Wisconsin drivers will soon have two new license plate options to choose from, including a nostalgic return to the state's iconic yellow plates from the 1970s.
Watch: Wisconsin brings back retro yellow license plates alongside new blackout design
Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) unveiled the new designs Tuesday: a sleek blackout plate with white text and a "retro butter" yellow plate with black text that pays homage to Wisconsin's heritage as America’s Dairyland.
The retro butter yellow design offers a modern take on the yellow license plates that were popular in the 1970s before being phased out. The new blackout plate provides a contemporary look, which Evers says drivers have been requesting.
“These new specialty plates are a win-win for Wisconsin,” Gov. Evers said. “They not only meet long-standing demand for new plate designs Wisconsinites can choose from, but will also provide new, ongoing resources so we can continue working to fix the darn roads across our state.”
The governor allocated $5.5 million in funding for the plates in the bipartisan 2025-27 biennial budget. The new plates are projected to generate more than $25 million for the state's transportation fund within the first three years, according to Evers.
WisDOT estimates that more than 500,000 blackout plates could be on Wisconsin roads within three years.
“Both plates embody a special sense of Wisconsin style, and I look forward to seeing them out on our roads," Evers said.
The plates will become available in early January 2026. Blackout plates will begin with the sequence ZAA 1001, while retro plates will start with YAA 1001.
Both plate options require a one-time $15 issuance fee plus a $25 annual registration fee.
Drivers can order them online, at most DMV locations, through participating dealers, third-party vendors that stock Wisconsin plates, or via the DMV's web app.
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