Salvage Vehicle Inspection

Salvage Vehicle Inspections

When a vehicle is branded salvage due to hail damage, motor vehicle crash, flood damage, etc., the State of Wisconsin requires that the owner of the vehicle have the vehicle inspected by a certified law enforcement inspector in order for it to be registered in the state.  The Stanley Police Department has staff that are certified through the Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles to conduct salvage vehicle inspections and do so weekly throughout the year on site at the police department. Please contact our office to schedule an inspection at (715) 644-2902.

Pre-Requisites

There are multiple pre-requisites required before we can inspect your salvaged-branded motor vehicle. The following is a list of all items that must be present prior to a salvage vehicle being inspected by the Stanley Police Department. Please understand, each item must be as stated below or an inspection will not take place. For reference, please click here for information as provided by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

  1. Wisconsin salvage Certificate of Title in the owner's name or Confirmation of Ownership document.  A Wisconsin Auto Dealer may present a Wisconsin Certificate of Title in the name of another person who has properly assigned the title to the applicant.  (Must have a Wisconsin Title in order to schedule an inspection)
  2. Competed MV-1 (non-dealers) or MV-11 (dealers) form; fee section can be left blank as it will be completed by the inspector.  (Note: The state does offer a "fast title service" for all customers at an additional cost of $4.00.  Generally speaking, this feature allows for your title to be processed and mailed back to you within approximately ten (10) business day from the date of inspection.)
  3. Completed Affidavit of Major Parts Form (MV2673).  Please include ONLY part types that are listed under the "part type" on the form or any other part (not already provided on the list) that exceeds $500 in value. *The original bill(s) of sale / receipt(s) received by the applicant for each major part of the vehicle that has been replaced containing a description of the transaction including:
      • The name of the major part.
      • The model year, make and identification number of the vehicle from which the major part(s) was/were obtained.
      • The date of the transaction.
      • The signature of the person selling or disposing of the major part.
      • The name of the customer.
      • The amount paid for the major part.

    * Note:  If the vehicle from which a major part was obtained is not known or determinable by the seller, the bill of sale shall identify the seller and state that the source is unknown.
    If the Wisconsin title holder of a vehicle that is to be inspected is unable to be present at the time of the scheduled inspection, the "Agent Assignment" fields must be completed and signed (by the title holder) on the bottom of the Affidavit of Major Parts form.  By doing so, it will allow for the specific designee to be present and sign all necessary paperwork on behalf of the title holder at the time of inspection.

  4. Four (4) legible pictures of the salvage vehicle taken prior to any repair or restoration, clearly showing the damage to the vehicle.  There shall be one (1) straight-on picture, each of the front, back, driver's side and passenger's side for a total of four (4) pictures.
  5. Proof of air bag system diagnostic check as well as proof that a 4-wheel vehicle alignment has been conducted (DOT form MV2859).  If these services were deemed unnecessary due to the nature of the vehicle damage, you will need to complete this form.  If an alignment and/or air bag diagnostic were required as part of the vehicle repairs, you WILL NOT complete this form but would instead be required to provide proof via receipt or other means of these services having been completed by a certified mechanic.
  6. Two separate payments will be required for an inspection: one for the inspection and any registration related fees that may apply and a second for our site fee. The fee amount for the inspection will vary depending on your situation and therefore will be calculated/provided at the time of inspection.  Please note: we are able to accept cash payment for the site fee if you choose however the inspection and any applicable registration fees are mailed to the state and therefore will need to be in the form of a check or money order.  If optioning for they money order option, we will provide you the fee total at the time of inspection and a money order can be obtained locally at the time of inspection.

If the aforementioned items are not completed and made available to the inspector at the time of your scheduled inspection, please understand that the inspection will not take place and you will have to reschedule for another day.  We do not want to waste your time by having you travel here only to be told that you will need to reschedule so please ensure you are prepared.

We have provided access above to the required inspection paperwork.  Please utilize the information provided to help ensure your inspection can be completed at the time of your appointment.  Scheduled appointments that result in a no-call / no-show or cancellation within 24 hours of the appointment by the customer will result in a fee of $35 per occurrence.  In addition, if a vehicle fails inspection OR if a customer has paperwork that is incomplete/missing at the time of their scheduled inspection, an imposed fee of $35 will be applied.  Lastly, appointments needing to be rescheduled due to a failed inspection will result in a reinspection fee of $35.

We are happy to ensure that you are fully prepared with your paperwork in advance of your inspection appointment by answering your questions via telephone or by providing in-person assistance at the Stanley Police Department.  If assistance is needed for any reason, we request that you make these necessary arrangements with one of our inspectors at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled appointment by contacting (715) 644-2902.

For your convenience, please find the vehicle inspection certification form MV4060 – cars, trucks, trailers, and campers or MV4061 – motorcycles; these documents detail the equipment checklist pertaining to an inspection.  It is expected that these items will all be satisfactory and in proper working order at the time of inspection.

Some common issues that we come across while conducting salvage vehicle inspections that result in a failed inspection include but are not limited to excessive window tinting Trans 305.32, cracked/defective windshield Trans 305.34, tread depth/width of tires Trans 305.30, inoperable parking brake, defective windshield wipers/no washer fluid, battery unsecured, defective brake light/turn signal/headlight/high beam, and inoperable horn.  We bring these to your attention in the hopes that you do not overlook these items that will result in a failed inspection.

Inspections take place at the Stanley Police Department, 353 South Broadway Street, Stanley, WI.  

Check the status of your Title Transfer with the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Other inspections sites.