Wisconsin Code § 114.20

Aircraft registration
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(1) REGISTRATION REQUIRED. (a) Except as provided under sub. (2), all aircraft based
in this state shall be registered by the owner of the aircraft with
the department annually on or before November 1 or, for aircraft
with a maximum gross weight of not more than 3,000 pounds that
are not subject to sub. (10), biennially on or before the first November 1. Annual registration fees shall be determined in accordance with sub. (9) or (10). Biennial registration fees shall be determined in accordance with sub. (9m).
(b) Aircraft determined by the department to be based in this
state shall be subject to the annual or biennial registration fees under sub. (9) or (9m). Aircraft which are determined to be not
based in this state shall be exempt from the annual or biennial
registration fees.
(c) An aircraft is presumed to be based in this state if it is kept
in the state for a period of 30 consecutive days or for a cumulative
period of 60 days in any calendar year. An aircraft is not based in
this state if it is brought into the state solely for the purpose of repair, maintenance or restoration.
(2) EXCEPTIONS TO REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS. The registration requirements under sub. (1) do not apply to aircraft
based in this state that are:
(a) Aircraft, as defined in s. 76.02 (1);
(b) Antique aircraft registered under sub. (6);
(d) Museum aircraft designated under sub. (4);
(e) Unairworthy aircraft designated under sub. (5);
(f) Amateur built aircraft registered under sub. (8); or
(g) Ultralight aircraft as defined in s. 114.195 (1).
(3) FEES IN LIEU OF PROPERTY TAXES. Fees paid on aircraft
under this section are in lieu of general property taxes.
(4) MUSEUM AIRCRAFT. Any museum desiring to designate
aircraft as museum aircraft shall, on or before November 1 of
each year, submit to the department an inventory of all aircraft
held by the museum for display or other museum purposes. The
inventory shall identify the owner of the aircraft and whether it is
being held by the museum under loan or other arrangements. The
aircraft designated as museum aircraft are exempt from registration under this section during the time they are owned or held by
the museum for display or other museum purposes and are not
flown for any purpose except to and from displays. The museum
shall promptly notify the department of any additions or deletions
to the annual inventory of designated museum aircraft.
(5) UNAIRWORTHY AIRCRAFT. Any person desiring to have
an aircraft designated as an unairworthy aircraft may apply to the
department in the manner the department prescribes. No application may be acted upon unless all information requested is supplied. Upon receipt of an application and a registration fee to be
established by rule and after determining from the facts submitted and investigation that the aircraft qualifies as an unairworthy
aircraft, the department shall issue an unairworthy aircraft certificate. The certificate shall expire upon transfer of ownership or
restoration. An aircraft is presumed restored if it is capable of operation. The annual or biennial registration fee is due on the date
of restoration. Operation of the aircraft is conclusive evidence of
restoration. A late payment charge to be established by rule shall
be assessed on all applications filed later than 30 days after the
date of restoration.
(6) ANTIQUE AIRCRAFT. Any antique aircraft may be registered upon receipt of the proper application and payment of a $50
registration fee. The registration remains effective without payment of an additional fee while the aircraft is owned by the
registrant.
(8) AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT. Any amateur built aircraft
may be registered upon receipt of the proper application and payment of a $50 registration fee. The registration remains effective
without payment of an additional fee while the aircraft is owned
by the registrant.
(9) ANNUAL REGISTRATION FEES. Except as provided in sub.
(10), the owner of an aircraft subject to the annual registration requirements under sub. (1) shall pay an annual registration fee established in accordance with the following gross weight schedule:
[Maximum gross weight in pounds]
[Annual fee]
(d) Not more than 3,500
$ 70
(e) Not more than 4,000
95
(f) Not more than 5,000
135
(g) Not more than 6,000
190
(h) Not more than 7,000
240

