If you head to a Wisconsin DMV after Oct. 1, don’t be surprised if you’re asked to pay more for a brand-new or renewed driver’s license.
That’s because fees for driver’s licenses, vehicle titles, heavy trucks and lost or destroyed license plates are going up at the start of October.
Those fee hikes were approved as part of Wisconsin’s 2023-25 state budget passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature and signed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in July.
The fee hikes will generate millions of dollars for the state Department of Transportation to improve roads, bridges and other infrastructure, Evers said.
In total, the budget will produce nearly “nearly $200 million in additional revenue to improve the sustainability of the transportation fund,” Evers wrote.
Wisconsin vehicle title fee increases to $207
The fee for a motor vehicle title or title transfer will increase from $157 to $207. The fee is waived if the owner has died and the vehicle is being transferred to an immediate family member.
The increase to vehicle title fees is expected to generate around $116 million over the next two fiscal years.
Initially, Evers proposed increasing the vehicle title fee by $120.
Wisconsin driver’s license fee increases to $32.50
The fee for a “Class D” motor vehicle license, which covers operation of automobiles, light trucks and mopeds, will increase to $32.50, up from $24.
The fee will apply whether the driver is being issued a license for the first time or renewing their license.
That increase is expected to generate $7.6 million in revenue over the next two years.
Wisconsin trucks over 6,000 pounds will see a 10% increase in license fee
Fees for trucks with a gross weight of more than 6,000 pounds will increase 10%.
The state has several tiers of annual fees for trucks based on weight. Currently, trucks between 16,000 and 20,000 pounds have a fee of $356, for example. That will go up 10%, to around $392.
Wisconsin fee for lost or destroyed plates rises $2
If a license plate gets lost, destroyed or becomes illegible, the driver must apply to the DOT for a replacement. Each replacement plate will now be $6, an increase from $4. For a set of two plates, it’s $12.
More: Blackout, retro license plates approved in Wisconsin state budget. When can you get one?
More: Here’s how Wisconsin students can get free driver’s education classes
State budget increased some other fees in Wisconsin
The state budget increased several other fees in Wisconsin, including bingo and raffle licenses and nonresident camping and admission fees at state parks.
An annual bingo license in Wisconsin now costs $10, with a $20 license fee for each bingo occasion.
An annual raffle license is now $50.
Nonresident camping fees at state parts are now $50 per night, up from $45.
Additional fees for campsites with electricity go up $5-$10 at certain state parks.
Nonresident annual vehicle admission stickers are now $49.50, up from $37.50. Fees for nonresident buses also go up several dollars.
Together, those increases are expected to generate about $181 million more in revenue over the next two years, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Fees for Wisconsin driver’s licenses, vehicle titles go up Oct. 1