Form MV2082: Wisconsin's bonded title application, step by step
MV2082 is the form you file when you have a vehicle but no title to send. Here is what goes in the envelope with it, the photo rule for the VIN, and where to mail it, taken from WisDOT's own checklist.
The short answer
MV2082 is the Application for Bonded Certificate of Title for a Vehicle. You mail it with form MV1, your proof of purchase, photos of all four sides and the VIN, and a check to Registration Fee Trust, to Vehicle Research Unit, Wisconsin Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 8070, Madison, WI 53708-8070. Do not include a bond. WisDOT sends a letter with the bond amount later, and the bond goes in a second mailing.
What form MV2082 is
Form MV2082 is WisDOT's Application for a Bonded Certificate of Title to a Vehicle. The bonded title application, including a written statement about how you got the vehicle.
It does not travel alone. You mail it with form MV1, the Wisconsin Title & License Plate Application. Both forms are free to download from WisDOT, and you can file them yourself.
What goes in the envelope
This follows the checklist on page 4 of the MV2082. Keep copies of everything you send.
- Form MV2082, including the written statement on page 3: how you got the vehicle and from whom, why you have no title and what you did to get one, how long you have had it, and any history you know
- Form MV1, Wisconsin Title & License Plate Application
- Any earlier title or registration papers, or a bill of sale if you have one (it should list the year, make and VIN and be signed by the seller and buyer)
- Photos of all four sides of the vehicle
- A photo of the VIN tag, or form MV3623 completed by law enforcement
- A check or money order made out to “Registration Fee Trust” for the total on your MV1, which includes the $214.50 title fee
- Later, and only after WisDOT's written request: a surety bond for the amount in that letter
The form, page by page
- Page 1: instructions. Three steps: what you send, what WisDOT does with it, and what you do when the bond letter comes. Read it once before you fill in anything.
- Page 2: you, the vehicle, and the seller. Your legal name and Social Security, driver license or FEIN number. A co-owner, if any, with a choice of AND or OR, which decides whether both of you must sign to sell later. The full VIN, year, make and model. Whatever you know about the seller or previous owner; if you don't have an address, list where you bought the vehicle. Then your signature, which also confirms you understand the vehicle must meet Wisconsin's equipment standards before it is driven on the road. The photo boxes are on this page too. AND versus OR
- Page 3: your written statement. How you got the vehicle, from whom, how you ended up without a title and what you did to get one, how long you have had it, and any history you know (salvage, rebuilt, flood, taxi or police use). Attach more sheets if you need them. How to write the statement
- Page 4: the checklist. Tick every line before you seal the envelope, and keep copies of everything you send.
Photos and the VIN
The MV2082 asks for photos of all four sides of the vehicle and of its VIN. If you cannot get a clear VIN photo, a law enforcement officer completes form MV3623 instead.
Where to mail MV2082
Mail the MV2082, the MV1 and everything on the checklist to:
Vehicle Research UnitWisconsin Department of TransportationP.O. Box 8070Madison, WI 53708-8070Do not put a surety bond in this envelope. The bond comes later, only after WisDOT writes to you with the amount.
What happens after you mail it
Step 2 on page 1 of the form spells this out. If your application is complete, WisDOT:
- Checks for an active title record in Wisconsin or any other state. If it finds a Wisconsin record, you are notified and asked to request the previous owner information on form MV2896. If the record is in another state, you get it from that state.
- Checks that the vehicle meets minimum requirements, and if not, asks you to bring it up to them before the bond process continues.
- Reviews your bill of sale and consults price guides to value the vehicle.
- Sends you a letter with the valuation, asking for a surety bond for one and a half times that value ($2,500 minimum) and anything that was missing from your packet.
Then you get the bond from a surety company of your choice (the surety sets its own rates and payment terms) and mail it in. If WisDOT returns your MV2082
Want the MV2082 explained field by field?
