The U.S. state of Wisconsin first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1905. Plates are currently issued by the Division of Motor Vehicles of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DMV).
| Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|
| 1905–11}} | Riveted aluminum serial on black plate | none | 12345-W | 1-W to 21983-W |
| 1911 | Riveted aluminum serial on dark green plate; vertical "1911" at left | none | 1234W | 1 to approximately 1300W | First dated plate. Issued only to new registrants between August 1 and December 31, 1911.[1] |
| 1912 | Riveted aluminum serial on red plate; vertical "1912" at left | none | 12345W | 1 to approximately 25000W |
| 1913 | Riveted aluminum serial on dark blue plate; vertical "1913" at left | none | 12345W | 1 to approximately 34500W |
| 1914 | Embossed black serial on white plate; vertical "1914" at left | none | 12345W | 1 to approximately 53500W | First embossed plate. |
| 1915 | Embossed white serial on black plate; "W 15" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 79500 |
| 1916 | Embossed red serial on white plate; vertical "WIS." and "16" at right | none | 123456 | 1 to approximately 115000 |
| 1917 | Embossed white serial on dark olive green plate; vertical "WIS." and "17" at right | none | 123456 | 1 to approximately 165000 |
| 1918 | Embossed black serial on beige plate with border line; "18 W" at right | none | 123456 | 1 to approximately 185000 |
| 1919 | Embossed yellow serial on dark green plate with border line; "W 19" at right | none | 123456 | 1 to approximately 224000 |
| 1920 | Embossed white serial on maroon plate; "W 20" at right | none | 123456 | 1 to approximately 275000 |
| 1921 | Embossed black serial on gray plate; vertical "WIS" and "21" at right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 320-000 |
| 1922 | Embossed white serial on dark olive green plate; vertical "WIS" and "22" at right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 360-000 |
| 1923 | Embossed red serial on white plate; vertical "WIS" and "23" at right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 419-000 |
| 1924 | Embossed white serial on black plate; vertical "WIS" and "24" at right | none | A123-456}} | Coded by weight class (A) |
| 1925 | Embossed golden yellow serial on dark blue plate; vertical "WIS" at left and "25" at bottom right | none | 123-456A | Coded by weight class (A) |
| 1926 | Embossed black serial on beige plate; "26" at bottom left and vertical "WIS" at right | none | A123-456 | Coded by weight class (A) |
| 1927 | Embossed white serial on black plate; vertical "WIS" at left and "27" at bottom right | none | 123-456A | Coded by weight class (A) |
| 1928 | Embossed black serial on orange plate; "28" at bottom left and vertical "WIS" at right | none | A123-456 | Coded by weight class (A) |
| 1929 | Embossed white serial on green plate; vertical "WIS" at left and "29" at bottom right | none | 123-456A | Coded by weight class (A) |
| 1930 | Embossed black serial on gray plate; "30" at bottom left and vertical "WIS" at right | none | A123-456 | Coded by weight class (A) |
| 1931 | Embossed golden yellow serial on dark blue plate; vertical "WIS" at left and "31" at bottom right | none | 123-456A | Coded by weight class (A) |
| 1932 | Embossed blue serial on yellow plate with border line; "WISCONSIN 32" at bottom | none | 123456 | 1 to approximately 582000 | First use of the full state name. |
| 1933 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "WISCONSIN 33" at top | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 566-000 |
| 1934 | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "WISCONSIN 34" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 578-000 |
| 1935 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "WISCONSIN 35" at top | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 610-000 |
| 1936 | Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; "36 WISCONSIN" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 667-000 |
| 1937 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "37 WISCONSIN" at top | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 714-000 |
| 1938 | Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; "WISCONSIN 1938" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 706-000 |
| 1939 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "WISCONSIN 1939" at top | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 723-000 |
| 1940 | Embossed red serial on white plate with border line; "WISCONSIN 1940" at top | "AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to
430-350[1] | First use of the "America's Dairyland" slogan. |
