, such as a transfer from a deceased relative, call WisDOT at (608) 264-7447 before sending a smaller check than the form asks for.
Common questions
Is the $7.50 charged on a replacement title?
No. Subsection (3m) attaches the supplemental fee to first titles and titles after a transfer. A replacement title is $20.
Does the buyer or seller pay the $214.50?
The statute puts the fee on the owner applying for the new title, which after a sale is the buyer.
Can the title fee be refunded if WisDOT rejects my application?
WisDOT's online title page says the fees for that transaction cannot be refunded. For a mailed application that is returned, ask WisDOT what happens to your payment before you resubmit.
What does the $10 lien fee cover?
Section 342.14(2) charges a single $10 fee for noting a security interest on the title and its later release, paid by the applicant.
Is a family sale exempt from the title fee too?
No. Selling to a spouse, parent or child can be exempt from sales tax, but the $214.50 title fee still applies. The fee waiver in 342.14(3) is only for a deceased owner's vehicle passing to a domestic partner or immediate family.
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
How much does it cost to transfer a title in Wisconsin?
The Wisconsin title transfer fee is $214.50. Add 5% state sales tax, any county or city tax, and $85 for car plates. How to total it up.
Read this guide →What is the bonded registration fee in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has no separate bonded fee. You pay the $214.50 title fee, sales tax, $85 plates if wanted, and a bond premium to the surety.
Read this guide →Do you pay a title fee to transfer a car to family in Wisconsin?
Between living relatives: $214.50, but close family can skip sales tax. After a death: $0 for qualifying family with MV2300. Here is the split.
Read this guide →How much is a replacement title in Wisconsin?
A Wisconsin replacement title is $20 on form MV2119, or $25 at a DMV counter. Only the owner of record, or a post-2012 lender, can apply.
Read this guide →What a Wisconsin bonded title costs
State fee, bond premium and paperwork, with a calculator.
Read this guide →Sources, checked 2026-10-31: Wis. Stat. ch. 342 (342.14 fees) · WisDOT: Vehicle title fees · WisDOT: Heir transfers · WisDOT: MV1 Title/License Plate Application · WisDOT: Title and register with eMV Public · WisDOT: Vehicle registration fee chart. 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.