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License plates for official and municipality vehicles have been issued in Wisconsin since 1924. The first unique plate was Municipal plates, issued in 1924. Official vehicles got their own plates in the 1940's, and semipermanent bases for both were issued starting in 1968, then in 1989 again.

This page includes the following license plate types:

• Municipal
• Official
• Municipal Motorcycle
• Official Motorcycle
• Municipal Bus
• State Owned
• State Patrol
• State Patrol Motorcycle

Municipal

Municipal plates were first issued in 1924. These plates were undated and uncaptioned, with the only text other than the number being a "WIS" state identifier.

In 1930, the first dated plates were issued. Municipal plates used a large "M" in a circle in the middle of the plate, and appear to have started at 00M01, which for Wisconsin is unusual since Wisconsin almost never uses leading zeroes on license plates.

Gideon Nicksic

Between 1930 and 1942, municipal plates used the reverse color scheme of normal passenger plates; for example, 1931 plates were blue on yellow while passenger plates were yellow on blue. Plates from 1932 to 1940 had an embossed hollow star.

Gideon Nicksic

In 1941, municipal plates split off into two types, one being the same "municipal" type, and one being an "official" type. Official plates continued using the hollow star, while municipal plates used an embossed hollow diamond.

In 1947, municipal plates used an "OFFICIAL" caption, however as before municipal plates used a hollow diamond while official plates used a hollow star.

Gideon Nicksic

Municipal plates used a "MUNICIPAL" caption from 1949 onward.

Gideon Nicksic

Gideon Nicksic

Gideon Nicksic

Gideon Nicksic

In 1953, the design of municipal plates changed significantly, and this design was used until 1969. From 1958 to 1960, a constant "M" prefix was used, and from at least 1963 onward numbers started at 5001.

Gideon Nicksic

Gideon Nicksic

Gideon Nicksic

Cody James Corbett

Gideon Nicksic

In 1969, a semipermanent base was issued. These plates were undated, and were a reflective blue color.

In 1989, a new semipermanent base was issued. Like previous plates, these plates were undated, however the 1989 series was tan instead of blue. After 99999 was reached around 2019, a C10001 format was introduced.

Official

Official plates were split off from municipal plates in 1941. Official plates used a hollow star throughout the entire base's history from 1941 to present. Official plates used unique color cycles from 1941 to 1945, with the exception of their tabs which were the same as passenger plates from 1943 to 1945. From 1946 onward official plates followed municipal color cycles for the most part. Number 1 was usually reserved for the governor, with the number 2 also sometimes being used for the lieutenant governor.

In 1947, official plates gained an "OFFICIAL" caption. Muncipal plates also used an "OFFICIAL" caption, with the only difference between the two types being that official plates used a hollow star while municipal plates used a hollow diamond.

In 1953, the design of official plates changed significantly, like municipal plates. 1967 plates used two variations, one earlier nonreflective base, and one later reflective base. Both bases were used until 1969.

Gideon Nicksic

Gideon Nicksic

In 1969, a semipermanent base was introduced. This series, like the 1969 municipal base, was undated and used blue reflective sheeting.

In 1989, a second semipermanent base was issued. Like before, numbers 1 and 2 were reserved for the governor and lieutenant governor respectively, however there are several 1 and 2 numbered plates that aren't governor plates, but rather are official souvenir plates.

Cody James Corbett

Municipal Motorcycle

Municipal motorcycle plates were first issued in 1924, being introduced at the same time as municipal plates.

Like municipal plates, municipal motorcycle plates used an embossed hollow star and used the reverse colors of passenger plates, with 1937 plates being blue on white as opposed to passenger plates being white on blue, for example.

In 1941, municipal motorcycle plates split off into official motorcycle and municipal motorcycle types.

Between 1947 and 1950, most likely in 1949, municipal motorcycle plates removed the diamond and used an "M" prefix as an identifier.

