Moving to Wisconsin, question about vehicle licensing

[wakingtowinter]

So I'm finally moving back to the midwest. I got a job in northern WI and at the end of March I'm going to be packing up whatever I haven't sold/given away/thrown away into my truck and driving out there. I am curious if anybody can tell me if it really matters in what state I register my vehicle. I am a Michigan resident and my parents and grandparents live in Michigan, so I will be in the Detroit area a few times a year, but the rest of the time I will be in WI. As far as I know, I am free to license the vehicle in either state. Is this true? And would there be any advantage to having it licensed in one state vs. the other? From a vehicle laws standpoint or an insurance standpoint or anything else?

 

[srteach]

It depends on the state laws. In some states, you must register in state if you live there more than XX days, others you register if you have property ownership or live there. I would try to register wherever is cheapest (total cost includes insurance), but only if I met the requirements of that state.

I have uncles who reside in California and Washington but register their vehicles in Idaho (cheaper, lower insurance, and no smog laws).

 

[Mac]

Did a little checking and really kind of vague if you still retain your Mich status as a resident there. If you are going to buy property here, that's a different matter unless you call it your "Summer" home. Plates here run $70 I believe. Where you moving to up Nord?
Dave of the Nord

 

[Surrey]

I know this doesn't help much, but up here in BC, Canada, if you register a car out of one place, and use it as a daily driver in another, you can have your insurance voided if you get in an accident.

Here, insurance rates change depending on where you live, and only certain areas have AirCare (emissions standards)

I used to insure my vehicles out of Kelowna (a city about 500 km away) and live in Greater Vancouver, to avoid AirCare and get cheaper insurance rates, but then I got in an accident, and had I not lied my ass off, and said I had only been driving the car for 2 weeks in Vancouver. (more like 15 months... lol) If I had been driving the car for over 30 days in Vancouver, they would have dropped my insurance, and then launched an investigation for insurance fraud.

Again, I dont know how much this will help, because all of our insurance is run by a government company here.

 

[bttlscrs00x]

Your best bet would be going to DMV sites of both states and comparing, honestly. If you were talking IL, I could help but I'd still be looking at the DMV site while posting, so I wouldn't give incorrect info.

 

[wakingtowinter]

Did a little checking and really kind of vague if you still retain your Mich status as a resident there. If you are going to buy property here, that's a different matter unless you call it your "Summer" home. Plates here run $70 I believe. Where you moving to up Nord?
Dave of the Nord

I'm moving to Three Lakes. I don't think I'll be buying property for another few years but when I do it will be in Michigan. Can I register a vehicle in Wisconsin as a Michigan resident? I did a little bit of investigation so far and I wouldn't have to pass emissions either way so that's good.

 

[LIMA BEAN]

I'm moving to Three Lakes. I don't think I'll be buying property for another few years but when I do it will be in Michigan. Can I register a vehicle in Wisconsin as a Michigan resident? I did a little bit of investigation so far and I wouldn't have to pass emissions either way so that's good.

You can register anywhere you want if you have a physical address listed like a relative or friend but if they find out you dont really live there they may waterboard you.

 

[wakingtowinter]

You can register anywhere you want if you have a physical address listed like a relative or friend but if they find out you dont really live there they may waterboard you.

haha, I'll try to avoid getting waterboarded if I can

 

[74duster318]

I think it is based on your residency. If you move here and get an apartment or home, and are here longer than a certain amount of time (like 90 days maybe?), you're considered a resident...and have to change your plates/registration/title and your DL.

Now, depending on where you are in Northern WI, you could probably get by without changing any of it. You'd probably get a warning at most, as long as everything is current. Not saying you should do that, but most areas up north are very lax in those departments.

 

[wakingtowinter]

Is that just a WI thing or something? Because I've lived in WA for three years as a MI resident (for school) renting places, owning vehicles etc., and I've had no problem. Come to think of it though, I did get pulled over a couple of months ago for lift law BS and the officer did question me about my residency.

 

[88SXT]

im active military so i can register my vehicle anywhere im stationed as well as MI bc thats my home of record.

as far as the vehicle regulation laws, it depend on the state, most states laws only apply to vehicles registered there,.... for example, i can drive my truck in MI even tho it violates a few different laws in that state bc bc my truck is registed in SC (tax free, easier to get to the DMV for regestration issues) bc MI's laws only apply to vehicles registered there (iirc)

BUT some states (such as SC) word their vehicle regulation laws to apply to all vehicles TRAVELING THROUGH that state.

i would look into the laws of both states and figure out which one best suits your needs/ wants

 

[Mac]

I think you might have touched on one of the main points, that of going to school out there and being able to keep you Mich plates. Same here in the big (?) college town, seen cars with Hawaii plates on them. Like Duster said, up there they see Mi plates all the time, lots coming over to work and pretty lax. Sring is coming soom but a little dusting called for today.
Dave of the Nord

 

[DRanger024]

My sister moved back to Wisco from Idaho like 4 years ago and kept her Idaho plates/drivers license for almost 2 years with no problem. We were renting a duplex together as well and there was never a concern. She eventually got her Wisconsin plates/license because she hated dealing with the hassle of renewing her registration in a state thats a thousand whatever miles away.


Just sayin... And not to mention Three Lakes is frickin tiny anyways. The odds of getting pulled over during the 4 minute drive through town has to be like 1 in 6,000,000,000,000 haha!