Skip to main content
TTitleFiled

Free printable checklists · Wisconsin

Wisconsin auction and salvage vehicle title checklist

Every document, form, fee, photo and signature for this route on one page, with the mailing address and the order of steps. Tick boxes on screen or print it.

Wisconsin auction and salvage vehicle title checklist

titlefiled.com/checklists/auction-or-salvage · checked 2026-10-31

Name: ________________________ VIN: ______________________________ Date started: __________

Documents to gather

Forms

Photos

Signatures

Fees and who you pay

Mail to

Signed title or salvage title: WI Dept. of Transportation, P.O. Box 7949, Madison, WI 53707-7949 Bill of sale only (bonded application): Vehicle Research Unit, WisDOT, P.O. Box 8070, Madison, WI 53708-8070

Order of steps

  1. 1. Read the auction document: signed title, salvage title, bill of sale only, or MV2459.
  2. 2. Signed title: fill in the MV1 and mail it with the fee.
  3. 3. Salvage title not yet in salvage status: apply for the salvage title promptly, as section 342.065 requires.
  4. 4. Salvage rebuild: take the four before-repair photos, then keep a bill of sale for every major part.
  5. 5. Book a certified inspector and bring the MV1, the Wisconsin salvage title, MV2673, the parts bills of sale and the $80.
  6. 6. Bill of sale only: follow the bonded title packet. Do not buy a bond before WisDOT's letter.
  7. 7. MV2459: stop. No title can be issued.

Check before you mail

  • The inspector will not start without every document and the fee.
  • Major parts with no bill of sale.
  • No before-repair photos.
  • A bill of sale filed as if it were a title.

Made by TitleFiled from WisDOT forms and pages and Wisconsin statutes, checked 2026-10-31. WisDOT decides every application; rules can change, so confirm with WisDOT before you mail. TitleFiled is not WisDOT, not a law firm and not legal advice. The free official forms are at wisconsindot.gov. Sources: Wisconsin Statutes 342.07 (repaired salvage vehicles, $80 inspection); Wisconsin Statutes 342.065 (salvage titles); WisDOT: Salvage vehicle inspections; WisDOT State Patrol: Salvaged titled vehicle inspection policy 16-11; WisDOT: Form MV2673, Major Parts Statement; WisDOT: Form MV2082.

Read the full auction or salvage purchase guide

About this checklist

The document the auction handed you picks the route. Tick the box that matches it first, then work only the items for that route.

A signed title goes on an MV1. A salvage title needs repairs and an $80 inspection before plates. A bill of sale with no title points to the bonded process. A Junked Vehicle Bill of Sale (MV2459) cannot be titled at all.

Each line comes from WisDOT's own forms and pages or the Wisconsin statutes listed below. It does not choose options on a form for you, and WisDOT makes the final call on every application.

Get the checklist for your situation by email

We'll email your checklist and up to 3 reminders. Unsubscribe anytime.

Want help with the forms?

This sheet tells you what goes in the envelope. The $97 kit walks through each form field and the reasons packets come back. Or we prepare the forms for you for $299, and you sign and mail them.

Do it yourself: $97 kitHave us prepare the forms: $299

You sign and mail everything yourself and pay state fees to WisDOT. If WisDOT asks for a bond, you buy it from a licensed surety you choose; we take no commission.

Related answers and guides

Full guide: Auction or salvage purchase

Wisconsin auction buys follow the document: signed title, salvage title plus an $80 inspection, bill of sale only (bonded), or MV2459 (no title).

Read this guide →

What should you check before buying a car at auction for use in Wisconsin?

Before you bid: the document type, any brands, the VIN, liens, and whether Wisconsin will title and register it. A short pre-bid checklist.

Read this guide →

What does 'bill of sale only' mean at a car auction?

It means no title comes with the vehicle. In Wisconsin that is either fine, fixable with a bonded title, or final if it is an MV2459 junk sale.

Read this guide →

How does a salvage vehicle inspection work in Wisconsin?

A certified inspector checks VINs, proof for every major replacement part and safety gear. The fee is $80. Missing receipts are the usual fail.

Read this guide →

How do you get a rebuilt title in Wisconsin?

Title it as salvage, repair it with documented parts, pass the $80 salvage inspection, and WisDOT issues a title branded REBUILT SALVAGE.

Read this guide →

Sources, checked 2026-10-31: Wisconsin Statutes 342.07 (repaired salvage vehicles, $80 inspection) · Wisconsin Statutes 342.065 (salvage titles) · WisDOT: Salvage vehicle inspections · WisDOT State Patrol: Salvaged titled vehicle inspection policy 16-11 · WisDOT: Form MV2673, Major Parts Statement · WisDOT: Form MV2082. Rules can change; confirm with WisDOT before you file.

TitleFiled is a document-preparation and title-recovery assistance service operated by Nuvent66 LLC, a Wisconsin limited liability company. It is not a law firm, does not provide legal advice, and is not affiliated with, authorized by, or endorsed by any DMV or government agency, including the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT). We do not guarantee that any agency will approve or issue a title. Information on this page is provided for general reference, was verified against official WisDOT sources on the date shown, and is not legal advice.

We do it: $299DIY kit: $97