Chapter 341

341.26(4) (4) Grading, ditching, excavating or hauling vehicles. Except for those vehicles that qualify for registration under sub. (1) (a) to (e), any motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer, if operated empty, or used exclusively in transporting the equipment of the owner to or from a certain location over the highways, when such operation at the location is exclusively for grading, ditching or excavating or when such equipment is used exclusively for seasonal hauling of carnival rides and equipment, shall be registered at one-fourth of the fee specified in s. 341.25 (2) for vehicles or combinations of vehicles of the same gross weight.

341.26(5) (5) Tour trains. For each tour train, the operation of which is limited in s. 348.08 (1) (c), a single fee for the 3 or less units thereof equal to one-half of the fee prescribed in s. 341.25 (1) (h) for a motor bus of the same maximum gross weight as the aggregate maximum gross weight of all units of the tour train, excluding the propelling motor vehicle, when such gross weight is computed as prescribed in s. 341.25 (1) (h).

341.26(7) (7) Transportation by school buses.

341.26(7)(a) (a) A person who uses any school bus, except a school bus registered under sub. (2) (d), a school bus registered under sub. (2) (dm) and used by the owner for private carriage and not for hire or a school bus registered as provided in par. (b), to transport persons who are not pupils shall obtain a permit from the department for such transportation. The department shall issue a permit which shall be valid for a period of not more than 72 hours upon application and payment of a $10 permit issuance fee.

341.26 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. Trans 127, Wis. adm. code.

341.26(7)(b) (b) When engaged in passenger-carrying operations other than as provided in par. (a) or sub. (2) (d), a school bus shall be registered as a motor bus at a fee determined under s. 341.25 (2), or as an automobile at the fee provided in s. 341.25 (1) (a). Fees for registration under s. 341.25 (2) may be paid in accordance with ss. 341.30 and 341.31. Fees for part-quarterly registration shall be computed on the basis of one-twelfth of the annual fee multiplied by the number of months of the current quarter which have not fully expired on the date of the application. If a vehicle was not operated in other than school bus service, a statement of nonoperation satisfactory to the department shall be filed with the application.

341.26 History History: 1971 c. 164 s. 83; 1971 c. 250; 1973 c. 200, 325, 333; 1975 c. 429; 1977 c. 23; 1977 c. 29 ss. 1431 to 1434, 1654 (7) (a); 1977 c. 145, 292, 418, 447; 1979 c. 32 ss. 69, 92 (1); 1979 c. 221; 1981 c. 20; 1983 a. 152, 175, 180, 192, 227, 270, 538; 1985 a. 120, 187; 1987 a. 106, 154, 216; 1987 a. 312 s. 17; 1987 a. 399, 403; 1989 a. 31; 1991 a. 39, 316; 1993 a. 64, 350; 1995 a. 338; 1997 a. 27, 237; 1999 a. 9, 80, 85, 142, 159; 2003 a. 321; 2005 a. 22, 143.

341.264 341.264 Permanent semitrailer registration.

341.264(1) (1) Upon application and payment of a fee of $50, the department shall register a semitrailer which is operated in connection with a truck tractor or hauled by a motor vehicle and used with a device which converts the semitrailer to a trailer. Registration under this section is valid without the payment of any additional fee while the registrant is the owner of the semitrailer and, with respect to the sale of a leased semitrailer to the lessee of the semitrailer, while the former lessee is the owner of the semitrailer if the lessee reimbursed the lessor of the semitrailer at the time of registration of the semitrailer for payment of the registration fee under this subsection. The department shall issue a permanent semitrailer registration plate to evidence registration under this subsection.

341.264(2) (2) 

341.264(2)(a) (a) Upon the sale of a semitrailer registered under this section, the seller shall remove the registration plate and destroy it. The purchaser shall immediately apply for registration and pay the full applicable fee prescribed in sub. (1). This paragraph does not apply to the sale of a leased semitrailer to a lessee eligible to maintain permanent registration of the semitrailer under sub. (1).

341.264(2)(b) (b) The seller of any semitrailer registered under this section shall receive no credit toward the registration of any other vehicle.

341.264 History History: 1985 a. 208; 1989 a. 31; 1993 a. 372; 1999 a. 80.

341.265 341.265 Antique motor vehicles; registration, plates, use.

341.265(1) (1) Any person who is a resident of this state and the owner or subsequent transferee of a motor vehicle which has a model year of 1945 or earlier and which has not been altered or modified from the original manufacturer’s specifications may upon application register the same as an antique vehicle upon payment of a fee of $5, and be furnished registration plates of a distinctive design, in lieu of the usual registration plates, which shall show in addition to the registration number that the vehicle is an antique. The registration shall be valid while the vehicle is owned by the applicant without the payment of any additional fee. The vehicle shall only be used for special occasions such as display and parade purposes or for necessary testing, maintenance and storage purposes. A motorcycle may be registered as an antique vehicle if all of the requirements for registration specified in this subsection are satisfied.

