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Celebrate Children license plates

Drive home the message that you care about Wisconsin's children.

The Celebrate Children Foundation recognizes the critical importance of a child's earliest window of development from birth to age five. The Foundation works to support statewide efforts and direct investments to effective early childhood programs and initiatives. Learn more at Celebrate Children Foundation.

Simply by purchasing Celebrate Children license plates, you make a permanent contribution to young children in Wisconsin. Your annual support helps foster vibrant and engaging early learning opportunities – the kinds of experiences that prepare children for success in school and beyond!

Things you should know:

• Celebrate Children license plates can feature regular numbers or a personalized message.
• A $25 annual donation supports the Celebrate Children Foundation. The donation may be deductible if you itemize your income tax returns.
• A $15 fee is required when non-personalized Celebrate Children plates are issued or reissued.
• A $15 fee is required EACH year in addition to the regular annual registration fee and donation for personalized plates.
• The following vehicles qualify for Celebrate Children license plates:
  • 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
• For more information, visit personalized and special plates FAQs.

How to apply:

Local DMV customer service centers do not have Celebrate Children license plates for immediate issue, but can process applications and the plates will be mailed. To apply for Celebrate Children license plates by mail, please 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 (817 KB).
   • A $15 issuance or personalized plate fee.
   • A $25 Celebrate Children donation. The donation may be 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 (684 KB) or MV11 through the dealer and fees, including the annual registration fee.
   • The Certificate of title assigned to you.
   • A $15 issuance or personalized plate fee.
   • A $25 Celebrate Children donation. The donation may be 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

• Personalizing your Celebrate Children license plates is optional.
• A $15 personalized plate fee is required each year in addition to the regular annual registration fee.
• Visit Personalized Plate Lookup to find out if your choice for a personalized license plate is available.
• No refund or adjustment will be made for a change of choice or spacing after the plates are ordered or if the application is incorrectly or unclearly completed.
• WisDOT may refuse to issue, OR or may recall after issuance, a request that is misleading or may be offensive to good taste or decency, misleading or conflicts with any other license plate.
• 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 $25 donation is required. Because personalized plates cannot be duplicated, your message may not be available. Please see the Special Plates Unit contact information below to check availability of choices.
• After you receive the Certificate of Registration, allow 4-6 weeks for the manufacturing and mailing process before the plates arrive.

New design available October 2010

Applications processed on October 25 or later will receive a new version of the Celebrate Children plates. If you currently have the old Celebrate Children license plates you may continue to use them if the registration is valid and the plates are in good condition. If you wish to exchange them for the new design, complete form MV2118 and mail it with $12 replacement plate fee. If your old Celebrate Children plates are illegible, please contact the Special Plates Unit for replacement information (see contact information below).

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 plate fee and/or service 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 mailing lists of 10 or more individuals, complete the "release of nonexempt information" portion on form MV2899.

If you have questions:

• E-mail: special-plates.dmv@dot.wi.gov
• 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.

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Questions about the content of this page:
Special Plate Unit, special-plates.dmv@dot.wi.gov
Last modified: July 12, 2011