Home / DMV by state / Wisconsin DMV
Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles: Translation Requirements for Documents in Another Language
Yes: Wisconsin DMV accepts certified translations from professional services such as eVerbary.
Who may translate: Not specified; exchanges: Korean, Taiwanese offices
- $24.95 per page
- Usually 24 h for 1–3 pages
- Signed certificate of accuracy, PDF
- See the price before you pay
How we know · policy checked on October 21, 2026
Wisconsin DMV lets tourists and students from countries party to the 1943 or 1949 road traffic conventions drive on their valid home license for up to one year, and advises them to carry an International Driving Permit or attach an English translation to the license.
Wisconsin DMV accepts certified translations from professional services such as eVerbary for that purpose; the page does not say who must translate.
Exchanging a license under Wisconsin's reciprocity agreements is different: the Korean and Taiwanese translations must come from those countries' offices in Chicago.
Wisconsin DMV at a glance
Does it accept eVerbary? Yes
Wisconsin DMV advises foreign visitors to carry an International Driving Permit "or attach an English translation" to their license, without saying who must make it (Driving in Wisconsin with a foreign driver license), so a certified translation from a professional service such as eVerbary meets it. Policy checked on October 21, 2026.
- Translation
- Visitors: IDP or English translation
- Who may translate
- Not specified; exchanges: Korean, Taiwanese offices
- Foreign license
- France, Germany, Korea, Taiwan: tests waived
- Price
- $24.95 per pageUp to 250 words, certification included
- Delivery
- 24 hoursStandard for one to three pages
- Certificate
- SignedCertificate of translation accuracy, PDF
Checked on October 21, 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page. Policies change: confirm on Wisconsin DMV's own page before you submit.
Worth knowing about Wisconsin DMV
IDP or translation
Visitors carry either one with the home license.
One year on a foreign license
For tourists and students from convention countries.
Four reciprocal countries
France, Germany, South Korea and Taiwan; 21+ with 3 years driving.
Wisconsin DMV requirements in detail
Translation
Foreign visitors are advised to obtain an International Driving Permit before arrival or attach an English translation to their national driving license (Driving in Wisconsin with a foreign driver license).
Who may translate
Not specified for visitors (Driving in Wisconsin with a foreign driver license).
For a reciprocity exchange: the Korean Consulate in Chicago for Korean licenses, and an IDP or a notarized translation from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago for Taiwanese licenses (Foreign driver license reciprocity).
Visitors
Tourists from countries party to the 1949 Geneva or 1943 Inter-American convention may drive on a valid home license for up to one year from arrival; students from those countries, aged 16 or older, also for up to one year (Driving in Wisconsin with a foreign driver license).
Reciprocity
France, Germany, South Korea and Taiwan: knowledge and skills tests may be waived for a class D license if you are at least 21, have 3 years of driving experience and an unexpired license (Foreign driver license reciprocity).
Original or copy
Documents presented as proof must be original; photocopies are not accepted (Proof of name and date of birth).
Identity documents
A valid foreign passport with a U.S. visa and I-94, or an adoption, divorce or name change court order under seal for non-REAL ID cards (Proof of name and date of birth, legal status).
Driving in Wisconsin on a foreign license
Wisconsin applies the international road traffic conventions: if your country is party to the 1949 Geneva convention or the 1943 Inter-American convention, you can drive a personal or rental car on your valid home license for up to one year as a tourist; students attending school in the U.S. also get one year, after which they meet the same requirements as a Wisconsin resident.
Visitors from other countries may need a Wisconsin license on arrival.
The DMV page lists the convention countries; Brazil and Uruguay are marked as honoring the Inter-American permit only (Driving in Wisconsin with a foreign driver license).
Because a license in another language can be hard to read in an emergency, such as a traffic stop or an accident, the DMV advises carrying an International Driving Permit from your home country or an English translation attached to the license.
The permit can only be issued in your home country before you travel; a certified translation can be ordered from the U.S. at any time and is carried with the original license (Driving in Wisconsin with a foreign driver license).
Exchange under reciprocity, and its stricter translation rule
Licenses from France, Germany, South Korea and Taiwan can be exchanged for a Wisconsin class D license without the knowledge and skills tests.
French licenses are verified through the French Consulate in Chicago, at the applicant's expense, before the license is issued.
Korean licenses need an English translation produced and certified by the Korean Consulate in Chicago, unless the card was issued after September 16, 2019 and has English on the back.
Taiwanese licenses need an International Driving Permit or a notarized translation issued by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago (Foreign driver license reciprocity).
So for those two exchanges a translation from eVerbary is not the document Wisconsin asks for. It remains useful for driving as a visitor before you apply, and for identity or name change documents in another language.
Need a certified translation for Wisconsin DMV?
$24.95 per page of up to 250 words, certification included, usually within 24 hours for one to three pages. See the price before you pay.
Documents people usually translate
- Foreign driver's licenses, front and back, for visitors driving in Wisconsin
- Foreign marriage certificates and divorce decrees
- Foreign court orders for adoption or a name change
- Foreign national ID cards
What an eVerbary translation includes
- A complete English translation of every page, stamps, seals and handwritten notes included, laid out like the original so each line can be matched.
- A signed certificate of translation accuracy on letterhead, with our contact details, delivered as a PDF you can upload or print.
- $24.95 per page of up to 250 words, certification included; 24 hours for one to three pages as standard. Regular clients who need it can get delivery in as little as 30 minutes, on request.
- Notarization added at checkout ($34.90 per order) when the office asks for a notarized translation.
Submitting the translation to Wisconsin DMV
A visitor keeps the English translation with the original license while driving (Driving in Wisconsin with a foreign driver license).
For a license or ID card, bring original documents to a DMV customer service center; photocopies are not accepted and questionable documents may require additional review (Proof of name and date of birth).
What we do not do
eVerbary translates documents; it is not the DMV and does not issue licenses, International Driving Permits or REAL ID decisions.
For Wisconsin DMV that means we translate your license or documents; we do not issue International Driving Permits, and the consulate translations required for Korean and Taiwanese license exchanges come from those offices.
How to order
- Scan or photograph every page of the document, front and back, including any stamps on the reverse.
- Upload it, choose the language and "certified", and see the price before paying.
- Receive the PDF, usually within 24 hours for one to three pages, and submit it with the copy of the original wherever the office asks for it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a translation of my foreign license to drive in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin DMV advises visitors to carry an International Driving Permit or attach an English translation to their license (Driving in Wisconsin with a foreign driver license).
How long can I drive in Wisconsin on a foreign license?
Up to one year from arrival for tourists and students from countries party to the 1943 or 1949 conventions (Driving in Wisconsin with a foreign driver license).
Which countries can exchange a license without tests?
France, Germany, South Korea and Taiwan, for applicants at least 21 with 3 years of driving experience and an unexpired license (Foreign driver license reciprocity).
Can eVerbary translate my Korean license for the exchange?
Not for the exchange: Wisconsin asks for a translation produced and certified by the Korean Consulate in Chicago, unless the card has English on the back (Foreign driver license reciprocity).
Does Wisconsin accept photocopies?
No. Documents presented as proof must be original (Proof of name and date of birth).
Sources
Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles's own pages, read on October 21, 2026.
Translating documents for Wisconsin DMV?
Upload a scan of your license or certificate and see the price and delivery time before you pay.