341.265(1m) (1m) Notwithstanding s. 341.15 (1), a person who registers an antique motor vehicle under sub. (1) may furnish and display on the vehicle a historical plate from or representing the model year of the vehicle if the registration and plates issued by the department are simultaneously carried in or, with respect to an antique motorcycle, with the vehicle and are available for inspection.

341.265(2) (2) Unless inconsistent with this section, the provisions applicable to other motor vehicles apply to antique motor vehicles.

341.265 History History: 1979 c. 146; 1985 a. 96, 105, 332; 1987 a. 210, 349, 403; 1997 a. 27; 2013 a. 221.

341.266 341.266 Special interest vehicles; registration, plates, use.

341.266(1) (1) In this section:

341.266(1)(a) (a) “Collector” means the owner of one or more special interest vehicles who collects, purchases, acquires, trades or disposes of special interest vehicles or parts thereof for the collector’s own use in order to restore, preserve and maintain a special interest vehicle for historic interest.

341.266(1)(am) (am) Notwithstanding s. 341.01 (2) (af), “former military vehicle” means any of the following vehicles if the vehicle is at least 25 years old:

341.266(1)(am)1. 1. A high-mobility, all-terrain, 4-wheel or 6-wheel drive vehicle originally manufactured for military use and commonly known by the trade name of “Pinzgauer.”

341.266(1)(am)2. 2. A vehicle commonly known by the name of “Kaiser Jeep M715.”

341.266(1)(am)3. 3. A high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle originally manufactured for use by the U.S. military forces and commonly known by the name of “Humvee” that, notwithstanding par. (am) (intro.), is at least 22 years old.

341.266(1)(am)4. 4. A 6-wheel drive utility vehicle originally manufactured for use by the U.S. military forces during World War II, known by the acronym of “DUKW” and commonly referred to by the name of “Duck.”

341.266(1)(b) (b) “Parts car” means a motor vehicle generally in nonoperable condition which is owned by the collector to furnish parts which will enable the collector to restore, preserve and maintain a special interest vehicle or antique vehicle.

341.266(1)(c) (c) “Special interest vehicle” means any of the following:

341.266(1)(c)1. 1. A former military vehicle.

341.266(1)(c)2. 2. A motor vehicle of any age, of which the body has not been altered from the original and, because of its historic interest, is being preserved by a collector.

341.266(2) (2) 

341.266(2)(a) (a) Any person who is the owner of a special interest vehicle that is a former military vehicle, or that is not a former military vehicle and is 20 or more years old at the time of making application for registration or transfer of title of the vehicle, and who, unless the owner is an historical society that is exempt from federal income taxes, owns, has registered in this state, and uses for regular transportation at least one vehicle that has regular registration plates may upon application register the vehicle as a special interest vehicle upon payment of a fee under par. (b).

341.266(2)(b) (b) The fee to register a vehicle under par. (a) is twice the regular annual fee under s. 341.25 for the type of vehicle, except that the fee for a vehicle that has a gross weight of more than 8,000 pounds may be no more than twice the annual fee for a similar vehicle that has a gross weight of not more than 8,000 pounds.

341.266(2)(c) (c) The department shall furnish the owner of the vehicle with registration plates of a distinctive design in lieu of the usual registration plates, and those plates shall show that the vehicle is a special interest vehicle owned by a Wisconsin collector. Upon application, the owner may reregister the vehicle without the payment of any additional fee.

341.266(2)(d) (d) Each collector applying for special interest vehicle registration plates will be issued a collector’s identification number which will appear on each plate. Second and all subsequent registrations under this section by the same collector will bear the same collector’s identification number followed by a suffix letter for vehicle identification.

341.266(2)(dm) (dm)

341.266(2)(dm)1. 1. Notwithstanding s. 341.15 (1), and subject to subd. 2., a person who registers under par. (a) a special interest vehicle manufactured before 1979 may furnish and display on the vehicle one or 2 historical plates from or representing the model year of the vehicle if all of the following apply:

341.266(2)(dm)1.a. a. The special interest vehicle is being operated to or from a car show or parade.

341.266(2)(dm)1.b. b. The registration, and any plate issued by the department for the vehicle under par. (c) that is not displayed on the vehicle, is simultaneously carried in or, with respect to a motorcycle, with the vehicle and is available for inspection.

341.266(2)(dm)2. 2. If a person displays only one historical plate on a special interest vehicle under subd. 1., the historical plate shall be attached to the rear of the vehicle. Notwithstanding s. 341.15 (1), a special interest vehicle displaying a historical plate is not required to display 2 registration plates.

