Section 114.20. Aircraft registration.

 

(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 application, 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.

1977 c. 29 ss. 1061 , 1062 , 1654 (5) ; 1977 c. 273 ; 1981 c. 20 ; 1981 c. 347 s. 80 (4) ; 1981 c. 391 ; 1983 a. 27 , 151 ; 1985 a. 29 s. 3202 (51) ; 1985 a. 182 s. 57 ; 1989 a. 31 , 56 , 359 ; 1991 a. 315 ; 1993 a. 16 ; 1995 a. 113 ; 1997 a. 35 , 283 ; 1999 a. 9 ; 2001 a. 109 .