Wisconsin Statutes
Wis. Stat. § 341.15 (2026)
Display of registration plates
✓ current as of July 2026
Find cases:
SyfertCases citing this section
WI-LEGdocs.legis.wisconsin.gov
JustiaChapter on Justia
CornellLII Search
CasesGoogle Scholar
341.15(1)(1) Whenever 2 registration plates are issued for a vehicle, one plate shall be attached to the front and one to the rear of the vehicle. Whenever only one registration plate is issued for a vehicle, the plate shall be attached as follows:
341.15(1)(a)(a) If the vehicle is a truck tractor or road tractor or a motor truck issued the plate under s. 341.405 (2), to the front.
341.15(1)(b)(b) For any other vehicle for which only one plate is issued, to the rear, except that a plate issued to or for a municipality under s. 341.26 (2m) may be attached to the front of the vehicle if the design or use of the vehicle is such as to make a plate attached to the rear difficult to see and read.
341.15(1m)(a)(a) Except as provided in pars. (b) to (d), any registration decal or tag issued by the department shall be placed on the rear registration plate of the vehicle in the manner directed by the department.
Effective date noteNOTE: Par. (a) is shown as amended eff. 10-1-26 by 2025 Wis. Act 53. Prior to 10-1-26 it reads:
Effective date text(a) Except as provided in par. (b) or (c), any registration decal or tag issued by the department shall be placed on the rear registration plate of the vehicle in the manner directed by the department.
341.15(1m)(b)(b) Any registration decal or tag issued by the department for a truck tractor, road tractor or motor truck under sub. (1) (a) or for any other vehicle which may bear a registration plate attached to the front as provided in sub. (1) (b) shall be placed on the front registration plate of the vehicle in the manner directed by the department.
341.15(1m)(c)(c) Decals issued by the department to indicate that a vehicle is an electric vehicle shall be displayed on the registration plates attached to the front and the rear of the vehicle.
341.15(1m)(d)(d) If the department issues 2 decals to indicate the registered weight class of a vehicle, the decals shall be displayed on the registration plates attached to the front and rear of the vehicle in the manner directed by the department.
Effective date noteNOTE: Par. (d) is created eff. 10-1-26 by 2025 Wis. Act 53.
341.15(2)(2) Registration plates shall be attached firmly and rigidly in a horizontal position and conspicuous place. The plates shall at all times be maintained in a legible condition and shall be so displayed that they can be readily and distinctly seen and read. Any peace officer may require the operator of any vehicle on which plates are not properly displayed to display such plates as required by this section.
341.15(3)(a)(a) A person who operates a vehicle for which a current registration plate, insert tag, decal or other evidence of registration has been issued without such plate, tag, decal or other evidence of registration being attached to the vehicle, except when such vehicle is being operated pursuant to a temporary operation permit or plate or displays a historical plate under s. 341.265 (1m) or 341.266 (2) (dm);
341.15(3)(b)(b) A person who operates a vehicle with a registration plate attached in a non-rigid or non-horizontal manner or in an inconspicuous place so as to make it difficult to see and read the plate;
341.15(3)(c)(c) A person who operates a vehicle with a registration plate in an illegible condition due to the accumulation of dirt or other foreign matter.
341.15 HistoryHistory: 1971 c. 278; 1981 c. 150; 1983 a. 258; 1985 a. 29; 1991 a. 239; 1993 a. 64; 1995 a. 128; 2013 a. 221; 2023 a. 19; 2025 a. 53.
341.15 AnnotationThe language referencing a single plate in s. 341.40 (1) (a) is the first of a list of criteria that vehicles registered in a jurisdiction other than Wisconsin must meet in order to be exempt from the registration laws of this state. Having been issued at least one plate is a condition precedent for exemption, not a display requirement. Since s. 341.40 (1) (a) does not address how nonresidents are to display license plates, there is no conflict with sub. (1). Given the legislature’s use of the word “whenever,” sub. (1) unambiguously applies to all vehicles operated in Wisconsin, not just those that are also registered in Wisconsin. State v. Boyd, 2012 WI App 39, 340 Wis. 2d 168, 811 N.W.2d 853, 11-1056.
