Vehicle Registration Fee Information

The City of Ripon adopted a Motor Vehicle Registration Fee (“Wheel Tax”) under City Code Chapter 15.45 to provide a dedicated local funding source for street maintenance and repair. The ordinance establishes a $25 annual vehicle registration fee on applicable vehicles registered/kept in the City of Ripon. The fee is collected by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation/DMV as part of vehicle registration renewal, and the revenue is deposited into a segregated fund that is restricted solely for transportation purposes, specifically road repair, reconstruction, resurfacing, and maintenance.

The City’s Vehicle Registration Fee began being collected for April 2025 vehicle registrations, and the City anticipates using these revenues to support roadway projects beginning in 2026, reducing reliance on property tax levy and special assessments for street infrastructure needs.