| As above, but with taller serial dies and vertical "WIS-40" used as separator | 430-351 to approximately 747-000 |
| 1941 | Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "19 WISCONSIN 41" at bottom | "AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 791-000 |
| Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|
| 1942–45}} | Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate; "19 WISCONSIN 42" at bottom | "AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" at top | 123 456 | 1 to approximately 772 000 | Revalidated for 1943 with white tabs, for 1944 with green tabs, and for 1945 with white tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II. |
| 1946–49 | Embossed white serial on black plate; "EXP WISCONSIN 46" at top | "AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" at bottom | 1 12345
{{small>1/0}} 12345 | Coded by month of expiration (1 or {{small|1/0}}) | Revalidated for 1947 with orange tabs, for 1948 with yellow tabs, for 1949 with green tabs, for 1950 with light blue tabs, for 1951 with white tabs, and for 1952 with golden yellow tabs. |
| 1950–52 | As above, but with square corners and thinner serial dies | 1 12345
1 123-456
{{small>1/0}} 12345
{{nowrap|{{small|1/0}} 123-456}} | Validated for 1950, 1951 and 1952 in the same manner as for 1946–49 plates. Serials for each month continued from where these plates left off. |
In 1956, the United States, Canada and Mexico came to an agreement with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the Automobile Manufacturers Association and the National Safety Council that standardized the size for license plates for vehicles (except those for motorcycles) at {{convert|6|in|cm}} in height by {{convert|12|in|cm}} in width, with standardized mounting holes.[2] The 1956 (dated 1957) issue was the first Wisconsin license plate that complied with these standards.
| Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|
| 1953–54}} | Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "WIS" at top left; month of expiration and "53" at top right | "AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" centered at bottom | A12-345 | Letter corresponds to month of expiration (see right) | Letters A, B, C, D, E, H, J, K, L, P, T and V were used for January through December respectively; this practice continued until 1961. Revalidated for 1954 with red tabs. |
| 1955–56 | Embossed green serial on white plate; "WIS" at top left; month of expiration and "55" at top right | "AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" centered at bottom | A12-345
{{nowrap>AA-1234}} | First letter corresponds to month of expiration | Two-letter serial format introduced in months where serials in the one-letter format had been exhausted. Revalidated for 1956 with yellow tabs. |
| 1957–58 | Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "WIS" at top left; month of expiration and "57" at top right | "AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" centered at bottom | A12-345
AA-1234 | First letter corresponds to month of expiration | First 6" x 12" plate. Revalidated for 1958 with white tabs. |
| 1959–60 | Embossed dark green serial on white plate; "WIS" at top left; month of expiration and "59" at top right | "AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" centered at bottom | A12-345
AA-1234 | First letter corresponds to month of expiration | Revalidated for 1960 with orange tabs. |
| 1961–62 | Embossed black serial on light yellow plate; "WIS" at top left; month of expiration and "61" at top right | "AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" centered at bottom | A12-345 | Letter corresponds to month of expiration | Two letters assigned for each month (A and B for January, C and D for February and so on up to Y and Z for December, with I and O excluded); this practice continued until 1986. Revalidated for 1962 with stickers. |
| 1963–64 | Embossed blue serial on white plate; "WIS" at top left; month of expiration and "63" at top right | "AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" centered at bottom | A12-345 | Letter corresponds to month of expiration | Revalidated for 1964 with stickers. |
| 1965–67 | Embossed white serial on maroon plate; "WIS" at top left; month of expiration and "65" at top right | "AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" centered at bottom | A12-345 | Letter corresponds to month of expiration | Revalidated for 1966 and 1967 with stickers. |
| Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|
| 1968–72 | Embossed black serial on reflective yellow plate; month of expiration, "WISCONSIN" and debossed "68" at bottom | "AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" centered at top | A12-345
