341.307 Optional vehicle fleet registration.

(1) The owner of a fleet of vehicles, of a fleet size determined by the department by rule, may register the vehicles for a 3-year period under this section if all of the vehicles are any of the following:

(a) An automobile.

(b) A motor truck which has a gross weight of not more than 8,000 pounds.

(c) A commercial motor vehicle operated solely in intrastate commerce that has a maximum gross weight of less than 55,000 pounds.

(2) The registration of vehicles under this section shall be valid for a 3-year period. Upon receipt of an application and the initial registration fees under sub. (4), the department shall issue registration plates, insert tags, or decals for all of the vehicles in the fleet, with each vehicle having the same registration expiration date. A vehicle may be registered as part of a fleet under this section regardless of whether, at the time of application for the initial registration of the fleet, the vehicle is currently registered with the department.

(3) After the initial registration of a fleet of vehicles under this section, the owner of the vehicles may register additional vehicles added to the fleet. The registration of vehicles added to the fleet during the 3-year registration period shall expire on the expiration date of the original fleet registration.

(4)

(a) Subject to pars. (b) to (d), the fleet owner shall pay a registration fee for each vehicle registered under this section in an amount equal to 3 times the applicable fee prescribed for the vehicle in s. 341.25 or 341.26.

(b) If a vehicle that is being initially registered as part of a vehicle fleet under this section has more than one month remaining in its current registration period, the department shall prorate the fee under par. (a) to account for the unexpired portion of the vehicle's current registration period.

(c) For any vehicle added to the fleet after initial registration as provided in sub. (3), the department shall prorate the fee under par. (a) according to the remaining number of months in the fleet's current registration period.

(d) After the initial registration of a fleet of vehicles, if the applicable registration fee prescribed in s. 341.25 or 341.26 for any vehicle in the fleet increases and at least one year remains in the current registration period for the fleet at the time this increase takes effect, the department may require the owner to pay additional registration fees for the vehicle corresponding to the increase. The department shall calculate these additional registration fees based upon the amount of the increase multiplied by the number of full years remaining in the fleet's current registration period. Any fees received by the department under authority of this paragraph shall be considered to be received under par. (a).

(e) After the initial registration of a fleet of vehicles, if the owner withdraws any vehicle from the fleet during the vehicle's registration period, the department shall refund to the owner the unused portion of the fee under par. (a) calculated according to the number of calendar quarters remaining in the vehicle's registration period. This paragraph applies only if at least one year remains in the current registration period at the time the owner notifies the department that the vehicle is withdrawn from the fleet.

(f) In addition to the fee under par. (a), if the vehicle being registered under this section is subject to a fee under s. 341.35, the department shall collect and remit that fee, as provided under s. 341.35 (6), in an amount sufficient to cover the vehicle's entire registration period under this section.

(5) The provisions of this section apply notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter related to the period or fees applicable to vehicle registration.

(6) The department shall promulgate rules specifying the minimum number of vehicles that must be in a fleet for the fleet to be eligible for registration under this section and establishing procedures for the registration of vehicle fleets under this section, including provisions imposing any restrictions that the department determines to be appropriate and any provisions deemed necessary for vehicles that require inspection under s. 110.20 (6).

History: 2009 a. 28.