341.266(2)(e) (e) The vehicle may be used as are other vehicles of the same type except that:

341.266(2)(e)1. 1. Motor vehicles may not transport passengers or property for hire.

341.266(2)(e)2. 2. Motor trucks and truck tractors, except those that are former military vehicles, may not carry material weighing more than 500 pounds, not including the weight of a camper, lid, or cap that is mounted on the motor truck or truck tractor, the weight of a trailer or load drawn by the motor truck or truck tractor, or the weight of any persons or pets riding within the driver’s compartment.

341.266(2)(e)3. 3. Except as provided in s. 341.09 (7), no special interest vehicle may be operated upon any highway of this state during the month of January unless the owner of the vehicle reregisters the vehicle under s. 341.25 and replaces the distinctive registration plates issued under par. (c) with regular registration plates or transfers regular registration plates to the vehicle.

341.266(2)(f) (f) Unless inconsistent with this section, the provisions applicable to other vehicles shall apply to special interest vehicles.

341.266(3) (3) In addition to the fee in sub. (2) (b), there shall be an original (first time only) processing fee of $50 to defray the cost of issuing the original collector’s special interest vehicle registration plates and to ensure that each collector will be issued only one collector’s identification number.

341.266(4) (4) A collector may store unlicensed, operable or inoperable, vehicles and parts cars on the collector’s property provided the vehicles and parts cars and the outdoor storage area are maintained in such a manner that they do not constitute a health hazard and are screened from ordinary public view by means of a fence, rapidly growing trees, shrubbery or other appropriate means.

341.266(5) (5) Any person who violates sub. (2) (e) 3. may be required to forfeit not more than $200.

341.266 History History: 1971 c. 299; 1985 a. 332 s. 251 (4); 1987 a. 349; 1989 a. 137; 1991 a. 81, 316; 1997 a. 126; 2003 a. 321; 2009 a. 225; 2013 a. 103, 221; 2015 a. 324.

341.267 341.267 Driver education motor vehicles; registration and insurance.

341.267(1) (1) In this section:

341.267(1)(a) (a) “Driver education vehicle” means any of the following:

341.267(1)(a)1. 1. Any motor vehicle loaned to a school by a licensed motor vehicle dealer which is used for the exclusive purpose of behind-the-wheel instruction or for necessary maintenance and storage.

341.267(1)(a)2. 2. Any motor vehicle owned or leased by a school which is used for behind-the-wheel instruction.

341.267(1)(b) (b) “School” means a public or nonpublic school having an approved driver education program as certified by the department of public instruction or the technical college system board.

341.267(1m) (1m) The department of public instruction shall establish uniform marking standards for a motor vehicle which is used as a driver education vehicle. The markings shall be removed when the owned or leased vehicle is being operated for other than behind-the-wheel instruction or necessary maintenance and storage.

341.267(1r) (1r) Any person who makes a false statement in an application to register a driver education vehicle or who uses a driver education vehicle which is registered under s. 341.26 (2) (a) except as authorized under this section may be required to forfeit not more than $200.

341.267(2) (2) A driver education vehicle shall be registered as provided in s. 341.26 (2). If a driver education vehicle is replaced, reassignment of the plate to a replacement driver education vehicle shall be made by the department on request without payment of an additional fee.

341.267(5) (5) No motor vehicle may be used for driver education unless a policy of bodily injury and property damage liability insurance issued by an insurer authorized to transact business in this state, is maintained thereon. The policy shall provide such coverages in at least such amounts as are specified under s. 344.01 (2) (d). However, the department may require additional coverages and amounts as conditions warrant.

341.267(6) (6) No insurance policy issued under sub. (5) may be terminated or canceled prior to its expiration for any reason unless a notice thereof is filed with the department and with the school at least 30 days prior to the date of termination or cancellation.

341.267(7) (7) No registration shall be issued or remain in force for a driver education vehicle unless a certification of insurance in such form as the department may require is filed with the department by the insurer certificating that a policy of insurance, as required by this section, has been issued and is in effect which covers the owner, operator, instructor, school and any passengers in the vehicle.

341.267 History History: 1973 c. 200; 1975 c. 235; 1977 c. 29 s. 1654 (7) (a), (e); 1981 c. 188; 1987 a. 216; 1993 a. 399; 1995 a. 27 s. 9145 (1); 1997 a. 27.

341.267 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also s. PI 21.03, Wis. adm. code.

341.268 341.268 Reconstructed, replica, street modified and homemade vehicles; registration, plates, use.

341.268(1) (1) In this section:

341.268(1)(a) (a) “Hobbyist” means the owner of one or more reconstructed, replica, street modified or homemade vehicles who collects, purchases, acquires, trades or disposes of reconstructed, replica, street modified or homemade vehicles or parts thereof for personal use in order to build, reconstruct, restore, preserve and maintain a reconstructed, replica, street modified or homemade vehicle for historic or hobby interest.

