Section 154.03. Assigning and reassigning ownership.

 

(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:

(a) Assignment of ownership and odometer disclosure when using a nonconforming title. If the motor vehicle being transferred is titled with a nonconforming title, the assignment of ownership shall be made in the designated spaces on the certificate of title. The odometer disclosure statement shall be made on a separate conforming odometer disclosure statement which has been issued or approved by the department.

(b) Assignment of ownership and odometer disclosure when using a conforming title. If the motor vehicle being transferred is titled with a conforming title, the assignment of ownership and odometer disclosure shall be made in the designated spaces on the certificate of title.

(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:

(a) Reassignments by Wisconsin dealer on a manufacturer's document of origin. To reassign ownership, a dealer shall complete the reassignment of ownership and odometer disclosure in the designated spaces on the manufacturer's document of origin.

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 odometer disclosure statement shall be completed on a separate conforming odometer disclosure statement which has been issued or approved by the department. The reassignment of ownership shall be completed on the manufacturer's document of origin.

2. If the manufacturer's document of origin does not include available spaces for the reassignment of ownership, both the reassignment and odometer disclosure shall be completed on a conforming supplemental reassignment and odometer disclosure statement which has been issued or approved by the department.

(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.

(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.

(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:

(a) Reassignment by dealer or wholesaler when using a conforming Wisconsin title.

1. If the transferor is a dealer or wholesaler licensed in Wisconsin or in another state and the vehicle is titled with a conforming Wisconsin title, the reassignment of ownership and odometer disclosure shall be made in the designated spaces on the certificate of title.

2. If the reassignment is made by a Wisconsin dealer to a person who is required to make an application for a Wisconsin certificate of title, the reassignment of ownership and odometer disclosure may be made on a conforming application for title and registration form which has been issued or approved by the department.

3. If the transferor is a dealer licensed in another state and the laws or regulations of the state so permit, the reassignment and odometer disclosure may be made on a conforming supplemental reassignment and odometer disclosure statement issued by the state.

(b) Reassignment of ownership by Wisconsin dealer or wholesaler when using a conforming title issued by another jurisdiction. If the transferor is a Wisconsin dealer or wholesaler and the vehicle is titled with a conforming title issued by another jurisdiction, the reassignment and odometer disclosure shall be made in the designated spaces on the certificate of title.

1. If no available spaces exist on the certificate of title for the reassignment and odometer disclosure, the dealer or wholesaler shall make application for a certificate of title which names the dealer or wholesaler as owner.

2. If no available spaces exist on the certificate of title for reassignment and odometer disclosure and the dealer reassigns ownership to a retail purchaser who is required to apply for a Wisconsin title, the reassigning dealer may complete the reassignment of ownership and odometer disclosure on a conforming application for title and registration which has been issued or approved by the department.

(c) Reassignment by a dealer or wholesaler licensed in another state when using a conforming title issued by another jurisdiction.

1. If the transferor is a dealer or wholesaler licensed in another state and the vehicle is titled with a conforming title issued by another jurisdiction, the reassignment of ownership and odometer disclosure shall be completed in the designated spaces on the certificate of title.

2. If the laws of the jurisdiction which issued the conforming title or the laws of the jurisdiction in which the reassigning dealer or wholesaler is licensed so permit, the reassignment and odometer disclosure may be completed on a conforming reassignment and odometer disclosure statement which was issued or approved by the jurisdiction.

(d) Reassignment by dealer or wholesaler when using a nonconforming title.

1. If the transferor of a motor vehicle is a dealer or wholesaler licensed in Wisconsin or another state and the motor vehicle is titled with a nonconforming certificate of title which includes a conforming odometer disclosure statement and spaces for the reassignment of ownership by a dealer, the reassignment of ownership and odometer disclosure shall be completed on the certificate of title.

2. If the nonconforming title does not include a conforming odometer disclosure statement, the reassignment of ownership may be completed in the designated spaces on the certificate of title, if available, and the odometer disclosure statement shall be completed on a separate conforming odometer disclosure statement.

3. If the nonconforming title does not include available spaces for the reassignment of ownership, the reassignment of ownership and odometer disclosure shall be completed on a conforming statement which has been issued or approved by the department.

4. If the reassignment of ownership is made by a Wisconsin dealer to a person who is required to make application for a Wisconsin title, the reassignment and odometer disclosure may be made on a conforming application for title and registration which has been issued or approved by the department.

5. Notwithstanding the requirements of this section, if the reassignment is made by a dealer licensed in another state and the laws of the state so permit, the reassignment and odometer disclosure may be made on a conforming statement which has been issued or approved by the state.

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