Chapter Trans 154

Chapter Trans 154

VEHICLE ODOMETER DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS

Trans 154.01   Purpose and scope.

Trans 154.02   Definitions.

Trans 154.03   Assigning and reassigning ownership.

Trans 154.04   Odometer disclosure for transferors and transferees.

Trans 154.05   Exemptions from odometer disclosure requirements.

Trans 154.06   Odometer disclosure for auction dealers and salvage pools.

Trans 154.07   Odometer disclosure for leased motor vehicles.

Trans 154.08   Odometer disclosure for consignment sales.

Trans 154.09   Odometer disclosure for repaired or replaced odometers.

Trans 154.10   Odometer disclosure for transfers of ownership by involuntary divestiture by transferee.

Trans 154.11   Requirements and conditions for using conforming power of attorney forms to complete odometer disclosure statements.

Trans 154.12   Odometer records and retention requirements for dealers, wholesalers, lessors, auctions, salvage pools and salvage dealers.

Trans 154.13   Eligibility to apply for title by Wisconsin dealers and nonresidents.

Trans 154.14   Odometer disclosure statements to accompany application for title.

Trans 154.15   Odometer reading and notations required on title.

Trans 154.16   Additional requirements for electronic odometer disclosure.

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Trans 154.01 Trans 154.01 Purpose and scope. The purpose of this chapter is to establish the department’s administrative interpretation of ss. 218.0146, 218.33, 218.52, 341.10, 342.01, 342.05, 342.06, 342.10, 342.11, 342.14, 342.15, 342.155, 342.156, 342.157, 342.16, 342.18, 342.23, 342.25, 342.255, 342.32 and 347.415, Stats., relating to the implementation of the provisions of the federal odometer law, 49 USC 32701 to 32711, as they affect regulation of vehicle odometers, odometer mileage disclosure, odometer record keeping requirements, and titling by distributors, wholesalers, manufacturers, motor vehicle dealers, mobile home dealers, motor vehicle salvage dealers, motor vehicle auction dealers, moped dealers, motor vehicle salvage pools, and nonresidents.

Trans 154.01 History History: Cr. Register, January, 1996, No. 481, eff. 2-1-96; CR 02-029: am. Register July 2002 No. 559, eff. 8-1-02.

Trans 154.02 Trans 154.02 Definitions. The words and phrases defined in ch. 340, Stats., and ss. 342.01 (2), 218.0101, 218.10, 218.20, 218.30, 218.40 and 218.50, Stats., have the same meaning in this chapter unless a different definition is specifically provided. In this chapter:

Trans 154.02(1g) (1g) “Access” means the authorized entry to, and display of, a document, record, or other information in a manner allowing modification of previously stored data, even if the stored data is not modified at the time it is accessed. “Access” does not include a display of an electronic record for viewing purposes where modification of stored data is not possible, or where modification to the record is possible but results in a new, unique electronic document or record.

Trans 154.02(1m) (1m) “Assign ownership” or “assigning ownership” means the act or process of transferring ownership of a motor vehicle by the owner named on the certificate of title.

Trans 154.02(2) (2) “Conforming” means a certificate of title or vehicle ownership document, a supplemental transfer of ownership document or a power of attorney form is printed using a secure printing process or other secure process and contains the odometer disclosure statement language required by federal and Wisconsin law.

Trans 154.02(3) (3) “Consignor” means the owner of a privately titled motor vehicle who has contracted with a licensed retail dealer to sell the motor vehicle on the owner’s behalf.

Trans 154.02(4) (4) “Dealer consignee” means a licensed retail dealer with whom the owner of a privately titled motor vehicle has contracted for the sale of the motor vehicle to a third party purchaser.

Trans 154.02(5) (5) “Department” means the department of transportation.

Trans 154.02(5g) (5g) “Electronic,” when referring to any document, record, or other information, means in an automated format, as defined in s. 342.01(2) (ac), Stats., that is prescribed by the department and maintained in an electronic title system. For the purposes of this chapter, “electronic” is limited to a document, record, or other information created electronically and does not include a physical document, record, or other information converted by scanning and imaging for storage in an electronic medium.

Trans 154.02(5k) (5k) “Electronic title system” means any system employed to create, store, or maintain any electronic document, record, or other information subject to this chapter.

Trans 154.02(6) (6) “IRP” means the international registration plan.

Trans 154.02(7) (7) “Nonconforming” means a certificate of title or any supplemental transfer of ownership document does not contain the odometer disclosure statement language required by federal and Wisconsin law and is not set forth by means of a secure printing process or other secure process.

Trans 154.02(7g) (7g) “Physical,” when referring to a document, record, or other information, means printed on paper by a secure printing process or other secure process that meets all the requirements of this chapter.

Trans 154.02(7k) (7k) “Printed name” means either:

Trans 154.02(7k)(a) (a) For a physical document, the clear and legible name applied to the physical document of the signatory.

Trans 154.02(7k)(b) (b) For an electronic document, the clear, legible, visible, audible, recognizable, or otherwise understandable name of the electronic signatory recorded and stored electronically.

Trans 154.02(8) (8) “Reassign ownership” or “reassigning ownership” means the act or process of transferring ownership of a motor vehicle by a licensed dealer or wholesaler if the vehicle was acquired for the purpose of resale and for which the dealer or wholesaler has not applied for or obtained title in the dealer’s or wholesaler’s own name.