341.268(1)(b) (b) “Homemade vehicle” means any of the following:

341.268(1)(b)1. 1. A motor vehicle that has been constructed or assembled from new or used parts or both using a body and frame not originating from and not resembling any previously manufactured motor vehicle.

341.268(1)(b)2. 2. A motorcycle that is a reproduction of a vehicle originally made by another manufacturer and that consists of a reproduction body that is combined with a new, used, or replica frame and drivetrain.

341.268(1)(c) (c) “Parts car” means a motor vehicle generally in nonoperable condition which is owned by the hobbyist to furnish parts which will enable the hobbyist to build, reconstruct, restore, preserve and maintain a reconstructed, replica, street modified or homemade vehicle.

341.268(1)(d) (d) “Reconstructed vehicle” means a motor vehicle of any age which has been substantially altered or modified from original manufacturers specifications to such an extent that it no longer resembles the original manufactured vehicle.

341.268(1)(e) (e) “Replica vehicle” means a motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, that is a reproduction of a vehicle originally made by another manufacturer and that consists of a reproduction body that is combined with a new, used, or replica frame and drivetrain.

341.268(1)(f) (f) “Street modified vehicle” means a motor vehicle of any age which has been modified from original manufacturers specifications, but does not include any reconstructed vehicle as defined under par. (d).

341.268(2) (2) 

341.268(2)(a) (a) Any person who is the owner of a reconstructed, replica, street modified or homemade vehicle and who owns, has registered in this state and uses for regular transportation at least one vehicle that has regular registration plates may upon application register the vehicle as a reconstructed, replica, street modified or homemade vehicle upon payment of a fee under par. (b), provided that the vehicle is one of the following:

341.268(2)(a)1. 1. A reconstructed vehicle assembled from a vehicle manufactured 20 years or more prior to the time of making application for registration or transfer of title of the vehicle.

341.268(2)(a)2. 2. A replica vehicle which is a reproduction of a vehicle manufactured 20 years or more prior to the time of making application for registration or transfer of title of the replica vehicle.

341.268(2)(a)3. 3. A street modified vehicle which is 20 or more years old at the time of making application for registration or transfer of title of the vehicle.

341.268(2)(a)4. 4. A homemade vehicle under sub. (1) (b) 1.

341.268(2)(a)5. 5. A homemade vehicle under sub. (1) (b) 2. that is a reproduction of a motorcycle manufactured 20 years or more prior to the time of making application for registration or transfer of title of the homemade vehicle.

341.268(2)(b) (b) The fee to register a vehicle under par. (a) is twice the regular annual fee under s. 341.25 for the type of vehicle, except that the fee for a vehicle that has a gross weight of more than 8,000 pounds may be no more than twice the annual fee for a similar vehicle that has a gross weight of not more than 8,000 pounds.

341.268(2)(c) (c) The department shall furnish the owner of the vehicle with registration plates of a distinctive design in lieu of the usual registration plates, and those plates shall show that the vehicle is a reconstructed, replica, street modified or homemade vehicle owned by a Wisconsin hobbyist. Upon application, the owner may reregister the vehicle without the payment of any additional fee.

341.268(2)(d) (d) Each hobbyist applying for reconstructed, replica, street modified or homemade vehicle registration plates will be issued a hobbyist’s identification number which will appear on each plate. Second and all subsequent registrations under this section by the same hobbyist will bear the same hobbyist’s identification number followed by a suffix letter for vehicle identification.

341.268(2)(e) (e) The vehicle may be used as are other vehicles of the same type except that:

341.268(2)(e)1. 1. Motor vehicles may not transport passengers for hire.

341.268(2)(e)2. 2. Trucks may not haul material weighing more than 500 pounds, not including the weight of a camper, lid or cap that is mounted on the truck or the weight of any persons or pets riding within the driver’s compartment.

341.268(2)(e)3. 3. Except as provided in s. 341.09 (7), no reconstructed, replica, street modified or homemade vehicle may be operated upon any highway of this state during the month of January unless the owner of the vehicle reregisters the vehicle under s. 341.25 and replaces the distinctive registration plates issued under par. (c) with regular registration plates or transfers regular registration plates to the vehicle.

341.268(2)(f) (f) Unless inconsistent with this section, the provisions of this chapter applicable to other vehicles shall apply to reconstructed, replica, street modified and homemade vehicles.

341.268(3) (3) In addition to the fee in sub. (2) (b), there shall be an original (first time only) processing fee of $50 to defray the cost of issuing the original hobbyist’s reconstructed, replica, street modified or homemade vehicle registration plates and to ensure that each hobbyist will be issued only one hobbyist’s identification number.