341.15 AnnotationThis section is applicable to temporary plates under s. 341.09. United States v. Dexter, 165 F.3d 1120 (1999).
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 22
cases (9 in the last 5 years), 1994–2026 · leading case: State v. Griffin, 515 N.W.2d 535 (Wis. Ct. App. 1994).
State v. Griffin, 515 N.W.2d 535 (Wis. Ct. App. 1994). “We conclude that Officer Roots and his partner could reasonably question whether Griffin had regular plates which should have been displayed as required by § 341.15, STATS. Without stopping the vehicle, Officer Roots and his partner had no way of knowing that the application for…”
State v. Richard E. Houghton, Jr., 2015 WI 79 (Wis. 2015). “§ 341.15 requires a vehicle to display a front license plate only when two license plates are issued for that vehicle.”
State v. Clayton W. Williams, 2014 WI 64 (Wis. 2014). “04 (1) (Count 5), and improper display of license plates contrary to Wis. Stat. § 341.15 (3) (Count 6). On September 28, 2010, the State filed an amended complaint to add a charge for operating a motor vehicle with a prohibited alcohol concentration contrary to Wis.”
State v. Williams, 2001 WI 21 (Wis. 2001). “04 (prohibits operation of a motor vehicle without registration or pending application for registration); § 341.15(3) (requires display of registration plates).”
State v. Matejka, 2001 WI 5 (Wis. 2001). “§ 341.15(1) (1995-96) directs that "[w]henever 2 registration plates are issued for a vehicle, one plate shall be attached to the front and one to the rear of the vehicle.”
State v. Boyd, 2012 WI App 39 (Wis. Ct. App. 2012). “Wis. Stat. § 341.15 (1) (2009-10) 1 states that: "[wjhenever 2 registration plates are issued for a vehicle, one plate shall be attached to the front and one to the rear of the vehicle.”
State v. Lord, 2006 WI 122 (Wis. 2006). “[6] Wis. Stat. § 341.15 (2003-04). [7] Wis. Admin.”
United States v. Cedric A. Dumas, Jr., & Terence D. Dexter, 94 F.3d 286 (7th Cir. 1996). “” Wis. Stat. § 341.15 (2). The magistrate judge credited Lewis’ testimony that the temporary tag placed behind the tinted window of the van was not legible to him when he stopped the van.”
United States v. Terence D. Dexter, 165 F.3d 1120 (7th Cir. 1999). “Dexter’s assertion relies on the language of the law Trooper Lewis believed the van was violating, Wis. Stat. § 341.15 (“Display of Registration Plates”), which provides that: (2) Registration plates shall be attached firmly and rigidly in a horizontal position and conspicuous…”
State v. Williams, 2010 WI App 39 (Wis. Ct. App. 2010). “1994) (holding that a dealer-printed "license applied for" placard in the back window of a vehicle provided "reasonable suspicion" that the vehicle's operator was violating § 341.15). Because the officers had an objectively reasonable reason to approach the van — to investigate…”
State v. Natalie S. Lozano (Wis. Ct. App. 2025). “§ 341.15. Rather, he conducted the traffic stop because he had reasonable suspicion to believe—based on his observation that the paint was no longer visible on portions of two numbers/letters and that the word “truck” designating that the plate was registered as a truck was…”
State v. Glen Michael Braun (Wis. Ct. App. 2025). “Rather, Braun challenges the circuit court’s finding that LaCourt-Baker could not 5 We do not address the State’s remaining arguments in support of the legality of the traffic stop, including that Trooper LaCourt-Baker had reasonable suspicion that Braun was violating WIS.”
— Wis. Stat. § 341.15(1) — 5 cases
State v. Matejka, 2001 WI 5 (Wis. 2001). “§ 341.15(1) (1995-96) directs that "[w]henever 2 registration plates are issued for a vehicle, one plate shall be attached to the front and one to the rear of the vehicle.”
State v. Boyd, 2012 WI App 39 (Wis. Ct. App. 2012). “Wis. Stat. § 341.15 (1) (2009-10) 1 states that: "[wjhenever 2 registration plates are issued for a vehicle, one plate shall be attached to the front and one to the rear of the vehicle.”