Trans 154.02(9) (9) “Secure printing process or other secure process” means any process which deters and detects counterfeiting or unauthorized reproduction, or both, and allows alterations to be visible to the naked eye.

Trans 154.02(10) (10) “Separate conforming odometer disclosure statement” means a physical or electronic statement issued or approved by the department which is separate from the certificate of title or any other document which is used to assign or reassign ownership and which includes odometer disclosure language required by federal and Wisconsin law.

Trans 154.02(10m) (10m) “Sign” or “signature” means either:

Trans 154.02(10m)(a) (a) For a physical document, a person’s name, or a mark representing it, as handwritten personally.

Trans 154.02(10m)(b) (b) For an electronic document, an electronic sound, symbol, or process that satisfies at least one of the following:

Trans 154.02(10m)(b)1. 1. It uses a secure authentication system meeting at least the minimum identification standards for electronic odometer disclosures under 49 CFR 580.3, as published in 84 FR 52699, October 2, 2019.

Trans 154.02(10m)(b)2. 2. It is completed in person before a bona fide employee of the department or statutory agent under a surety bond with the department.

Trans 154.02(11) (11) “Title,” “certificate” and “certificate of title” means a document issued by a jurisdiction to evidence ownership of a vehicle.

Trans 154.02(12) (12) “Wisconsin dealer” means a dealer licensed in Wisconsin.

Trans 154.02 History History: Cr. Register, January, 1996, No. 481, eff. 2-1-96; CR 02-029: am. (intro.), Register July 2002 No. 559, eff. 8-1-02; CR 25-049: renum. (1) to (1m), cr. (1g), (5g), (5k), (7g), (7k), am. (10), cr. (10m) Register March 2026 No. 843, eff. 4-1-26; correction in (1g), (5g) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register March 2026 No. 843.

Trans 154.03 Trans 154.03 Assigning and reassigning ownership.

Trans 154.03(1) (1) Responsibilities of owner or agent of owner. When transferring ownership of a previously titled motor vehicle, the owner named on the certificate of title or the agent of the owner shall complete the assignment of ownership and odometer disclosure in the following manner:

Trans 154.03(1)(a) (a) Assignment of ownership and odometer disclosure when using a nonconforming title. Any person who transfers a motor vehicle that is titled with a nonconforming title shall complete the assignment of ownership of the vehicle in the designated spaces on the certificate of title and shall complete the odometer disclosure statement on a separate conforming odometer disclosure statement.

Trans 154.03(1)(b) (b) Assignment of ownership and odometer disclosure when using a conforming title. Any person who transfers a motor vehicle that is titled with a conforming title shall complete the assignment of ownership of the vehicle in the designated spaces on the certificate of title and shall complete the odometer disclosure in the designated spaces on the certificate of title or on a separate conforming odometer disclosure statement.

Trans 154.03(2) (2) Responsibilities of dealer when reassigning ownership of a motor vehicle which has not been previously titled or registered. When reassigning ownership of a motor vehicle which has not been previously titled or registered, a dealer shall complete the reassignment of ownership and odometer disclosure in the following manner:

Trans 154.03(2)(a) (a) Reassignments by Wisconsin dealer on a manufacturer's document of origin. To reassign ownership, a dealer shall complete the reassignment of ownership in the designated spaces on the manufacturer's document of origin and shall complete the odometer disclosure in the designated spaces on the manufacturer’s document of origin or on a separate conforming odometer disclosure statement.

Trans 154.03(2)(a)1. 1. If the document of origin does not contain an odometer disclosure statement which includes a certification stating the mileage at the time of transfer, the name and address of the transferring dealer, the name and address of the purchasing dealer, the date of transfer, and that the odometer reading is actual, the dealer shall complete the odometer disclosure statement on a separate conforming odometer disclosure statement and shall complete the reassignment of ownership on the manufacturer’s document of origin.

Trans 154.03(2)(a)2. 2. If the manufacturer’s document of origin does not include available spaces for the reassignment of ownership, the dealer shall complete both the reassignment and odometer disclosure on a conforming supplemental reassignment and odometer disclosure statement which has been issued or approved by the department.

Trans 154.03(2)(b) (b) Reassignment by out-of-state dealer on a manufacturer’s document of origin. If the reassigning dealer is licensed in another jurisdiction, the reassignment of ownership and the required odometer disclosure shall be completed as required in sub. (1) or, if the laws of the jurisdiction in which the reassigning dealer is licensed do not require reassigning dealers to provide dealer assignees with an odometer disclosure statement for the vehicles, a Wisconsin dealer assignee is not responsible for obtaining an odometer disclosure statement from the reassigning dealer.

Trans 154.03(2)(c) (c) Reassignment and odometer disclosure by Wisconsin dealer on conforming application for title and registration form. Notwithstanding the requirements of par. (a), if the motor vehicle is reassigned by a Wisconsin dealer to a person who is required to apply for a Wisconsin title, the required reassignment of ownership and odometer disclosure may be made on a conforming application for title and registration form or a conforming supplemental reassignment and odometer disclosure statement which has been issued or approved by the department.

Trans 154.03(3) (3) Responsibilities of dealer or wholesaler when reassigning ownership and disclosing odometer reading of a previously titled motor vehicle. When reassigning ownership of a previously titled motor vehicle, the reassignment and odometer disclosure shall be completed in the following manner: