Transfer a Car Title After Death in Wisconsin (Form MV2300)
Figures verified November 12, 2026 against WisDOT: Form MV2300 (7/2024) · Update log
Short answer
In Wisconsin a surviving spouse or domestic partner can transfer up to five vehicles that were in the person's name alone on form MV2300, with no title fee. Other heirs use the same form when the person's solely owned property is worth $50,000 or less. The MV2300 needs no notary; send it with the title and form MV1 to WisDOT. A larger estate goes through the personal representative.
Wisconsin car title rules at a glance
| Form | Form MV2300, Statement of Transfer of Vehicles to or by a Surviving Family Member, Domestic Partner, or Heir |
|---|---|
| Who signs | The surviving spouse or domestic partner, or an heir. One MV2300 has room for two new owners; use another form for more. |
| Notarized? | No. You sign the MV2300 stating that the information is true. |
| Waiting period | None set on the MV2300. |
| Value limit | A spouse or domestic partner can transfer up to five vehicles. Other heirs: the person's solely owned property must be worth $50,000 or less (Wis. Stat. § 867.03). |
| Death certificate | Not listed among the documents the MV2300 asks for. |
| Where to file | By mail to WI Dept. of Transportation, P.O. Box 7949, Madison, WI 53707-7949. A surviving spouse or domestic partner can also go to a DMV Customer Service Center. |
Which route fits you
Start at the top: the first route that matches the title and the estate is the one the Wisconsin DMV expects. Each needs different paperwork.
1. The title lists a surviving co-owner
If the names are joined by "or", the survivor owns the car. If they are joined by "and", the survivor and the dead owner's legal representative sign together.
- "Or": the surviving co-owner signs as seller to sell the car.
- To take the dead owner's name off the title, send form MV2300 and the title (and form MV2119 if the title is lost).
- "And": the surviving co-owner and the dead owner's legal representative both sign as sellers.
2. Surviving spouse or domestic partner: MV2300
A surviving spouse or domestic partner can transfer up to five vehicles that were in the person's name alone. If the person owned more than five vehicles under 20 years old, the rest go through the estate.
- Fill in MV2300 Sections A and B, and check whether you are transferring the vehicle to yourself or to someone else.
- Sign as surviving spouse or domestic partner. Signing makes you personally liable for the person's debts up to the value of the vehicles (Wis. Stat. § 859.25).
- Send the MV2300, the title and form MV1 by mail, or take them to a DMV Customer Service Center. There is no title transfer fee.
3. Other heirs, when the estate is small: MV2300
An heir who isn't the spouse can use the MV2300 when the person's solely owned property is worth $50,000 or less.
- Fill in the MV2300 and check your relationship to the person, or "None of the above (Heir)".
- Sign the statement that the person had no solely owned property worth more than $50,000.
- Mail the MV2300, the title, form MV1, any lien release and the fee to WisDOT. Add form MV2119 if the title is lost, and an odometer statement (MV2488) if the transfer needs one.
- The $214.50 title fee is waived when every new owner is a Wisconsin resident and a close relative of the person.
4. Larger estates: the personal representative
If the estate is worth more than $50,000, the personal representative named by the court transfers the car.
- The personal representative signs the title as seller and writes "personal representative" after their name.
- Send a copy of the personal representative's court papers with the title application and fees, instead of the MV2300.
- Close relatives who want the fee waiver still send an MV2300.
Wisconsin probate court: Circuit Court (register in probate). The executor's papers: Domiciliary letters (PR-1810). See how executors get letters.
Optional: get help filing
Get a flat-fee quote for the estate's tax returns
The final Form 1040, the estate's Form 1041 and any state return are the parts executors most often hand off. Leave your email and the rough estate size, and a CPA or Enrolled Agent who prepares estate returns will reply with a fixed price. Free, and no obligation.
What to bring to the DMV
For the MV2300 route, take all of this in one go. Print this page to use it as a checklist.
- Form MV2300, signed (no notary)
- The Wisconsin title (form MV2119 if it's lost; if the lender holds it, ask the lender for it)
- Form MV1, Wisconsin Title & License Plate Application
- A lien release, if there was a loan
- Form MV2488, odometer statement, if the transfer needs a reading
- The $214.50 title fee, unless you are the spouse, the domestic partner or a qualifying relative
Fees
| Title transfer fee for an heir, from October 1, 2025 | $214.50 |
|---|---|
| Title fee for a surviving spouse or domestic partner | $0 |
| Title fee when every new owner is a Wisconsin resident and a close relative (parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, stepparent or stepchild, or the spouse of one) | $0 (waived) |
Common problems
- The fee waiver needs every owner on the new title to be a Wisconsin resident and a qualifying relative. Add one unrelated owner and the full fee is due.
- The MV2300 works only for a vehicle with a current Wisconsin title.
- Trading the car in at a dealer? The heir has to title it in their own name first.
- An heir who isn't a qualifying relative can't keep the dead owner's license plate, unless another owner is a qualifying relative.
The rest of the estate
The MV2300 moves the car only. Bank accounts and other property need their own route. Wisconsin's small estate shortcut is an affidavit for estates up to $50,000 (wait: no waiting period for an heir (30 days after the holder receives it, if the named executor signs)): see the Wisconsin small estate affidavit. Larger estates go through probate, and the executor gets domiciliary letters (PR-1810).
Wisconsin also allows a transfer on death deed for a house, which works like a beneficiary on a car title.
Wisconsin has no estate or inheritance tax, so inheriting the car costs no state death tax. See Wisconsin estate tax. Whoever settles the estate still files the person's final income tax return by April 15 of the year after the death: see final tax returns.
Car titles after death in other states
California (REG 5) · Texas (VTR-262) · Pennsylvania (MV-39) · Michigan (TR-40) · New York (MV-349.1) · Oregon (735-516) · Colorado (DR 2712) · Florida (HSMV 82040) · Ohio (BMV 3773) · Arkansas (Form 10-306)
Or see the overview for every state.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Wisconsin MV2300 need a notary?
No. You sign it stating that the information is true; the form has no notary block.
How many vehicles can a surviving spouse transfer on the MV2300?
Up to five vehicles that were in the person's name alone. If there were more than five under 20 years old, the rest go through the estate administrator, the executor or a court order.
Who pays the Wisconsin title fee after a death?
A surviving spouse or domestic partner pays no title fee. The fee is also waived when every new owner is a Wisconsin resident and the person's parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, stepparent or stepchild, or the spouse of one. Anyone else pays $214.50 (from October 1, 2025).
What if the estate is over the limit?
Then the personal representative appointed by the court signs the title, and you send a copy of their court papers instead of the MV2300. Other heirs can use the MV2300 only when the person's solely owned property is $50,000 or less.
Sources
This information is provided for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal or tax advice. Consult a qualified tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.