Also, sometime between 1947 and 1959, official motorcycle plates were merged with municipal motorcycle plates, with all municipal/official motorcycles receiving municipal motorcycle plates.

Between 1960 and 1963, municipal motorcycle plates dropped the M prefix and instead were issued normal motorcycle plates numbered between 4001 and 4999.

A reflective 1967 municipal motorcycle plate is known; it's unknown whether this is a variation or an error plate.

Beginning in 1969 municipal motorcycles were issued semipermanent undated plates. Like municipal plates, municipal motorcycle plates also had a second permanent series issued in 1989. I currently don't know if small-size municipal motorcycle plates were issued beginning in 2002 or not, since so few plates are issued.

Official Motorcycle

Initially, when municipal plates split off into municipal plates and official plates, the same split happened to municipal motorcycle plates, with municipal motorcycle and official motorcycle plates being issued. Official motorcycle plates were issued beginning in 1941, and were discontinued between 1947 and 1959.

Municpal Bus

Municipal bus plates were issued between 1969 and 1972. Municipal bus plates used a MB prefix, and about 4,000 plates were made before they were recalled in 1972.

Cody James Corbett

State Owned

State owned plates were first issued in 1981, and used permanent red plates.

State Patrol

Information on state patrol plates is from Norm Ratcliffe.

State patrol plates were first issued in 1940, and were first issued undated yellow plates with a hollow star and a stacked "STATE TRAFFIC PATROL" caption.

In 1956, a new white base was issued. A hollow star and a stacked "STATE PATROL" caption was used on these plates. Reflective plates were first issued in 1967, and very late into the series around 1988 the star and prefix were screened instead of embossed.

Initially, plates were issued according to badge numbers, however beginning in 1959, the first number was used as a district code, with the district codes as follows:

• 1: Madison
• 2: Waukesha
• 3: Fond du Lac
• 4: Wausau
• 5: Spooner
• 6: Eau Claire

Numbers from 1 to 99 were used for headquarters and units not assigned a district.

In addition to the district codes, the numbering for each of these district number blocks was also assigned according to the positions as follows:

• 00: District Radio Techs
• 01: District Commander
• 02: District Deputy Commander
• 03-09: District Sergeants
• 11-89: Patrolmen

Gideon Nicksic

In 1967, plates were reflectorized, and older plates were replaced.

Around 1975, the district codes were changed, with the district codes being as follows:

• 1: Madison
• 2: Waukesha
• 3: Fond du Lac
• 4: Wausau
• 5: Tomah
• 6: Eau Claire
• 8: Spooner

In 1989, a new graphic base was issued, celebrating 50 years of the Wisconsin state patrol.

The numbering allotments changed in 1989 as well, with the allotments as follows:

• 00: District Radio Techs
• 01: District Commander
• 02: District Deputy Commander
• 03-09: District Sergeants
• 11-89: Patrolmen

Four digit plates were also issued, with two numbers representing the district (11 being for Madison, 22 for Waukesha, etc.) These are the known allotments:

• 00: District Radio Techs
• 01-09: District Motor Carrier Enforcement Sergeants
• 10+: District Motor Carrier Enforcement Inspectors

In 2000, a second graphic base was issued, this time being a more basic blue gradient base with a state patrol logo and slogan on it.

In 2005, the district codes changed again, this time being as follows:

• 1: DeForest
• 2: Waukesha
• 3: Fond du Lac
• 4: Wausau
• 5: Tomah
• 6: Eau Claire
• 7: Spooner

In 2014, a third graphic base was issued, which celebrated 75 years of the Wisconsin state patrol.

In 2019, a fourth graphic base was issued. It was mostly similar to the 2000 base, only with a different slogan and other minor variations.

State Patrol Motorcycle

State patrol motorcycle plates were first issued in 1989. Before 1989, state patrol motorcycles were issued municipal motorcycle plates.

Created April 29, 2020. Updated May 14, 2024.