Wisconsin Department of Transportation

Alert: The following services will be unavailable on Saturday, January 5, 2013 from 12 a.m. (midnight) to 6 a.m. CST due to system maintenance.

Online license plate renewal

Some online services will be unavailable on Sunday mornings, February 17 - April 7, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. to perform system maintenance. Please try again after 10:00 a.m. Sorry for the inconvenience.

You may use the online license plate renewal service if:

  • The license plate renewal notice you received has a Renewal Reference Number (RRN) on it. The RRN is located to the right of the return mailing address on the notice. If you don’t have your renewal notice, you may:
    • find the RRN by using the license plate lookup, or
    • enter the Product Number on your current certificate of registration for the RRN
  • Your correct and current address is on the renewal notice. Need to change your address? Please update your address before you renew online.
  • The license plate and vehicle described on your renewal notice is correct. If you recently transferred the plates to a vehicle different from the one described on your renewal notice, the RRN may have changed. Check the license plate lookup for the current RRN.
  • You have a valid Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover Card.

A $1.25 online convenience fee will be added to the registration fee due. A $10 late fee may also be added if you renew after the registration expiration date. The expiration date is printed in the upper left corner of your renewal notice.

You should print a confirmation page or the email confirmation as proof of current registration and keep it in your vehicle until you receive the new Certificate of Registration and plate sticker. We will mail a new Certificate of Registration and year sticker within a week. You may legally operate your vehicle on Wisconsin public roads once you complete the online renewal.

Vehicles that qualify for online renewal:

  • Automobiles
  • Buses (except school buses) registered at 54,000 lbs. gross weight or less*
  • Farm trucks registered at 54,000 lbs. gross weight or less*
  • Human service vehicles
  • Low-speed vehicles
  • Motor homes registered at any gross weight
  • Motorcycles & mopeds
  • Recreational vehicle trailers
  • Special plates for autos, light trucks and motor homes (e.g., Packers, Endangered Resources, Military Group, etc.)
  • Tractors registered at 54,000 lbs. gross weight or less*
  • Trailers registered at any gross weight*
  • Trucks registered at 54,000 lbs. gross weight or less*

*NEW! Buses, trucks and tractors up to 54,000 lbs. gross weight, and all trailers, may now use this service!

You will be forwarded to U.S. Bank for the collection of your credit or debit card data so that your payment can be processed. This data is classified as private and U.S. Bank will only use this data for the purpose of renewing your license plates. The online renewal is NOT complete until you receive a confirmation number at the end of the transaction.

The online renewal transaction requires the use of a Web browser with Secure Socket Layer (SSL) capability.

Questions? Contact us: Wisconsin DMV email service
Call: (608) 266-1466

Last modified: November 13, 2012

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