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Gifting a Car in Wisconsin: What It Really Costs

Wisconsin is generous about the sales tax on gifts - hand a vehicle to almost anyone with zero money changing hands, and the transfer is exempt from the state's 5%–7.9% sales tax. But don't let that fool you into thinking a gift transfer is cheap: the $214.50 title fee applies regardless, because that fee is about processing the paperwork, not taxing the sale.

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Your numbers

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Wisconsin taxes vehicles based on where they're kept, not where you sign the paperwork.

Official fees

Wisconsin gift a car fee chart

Sales tax on a genuine gift

$0

Title application fee (gift)

$214.50

Family transfer, current WI title

Tax exempt

$214.50 title fee still applies

Family transfer, out-of-state title

Requires mail/in-person filing

online exemption won't apply automatically

Surviving spouse/domestic partner transfer

$0

Form MV2300

A '$1 sale' to a non-family recipient

Taxed on the reported price

Figures verified July 2026 against official sources (listed below). Always confirm the final amount with the Wisconsin DMV (WisDOT) - counties can add small local fees.

Official Wisconsin forms you'll need

  • MV1Wisconsin Title & License Plate Application

    The gift is claimed as a sales-tax exemption ("Gift - the vehicle was given to you with no money exchanged") on the MV1 / in the eMV Public online application.

Get the current version of each form from the Wisconsin DMV (WisDOT) before you file - agencies revise forms, and offices reject outdated ones.

Step by step

How to gift a car in Wisconsin

  1. 1

    Confirm no money or other consideration is changing hands - that's what makes it a gift, not a sale.

  2. 2

    Sign the title over to the recipient and mark 'Gift' (or the family relationship) as the exemption reason.

  3. 3

    File the Title & License Plate Application (Form MV1) through eMV Public, by mail, or at a service center.

  4. 4

    If the title is currently out-of-state, plan on mail or in-person filing - the online system needs a current WI title to apply the exemption automatically.

  5. 5

    Pay the $214.50 title fee (and registration, if you're also putting new plates on it) - no sales tax is due.

Sales tax on a gift
Exempt, $0 consideration
Title fee
$214.50 still applies
Qualifying family
Spouse, parent, child, sibling, in-law
Out-of-state title
Needs mail/in-person filing
Surviving spouse/partner
Only fee-free path

Overview

Family transfers get their own explicit exemption - spouse, parent, child (including step-relations), in-laws, grandparent, grandchild, and sibling all qualify - but only when the vehicle already carries a current Wisconsin title. Bring an out-of-state title into a family gift and the online eMV process won't apply the exemption automatically; you'll need to handle it by mail or in person at a DMV service center.

There's one truly fee-free gift path in Wisconsin: a surviving spouse or domestic partner inheriting a vehicle solely titled to their deceased partner pays no title fee at all. Every other gift - family or not - pays the full $214.50, just without the sales tax.

Same state, other costs

More Wisconsin vehicle costs

Common questions

Wisconsin gift a car FAQ

Is gifting a car really tax-free in Wisconsin?
The sales tax is waived, yes - as long as it's a genuine gift with no payment, trade, or loan payoff involved. You still owe the $214.50 title fee; only the 5%–7.9% sales tax disappears.
Who counts as 'family' for the Wisconsin gift exemption?
Spouse, parent (including stepparent), child (including stepchild and a child's spouse), grandparent, grandchild, sibling, and in-laws like a mother-in-law or father-in-law. The relationship needs documentation, and the vehicle must currently carry a Wisconsin title for the online process to recognize it automatically.
Can I gift a car to a friend tax-free?
Yes, if it's a genuine gift - no money, trade, or favor involved. Wisconsin's gift exemption isn't limited to family; it's limited to zero consideration. Try to disguise a real sale as a 'gift' and you're still liable for tax on whatever actually changed hands.
What if the car I'm gifting still has an out-of-state title?
The automatic online exemption only works cleanly with a current Wisconsin title. With an out-of-state title, expect to file by mail or visit a DMV service center so staff can verify the gift and apply the exemption manually.
Does the recipient pay any tax later on a gifted car?
No income tax - gifts aren't income to the recipient, and Wisconsin has no separate gift tax beyond the vehicle sales tax it already waived. Any federal gift-tax consideration for a high-value vehicle is a question for the giver's own tax filing, not something WisDOT tracks.
Is the surviving-spouse transfer really free?
Yes - when the vehicle was solely titled to a deceased spouse or domestic partner, the survivor can transfer up to five such vehicles using Form MV2300 with no title fee at all. It's the one gift scenario in Wisconsin where even the $214.50 disappears.

Receipts

Official sources

Every number on this page comes from these documents - check them yourself.

Everywhere else

Gifting a Car: Taxes & Fees by state

Fees and rules are different in every state. Pick yours for exact numbers.

each state hand-verified against its DMV before it goes live

Disclaimer

DMVCosts provides fee estimates for general informational purposes only - it is not legal, tax, or financial advice, and no calculator can account for every county surcharge, exemption, or mid-year rate change. Figures are verified against official sources on the date shown, but fees change over time.

The final, binding amount is always the one quoted by the Wisconsin DMV (WisDOT). Confirm with them before making payment decisions. To the fullest extent permitted by law, DMVCosts disclaims all liability for decisions made based on these estimates.