AA 1234 | First letter corresponds to month of expiration |
| 1973–79 | Embossed red serial on reflective white plate; month of expiration, "WISCONSIN" and debossed "73" at bottom | "AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" centered at top | A12-345
AA 1234 | First letter corresponds to month of expiration |
1980 – June
1986 | As 1968–72 base, but with debossed "80" at bottom right | "AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" centered at top | A12-345
AA 1234 | First letter corresponds to month of expiration | Revalidated until 1993. |
July
1986 – March 1987 | Embossed dark blue serial on reflective white plate; "WISCONSIN" screened in dark blue at top left and graphics screened at top right featuring a sailboat and sunset, flying geese, and a farm scene; green and dark blue lines separating state name and graphics from serial | "America's Dairyland" screened in dark blue centered at bottom | {{nowrap|ABC-123}} | AAA-101 to
AZZ-999 | Recalled starting in August 1993 and replaced with plates with red serials (below). Letters I, O and Q not used in serials; this practice continues today. |
| March 1987 – December 1994 | As above, but with red serial | BAA-101 to NMD-999 | Serial changed from dark blue to red in response to concerns of confusion with Illinois plates of the time. |
December 1994 – June
2000 | NME-101 to approximately WRZ-999 | Narrower dies. All plates with red serials replaced by the end of 2014. |
June 2000 – April
2017 | As above, but with black serial, red state name, graphics revised and green line removed | "America's Dairyland" screened in red centered at bottom | 123-ABC | 101-AAA to
999-ZZZ | Baseplate design updated. |
| April 2017 – present | ABC-1234}} | AAA-1001 to AFC-9999 (as of March 13, 2019) |
| Image | Type | Dates issued | Design | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|
| Bus | 2004–present | As current passenger base, but with embossed black "BUS" in place of slogan | 12345B | 1001B to present |
| Disabled | ? to 2012 | As current passenger base, but with embossed black International Symbol of Access at right | 12345D | 10001D to 99999D | |
| 2012–present | D/S}} | D/S}} to present |
| Farm | 1994–2004 | As 1987–2000 passenger base, but with embossed red "FARM" in place of slogan | 123456F | 1001F to approximately 130000F | All Farm plates expire at the end of February in even-numbered years. Narrower serial dies introduced 2001 when 100000F was reached. |
| 2004–08}} | As current passenger base, but with red serial, plus embossed red "FARM" in place of slogan | 130001F to approximately 162000F |
| 2008–present | As current passenger base, but with embossed black "FARM" in place of slogan, plus embossed black "FEB" at bottom left | 200001F to present |
| Motorcycle | 1992–2003 | Embossed green serial on white plate; "WIS", year sticker and "APR" at bottom | 12345 | 1 to 99999 | All motorcycle plates expire on April 30 in even-numbered years.[4] |
| A1234 | E101 to
Z9999, then
A101 to
D9999 |
| AB123 | AA101 to
KU999 |
| April 2003[5] – present | Embossed black serial on white plate; "WISCONSIN" at top, "APR" at bottom left and year sticker at bottom right | AB 123 | KV 101 to
ZZ 999 |
| 1234 A | 1001 A to
9999 Z |
| 123 AB | 101 AA to present |
| Motorhome | ? to present | As current passenger base, but with embossed black "MOTOR HOME" in place of slogan | A1234 | A1001 to present |
| Trailer | ? to present | As current passenger base, but with embossed black "TRAILER" in place of slogan | Z/A}} |
| Truck | 2000–04 | As current passenger base, but with embossed black "TRUCK" in place of slogan, plus sticker for weight class (A, B or C) at left | 123456 | 100001 to 999999 | May be personalized. Serials AW1001 through DF9999 skipped to avoid confusion with Temporary plates. |
| 2004–present | AB1234 | AA1001 to AV9999;
DG1001 to present |
1. ^1 {{cite web|url=http://www.andrewturnbull.net/plates/wis-p1.html |title=The Wisconsin Pages: Passenger, 1905-1941 |publisher=The Andrew Turnbull Network |accessdate=August 16, 2017}}
2. ^{{cite magazine |last=Garrish |first=Christopher |date=October 2016 |title=Reconsidering the Standard Plate Size |magazine=Plates |publisher=Automobile License Plate Collectors Association |volume=62 |number=5}}
3. ^Wisconsin DMV
4. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/drivers/plateguide/cycle.htm |title=Motorcycle and moped license plates |publisher=Wisconsin DMV |accessdate=December 10, 2014}}
5. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.licenseplates.cc/story.php?id=94 |title=Wisconsin's new motorcycle plate |publisher=LicensePlates.cc |accessdate=December 10, 2014}}