1. (1) Individual plate applications.

   1. (a) Special group plates are available for automobiles, station wagons, motor homes, motor trucks of 8,000 pounds or less, dual purpose motor homes or dual purpose farm trucks of 8,000 pounds or less, or farm trucks of 12,000 pounds or less. Special group plates may not be issued for motorcycles.
   2. (b) License plates under this program are available only for vehicles registered for highway operation.
   3. (c) Special group plates may not be combined with special plates for the disabled under s. 341.14 (1), (1a), (1m), or (1q), Stats., and therefore, vehicles displaying special group plates are not entitled to special parking privileges unless displaying a disabled parking identification card issued under s. 343.51, Stats.

   4. (d) If the authorized special group applies to have restricted license plates, all of the following shall apply:

      1. 1. The authorized special group shall certify eligibility of license plate applicants.

         Note: Certification of eligibility is generally accomplished by a representative of the group signing a verification of the person’s membership in the group as part of the person’s application for the special plate.

      2. 3. The authorized special group shall include in its application for designation as an authorized special group the criteria it proposes for eligibility for the restricted special license plate.

      3. 4. As provided in s. 341.14 (6r) (fm) 5., Stats., the authorized special group may not charge any fees, administrative or otherwise, and may not require or request any contribution from a license plate applicant to obtain eligibility certification for a special plate.

         Note: Section 341.14 (6r) (fm) 5., Stats., has been repealed.

      4. 5. The authorized special group shall determine eligibility of the license plate applicant for initial issuance of the special group plate. After the department has issued the license plate, the department will not cancel the license plate if at some later time the license plate applicant no longer is eligible for initial issuance of the special license plate according to the authorized special group criteria.
   5. (e) Each individual vehicle registrant who wishes to purchase a special group license plate shall submit a $15 issuance fee along with the license plate and registration application in addition to regular registration fees.

   6. (f) Authorized special groups may apply to reserve personalized plate messages on special group plates. If a group wishes to reserve personalized plate messages, the group shall submit $15 for each reservation. The department shall search the current database and will reserve only personalized plate messages which do not duplicate any existing license plate number. If an individual vehicle registrant purchases the license plate with the reserved personalized plate message, the individual may not be charged the $15 issuance fee.

      Note: The department shall have a form for application for plates of authorized special groups. The department shall develop the application form, which will be available before any license plates are available for sale. The application form shall designate for which authorized special group plate the person is applying. Forms can be obtained by writing to the Department of Transportation, Bureau of Vehicle Services, P. O. Box 7911, or by calling (608) 266-3041.

2. (2) General requirements. The department may not conduct any special advertising or promotion for authorized special group license plates. Any promotion shall be the responsibility of the authorized special group. Nothing in this paragraph shall prohibit the department from issuing a press release related to the plates or from including the special group plate on any website related to special group plates.

3. (3) Refund of fee deposit.

   1. (a) Except as provided in ss. Trans 134.03 (2) (a) to (e) and Trans 134.04 (2) (d) and (3), the department may not refund a deposit.

      Note: Statutory provisions related to the collection and remittal of voluntary fundraising amounts for groups qualifying for special plates is found at s. 341.14 (6r) (fm) 8., Stats.

   2. (b) The first year of plate sales begins on the first date that the department accepts individual applications for plates of the authorized special group.

4. (4) Discontinuance of plate sales.

   1. (a) If, at any time after 3 years from the date that special plates associated with an authorized special group are first issued under s. 341.14 (6r) (fm), Stats., there are fewer than 500 motor vehicles registered for which these special plates have been issued and are valid for the motor vehicles’ then current registration period, the department shall follow the process set forth in s. 341.14 (6r) (fm) 3m., Stats., to determine whether the authorized special group’s designation should be continued or rescinded.

      Note: Section 341.14 (6r) (fm) 3m., Stats., provides:

      a. If, at any time after 3 years from the date that special plates associated with an authorized special group are first issued under this paragraph, there are fewer than 500 motor vehicles registered for which these special plates have been issued and are valid for the motor vehicles’ then current registration period, the department shall give notice to the authorized special group that it will rescind its designation of the authorized special group and cease issuing special plates associated with the authorized special group unless, within one year after the date of this notice, this threshold of at least 500 currently registered vehicles displaying these special plates is met.

      b. If one year elapses after the department has given notice under subd. 3m. a. and the threshold under subd. 3m. a. is still not met, the department shall rescind its designation of the authorized special group and, except as provided in subd. 3m. c., cease issuing special plates associated with the authorized special group.

      c. After rescinding its designation of an authorized special group under subd. 3m. b., the department may continue issuing special plates associated with the authorized special group until the department’s inventory of these special plates is depleted and the department may continue to renew registrations of vehicles displaying these special plates and continue to collect the involuntary payment under subd. 8. a. After the department’s inventory of these special plates is depleted, the department may not accept applications for initial issuance of these special plates or issue these special plates as replacement plates but may continue to renew registrations of vehicles displaying these special plates and may continue to collect the involuntary payment under subd. 8. a. in connection with these registration renewals.

      d. This subdivision does not apply to any group or organization designated by the department as an authorized special group prior to October 1, 2016.

   2. (b) If the department discontinues sales of special group plates for an authorized special group, the department may continue to renew authorized special group plates which have already been issued.
   3. (c) If the department rescinds designation of a group under s. 341.14 (6r) (fm) 3m. b., Stats., the department shall not replenish its supply of that group’s special plates and shall cease issuing the plates and any related decals once its supply is exhausted.
   4. (d) If an authorized special group plate has been discontinued and the group decides to re-apply for designation as an authorized special group, the group must apply for authorized special group status following the procedure set forth in s. 341.14 (6r) (fm), Stats.
   5. (e) The department may terminate special group authorization and plate sales at any time if it discovers that false or misleading information as to the nature of the special group was provided in the application process. If the department discontinues special group authorization, it may recall all license plates issued under this chapter, and may suspend registration of all vehicles with recalled plates, if the plates are not returned to the department.

   6. (f) Personalized plate messages obtained under this program are subject to all department policies applicable to any personalized plate messages, and plates already issued may be recalled and registration suspended, if the plates contain messages which the department determines to carry connotations offensive to good taste or decency or which may be misleading.

      Note: Decisions of the department to discontinue plate sales or to terminate authorized special group designation is final and not subject to judicial review under ch. 227 as provided in s. 341.14 (6r) (fm) 4., Stats.

History

History: Cr. Register, December, 1999, No. 528, eff. 1-1-00; r. and recr. (1) (d), Register, October, 2000, No. 538, eff. 11-1-00; correction in (1) (c) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register March 2012 No. 675; CR 22-049: r. (1) (d) 2., consol. and renum. (2) (intro.) and (a) and renum. to (2) and am., r. (2) (b), r. and recr. (3) (a), (4) (a), (c), am. (4) (d) Register May 2023 No. 809, eff. 6-1-23.