State v. Williams, 2010 WI App 39 (Wis. Ct. App. 2010). “1994) (holding that a dealer-printed "license applied for" placard in the back window of a vehicle provided "reasonable suspicion" that the vehicle's operator was violating § 341.15). Because the officers had an objectively reasonable reason to approach the van — to investigate…”
State v. Larrell J. Williams (Wis. Ct. App. 2022).
Brown v. Racine Cnty. (E.D. Wis. 2020).
— Wis. Stat. § 341.15(1m)(a) — 1 case
State v. Glen Michael Braun (Wis. Ct. App. 2025). “Rather, Braun challenges the circuit court’s finding that LaCourt-Baker could not 5 We do not address the State’s remaining arguments in support of the legality of the traffic stop, including that Trooper LaCourt-Baker had reasonable suspicion that Braun was violating WIS.”
— Wis. Stat. § 341.15(2) — 4 cases
State v. Natalie S. Lozano (Wis. Ct. App. 2025). “§ 341.15. Rather, he conducted the traffic stop because he had reasonable suspicion to believe—based on his observation that the paint was no longer visible on portions of two numbers/letters and that the word “truck” designating that the plate was registered as a truck was…”
State v. Glen Michael Braun (Wis. Ct. App. 2025). “Rather, Braun challenges the circuit court’s finding that LaCourt-Baker could not 5 We do not address the State’s remaining arguments in support of the legality of the traffic stop, including that Trooper LaCourt-Baker had reasonable suspicion that Braun was violating WIS.”
State v. Kell, 925 N.W.2d 779 (Wis. Ct. App. 2018).
State v. Richard T. Weske (Wis. Ct. App. 2025).
— Wis. Stat. § 341.15(3) — 3 cases
State v. Williams, 2001 WI 21 (Wis. 2001). “04 (prohibits operation of a motor vehicle without registration or pending application for registration); § 341.15(3) (requires display of registration plates).”
State v. Clayton W. Williams, 2014 WI 64 (Wis. 2014). “04 (1) (Count 5), and improper display of license plates contrary to Wis. Stat. § 341.15 (3) (Count 6). On September 28, 2010, the State filed an amended complaint to add a charge for operating a motor vehicle with a prohibited alcohol concentration contrary to Wis.”
State v. Natalie S. Lozano (Wis. Ct. App. 2025). “§ 341.15. Rather, he conducted the traffic stop because he had reasonable suspicion to believe—based on his observation that the paint was no longer visible on portions of two numbers/letters and that the word “truck” designating that the plate was registered as a truck was…”
— Wis. Stat. § 341.15(3)(a) — 2 cases
State v. Griffin, 515 N.W.2d 535 (Wis. Ct. App. 1994). “We conclude that Officer Roots and his partner could reasonably question whether Griffin had regular plates which should have been displayed as required by § 341.15, STATS. Without stopping the vehicle, Officer Roots and his partner had no way of knowing that the application for…”
State v. Glen Michael Braun (Wis. Ct. App. 2025). “Rather, Braun challenges the circuit court’s finding that LaCourt-Baker could not 5 We do not address the State’s remaining arguments in support of the legality of the traffic stop, including that Trooper LaCourt-Baker had reasonable suspicion that Braun was violating WIS.”
— Wis. Stat. § 341.15(3)(b) — 1 case
State v. Natalie S. Lozano (Wis. Ct. App. 2025). “§ 341.15. Rather, he conducted the traffic stop because he had reasonable suspicion to believe—based on his observation that the paint was no longer visible on portions of two numbers/letters and that the word “truck” designating that the plate was registered as a truck was…”
— Wis. Stat. § 341.15(3)(c) — 1 case
State v. Natalie S. Lozano (Wis. Ct. App. 2025). “§ 341.15. Rather, he conducted the traffic stop because he had reasonable suspicion to believe—based on his observation that the paint was no longer visible on portions of two numbers/letters and that the word “truck” designating that the plate was registered as a truck was…”
— Wis. Stat. § 341.15(lm) — 1 case
State v. Boyd, 2012 WI App 39 (Wis. Ct. App. 2012). “Wis. Stat. § 341.15 (1) (2009-10) 1 states that: "[wjhenever 2 registration plates are issued for a vehicle, one plate shall be attached to the front and one to the rear of the vehicle.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the
Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and
treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.