(i) Not more than 8,000
300
(j) Not more than 9,000
375
(k) Not more than 10,000
525
(L) Not more than 11,000
690
(m) Not more than 12,500
940
(n) Not more than 15,000
1,125
(o) Not more than 20,000
1,310
(p) Not more than 25,000
1,500
(q) Not more than 30,000
1,690
(r) Not more than 35,000
1,875
(s) Not more than 40,000
2,190
(t) Not more than 100,000
2,500
(u) More than 100,000
3,125
(9m) BIENNIAL REGISTRATION FEES. Except as provided in
sub. (10), the owner of an aircraft subject to the biennial registration requirements under sub. (1) shall pay a biennial registration
fee established in accordance with the following gross weight
schedule:
[Maximum gross weight in pounds]
[Biennial fee]
(a) Not more than 2,000
$ 60
(b) Not more than 2,500
78
(c) Not more than 3,000
100
(10) MUNICIPAL AND CIVIL AIR PATROL AIRCRAFT. Aircraft
owned and operated exclusively in the public service by this state,
by any county or municipality or by the civil air patrol shall be
registered annually on or before November 1, by the department
upon receipt of the proper application accompanied by payment
of $5 for each aircraft.
(11) ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION; DISPLAY
OF CERTIFICATE; REFUNDS. Upon payment of a registration fee or
transfer of registration fee, the department shall issue evidence of
registration which shall be displayed at all times in the manner
prescribed by the department. A refund may be made for aircraft
registration fees paid in error as determined by the department.
(12) INITIAL REGISTRATION. For new aircraft, aircraft not
previously registered in this state or unregistered aircraft for
which annual registration is required under sub. (9), the fee for
the initial year of registration shall be computed from the date of
purchase, restoration, completed construction or entry of the aircraft into this state on the basis of one-twelfth of the registration
fee specified in sub. (9) multiplied by the remaining number of
months in the current registration year which are not fully expired. For new aircraft, aircraft not previously registered in this
state or unregistered aircraft for which biennial registration is required under sub. (9m), the fee for the initial 2-year period of registration shall be computed from the date of purchase, restoration,
completed construction or entry of the aircraft into this state on
the basis of one twenty-fourth of the registration fee specified in
sub. (9m) multiplied by the remaining number of months in the
current 2-year registration period which are not fully expired.
Application for registration shall be filed within 30 days from the
date of purchase, restoration, completed construction or entry of
the aircraft into this state and if filed after that date an additional
administrative fee of $5 shall be charged. If the date of purchase,
restoration, completed construction or entry into this state is not
provided by the applicant, the full annual or biennial registration
fee provided in sub. (9) or (9m) shall be charged for registering
the aircraft.
(13) LATE PAYMENT CHARGES. (b) 1. If an annual or biennial registration fee is not paid by November 1, from November 2
to the following April 30, the department shall add a late payment
charge of $50 or 10 percent of the amount specified for the registration under sub. (9), (9m) or (10), whichever is greater, to the
fee.
2. If an annual or biennial registration fee is not paid by the
following April 30, from May 1 to October 31 or, for a biennial
registration, the end of the biennial period, the department shall
add a late payment charge of $50 or 20 percent of the amount
specified for the registration under sub. (9), (9m) or (10), whichever is greater, to the fee.
4. Late payment charges under this paragraph are not
cumulative.
5. This paragraph applies after October 31, 1995.
(14) LOST OR DESTROYED REGISTRATION CERTIFICATES.
Upon satisfactory proof of the loss or destruction of the registration certificate, the department shall issue a duplicate to the
owner upon payment of a fee of $1.50.
(15) LIEN ON AIRCRAFT FOR FEES DUE AND OWING. (a) In addition to all existing remedies afforded by civil and criminal law,
upon complaint of the department the fees, interest and late filing
charges specified in this section shall be and will continue to be a
lien against the aircraft for which the fees are payable until such
time as the fees, along with any accrued charges or interest, are
paid.
(b) The lien against the aircraft for the original registration fee
shall attach at the time the fee is first payable, the lien for all renewals of annual registration shall attach on November 1 of each
year thereafter and the lien for all renewals of biennial registration shall attach on the first November of the registration period
and every 2 years thereafter.
(17) SALE OF REGISTERED AIRCRAFT. An aircraft which is
registered in this state and sold within this state shall be transferred to the name of the purchaser upon application by the purchaser and upon payment of a $5 fee to the department. Application for transfer of registration shall be filed on the date of purchase. An additional administrative fee of $10 shall be charged
on all applications filed later than 30 days after the purchase date.
(18) PENALTIES. (a) Any person who fails to register an aircraft in accordance with this section shall be required to forfeit
not more than $500.
(b) Any person who sells or otherwise transfers an interest in
an aircraft for which a certificate of registration is required under
this section, or causes or authorizes to be operated an aircraft
which that person owns in whole or in part or has a leasehold or
equivalent interest and for which a certificate of registration is required by this section, without a certificate having been issued or
an application for a certificate having been filed with the department, shall be required to forfeit not more than $500.
(c) Any person who knowingly makes a false statement in any
application or in any other document required to be filed with the
department or who knowingly foregoes the submission of any ap-

plication, document, or any registration certificate or transfer is
guilty of a Class H felony.
(d) In addition to imposing the penalty under par. (a), (b) or
(c), the court shall order the offender to make application for registration or reregistration and to pay the required registration fee
and any applicable late payment charges and administrative fees.
(19) COLLECTION OF FEES. In addition to any other remedies
of law, the department may collect the fees, interest and late filing
charges specified in this section in a proceeding before the division of hearings and appeals. An order of the division of hearings
and appeals which specifies the amount to be paid to the department shall be of the same effect as a judgment for purposes of execution under ch. 815. The institution of a proceeding for review
under s. 227.52 shall stay enforcement of the division of hearings
and appeals order.

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