The $97 do-it-yourself kit walks through the MV2082 and MV1 line by line, with a filled example, the real costs, and how to read WisDOT's bond letter. You fill in the forms, sign them and mail them yourself.
See the $97 kitRather hand it off? We can prepare the forms for you from your answers, and you still sign and mail them.
Wisconsin requirements at a glance
What WisDOT's own pages say, checked 2026-10-23. Sources below.
- Forms
- State title fee
$214.50 (The $207 title fee plus the $7.50 supplemental title fee under Wis. Stat. § 342.14, in effect since October 1, 2025.) Paid to the state, separate from our service fee.
- Surety bond
1.5 times the vehicle's value, with a $2,500 minimum, set by WisDOT. WisDOT reviews your application and checks price guides to value the vehicle. If you disagree with its value, WisDOT also accepts an independent appraisal. Do not buy the bond until WisDOT sends you a written request stating the amount.
The title carries a “BOND POSTED” brand that stays in Wisconsin records for 5 years, the bond period under Wis. Stat. § 342.12(3)(b).
- Where to file
Mail: Vehicle Research Unit, Wisconsin Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 8070, Madison, WI 53708-8070. WisDOT says most mailed-in title applications are completed in 14 days or less. A bonded title takes two mailings, so plan on several weeks.
- Statute
Wis. Stat. § 342.12(3)(b) (bonded certificate of title)
Facts last verified 2026-10-23 against official WisDOT sources: WisDOT: Surety bond (bonded title) · WisDOT: Bonded title FAQ (BVS850) · WisDOT: Title fees · WisDOT: Title application status · Form MV2082 (PDF) · Form MV1 (PDF). Requirements can change; always confirm against wisconsindot.gov before filing.
Common questions
What is form MV2082?
MV2082 is WisDOT's Application for a Bonded Certificate of Title to a Vehicle. The bonded title application, including a written statement about how you got the vehicle. It is mailed together with form MV1, the Wisconsin Title & License Plate Application.
Where do I mail form MV2082?
By mail, to Vehicle Research Unit, Wisconsin Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 8070, Madison, WI 53708-8070.
What do I send with MV2082?
WisDOT's checklist on the form lists: Form MV2082, including the written statement on page 3: how you got the vehicle and from whom, why you have no title and what you did to get one, how long you have had it, and any history you know; Form MV1, Wisconsin Title & License Plate Application; Any earlier title or registration papers, or a bill of sale if you have one (it should list the year, make and VIN and be signed by the seller and buyer); Photos of all four sides of the vehicle; A photo of the VIN tag, or form MV3623 completed by law enforcement; A check or money order made out to “Registration Fee Trust” for the total on your MV1, which includes the $214.50 title fee.
What if I can't get a clear photo of the VIN?
The MV2082 asks for photos of all four sides of the vehicle and of its VIN. If you cannot get a clear VIN photo, a law enforcement officer completes form MV3623 instead.
What if I don't know the seller's address?
The seller section on page 2 asks for any known information. If the address is unknown, the form says to list the location where you bought the vehicle.
Is there a fee for filing MV2082?
The MV2082 lists no separate fee. You pay the total on your MV1 (the $214.50 title fee, sales tax on the purchase price, plate fees if you want plates, and a loan filing fee if there is a loan) by check or money order to Registration Fee Trust.
Do I buy the surety bond before I mail MV2082?
No. The MV2082 checklist says not to get a surety bond until WisDOT sends you a written request listing the bond amount. The bond goes in a later mailing.
Related Wisconsin guides
How a Wisconsin bonded title works
The whole process, from first mailing to the BOND POSTED title.
Read this guide →What a bonded title costs
The state fee, sales tax, and bond amount versus bond premium.
Read this guide →Car with no title?
Check which path fits before you fill anything out.
Read this guide →Bought at auction on a bill of sale?
Which auction paperwork can be titled, and which never can.
Read this guide →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.