Wisconsin Farm Plates

Anonymous-0 · Nov 13, 2009

Thinking about getting farm plates for a new truck i am looking at. Have any of you part time farmers been hasseled by the cops in wisconisn if you are caught driving for work or on some other occasion that has nothing to do with farming?? Just wondering how strict the dairy state is on farm plates now since they dont offer dual purpose anymore?

IaGary · Nov 13, 2009

Another comment that is gonna get me in trouble.

Show me one farm truck that is 100% all farm use.

Here in Iowa there are no farm plates, all regular plates.

dieseldoc · Nov 13, 2009

I have 4 trucks that are 100% farm use.I live in iowa so they have regular plates.

just another old geezer · Nov 13, 2009

to qualify for Wisconsin farm plates you can not have an outside job. if you do you need to get dual pourpose farm plates. if you are just a farmer, you have the right to use the truck all you want with 2 exceptions. 1. can not loan the truck to non-family members for non- farm uses. 2 can not hire out for non farm use ( move someone furnature for example). ( but you can do it for free). other than that you can use farm plates all you want, IF YOU ARE ONLY A FARMER. I pull a fifth wheel camper on vacation all over the U.S.A. with no problems. I have seen over zelous troopers give out tickets (someone helped move a daughters stuff to college, another let his kids drive the truck to high school) nether ticket stood up in court.

Thresherman · Nov 13, 2009

I have farm plates and am not a full time farmer. WI farm plates are for exclusive use of the vehicle in a farming operation, no ifs, and's or but's. There is an out of state mileage restriction also. As far as it goes, most cops are not bad. You may have some issues if you use it all your travels, or if it is the only vehicle registered to you. They offer a dual purpose plate for what it sounds like you want. Where as farm plates are 2 year plates for a cheaper price(12,000lbs limit), a dual purpose plate is a single year plate, the same price as an 8,000lb plate, but will give you 12,000lb limit for farm hauling. It has no other restrictions that I know.

Just my 2cents, as someone will probably tell me I don't know what I am talking about.

fixerupper · Nov 13, 2009

In Iowa we do have 'special' plates. They have the work special on them but to be honest I really don't know all the rules about them. My one pickup has special plates because it used to be a service truck for farming. I took the fuel tank and tool boxes off it now so it's a plain old flat bed so I probably need to get the licence changed. I've seen plain old pickups parked in town with 'special' on the license and they are used for daily drivers. Maybe they pull a livestock trailer? Jim

Bill(Wis) · Nov 13, 2009

Motor Vehicle registration regs are published on the Wisconsin website. What actually happens varies. Neighbor's son got cited by State Trooper about five counties west of here. Probably because he was a kid a long way from home. He actually was scouting out some farm equipment that was for sale for his dad who didn't have the time to go himself. They got the venue moved to the local county court and were prepared to prove their case. State Trooper didn't show up. Judge dismissed the case.

Don-Wi · Nov 13, 2009

Technically, no, you're not supposed to use a farm truck for anything other than farm. That said, My truck is still in my Dad's name and he put farm plates on them a couple years ago. Since then he put them on his truck as well. Right now he doesn't work off the farm but he always used to.

Plenty of kids drove the farm trucks to school. The local pigs would always huff & puff & b!tch about it, but I don;t theink they ever actually gave tickets. If they did, they were dismissed in court because the kid still needs to go to school, so in the grand scheme not that important to the judge if he drove the farm truck to get there.

It'd be pretty hard for the cop to prove you weren't doing something farm related. I think the only "restriction" is being within a certain radius of the farm.

Donovan from Wisconsin

Bill(Wis) · Nov 14, 2009

Wisconsin Motor Vehicle Laws ref: 341.045 covers registration of trucks for farm use. Read it to see if it is applicable to your intent.

BenRauls · Nov 14, 2009

Inwisconsin you dont have to qualify for anything. i have farm plates, all i have is 15 acres of grass, never even questioned me when i got them.

Fordfarmer · Nov 14, 2009

Dual purpose plate is no longer offered. I had that on my old truck; replaced the truck last year, and had to get different plates. My understading is you can't drive that vehicle to an off-farm job with farm plates. No cops have ever bothered any of the farmers who drive their farm-plated trucks to church (myself included on occasion), even with a couple of officers in the congregation.

greygoat · Nov 16, 2009

The Wisconsin State Patrol has been known to
cruise the parking lots of local businness in
LaCrosse WI, such as the Brewery, Trane Company,
and note vehicles with farm plate, in the morning.
Then come back in the afternoon, and if that
truck has been parked there all day--issue a
ticket.

Wisconsin Farm Plates

Anonymous-0

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IaGary

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dieseldoc

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just another old geezer

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Thresherman

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fixerupper

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Bill(Wis)

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Don-Wi

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Bill(Wis)

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BenRauls

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Fordfarmer

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