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Celebrate Children license plates

Invest in the Children's Trust Fund, an agency dedicated to preventing child neglect and abuse by protecting Wisconsin's greatest resource, its children.

The Children's Trust Fund helps prevent child neglect and abuse by:

• Supporting programs that work in partnership with families to build and emphasize individual, family and community strengths

• Developing public education and information materials to promote awareness and understanding of child neglect and abuse prevention

• Reducing the incidence and costs of child neglect and abuse in Wisconsin

The Kindred Spirit emblem, with its bright colors, reflects the innocence, essence and magic of childhood. It gives a feeling of childhood freedom and depicts multicultural imagery. Kindred Spirit artwork by Jane Murray Lewis.

Vehicles that qualify:

• Automobiles
• Motor homes (annual registration only)
• Motor trucks
  • 4,500, 6,000 or 8,000 pound gross weight including dual purpose farm and dual purpose motor home
  • 12,000 pound gross weight farm truck

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Things you should know:

• Celebrate Children license plates can feature regular numbers or a personalized message.
• A $20 tax-deductible donation supports the Celebrate Children Trust Fund. The $20 donation is deductible if you itemize your income tax returns.
• A $15 issuance fee is required for regular Celebrate Children plates.
• A $15 fee is required EACH year in addition to the regular annual registration fee for personalized plates.

How to apply:

Send the following items:

1. If the vehicle you wish to register with Celebrate Children license plates is already titled in your name, send:
   • A copy of your Certificate of Registration OR the complete vehicle description on application form MV2899 .
   • $15 issuance or personalized plate fee
   • A $20 Celebrate Children donation. The $20 donation is tax deductible if you itemize your income tax returns.
   • Annual registration fee if the current plates expire within the next three months.
2. If the vehicle is NOT titled in your name, send:
   • A completed title application MV1 (401 KB) or MV11 through the dealer and fees, including the annual registration fee
   • $15 issuance or personalized plate fee
   • $20 Celebrate Children donation. The $20 donation is tax deductible if you itemize your income tax returns.
3. Make the check or money order payable to: Registration Fee Trust
4. Mail with payment to:

Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Special Plates Unit
P.O. Box 7911
Madison WI 53707-7911

Personalized license plates

• On form MV2899, check which option that you would like us to follow if your request is not available.
• No refund or adjustment will be made for a change of choice or spacing after the plate has been ordered, or if the application is incorrectly or unclearly completed.
• Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) may refuse to issue OR may recall after issuance, a request that is misleading or may be offensive to good taste or decency.
• If you want to exchange your current personalized plates for Celebrate Children plates with the same message (up to six characters), the $15 personalized plate fee and $20 donation is required.
• Allow approximately 4-6 weeks for the plates to be manufactured after you have received your Certificate of Registration.

Temporary plate required:

To legally operate your vehicle, you must display license plates within two business days of purchase. If you do not have current plates, apply to a DMV service center or an agent authorized by DMV to obtain a temporary plate while your Celebrate Children order is processed. An agent may charge a $3 plate fee and/or may also charge a $5 service fee.

Changing from personalized to regular plates

If you wish to re-register your vehicle with regular license plates at renewal time or within three months of the renewal expiration date, send a copy of your Certificate of Registration or renewal notice with a request for standard plates along with the registration fee. Subtract $35 from the fee shown on the renewal notice. If you wish to re-register other than at renewal time, submit the request and a copy of the Certificate of Registration.

Changing from personalized to regular Celebrate Children plates

If you wish to re-register with regular Celebrate Children plates at renewal time or within three months of the renewal expiration date, send a copy of your Certificate of Registration or renewal notice with a request for regular Celebrate Children plates and fee shown on the notice; $20 donation and $15 issuance fee. If you wish to re-register other than at renewal time, submit the request and a copy of the Certificate of Registration and $15 issuance fee.

Release of information

WisDOT uses the information on form MV2899 to issue Celebrate Children license plates. Under open records laws, WisDOT must make nonexempt information available upon request. If you want your name and address withheld from such mailing lists, complete the "release of nonexempt information" portion on form MV2899.

If you have questions:

• E-mail: special-plates.dmv@dot.state.wi.us
• Call: (608) 266-3041 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
• Fax: (608) 267-5106
• Write to the address above

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All external hyperlinks are provided for your information and for the benefit of the general public. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation does not testify to, sponsor or endorse the accuracy of the information provided on externally linked pages.

You will need the Adobe Reader (provided free of charge) to view PDF files. For more information about getting your free copy of the Adobe Reader, visit WisDOT's Software information page.

Questions about the content of this page:
Special Plate Unit, special-plates.dmv@dot.state.wi.us
Last modified: January 4, 2008