Did you get a new Wisconsin electric vehicle sticker in the mail? Here's why.

If you own an electric or hybrid vehicle in Wisconsin, you should expect to get new orange-and-black registration stickers in the mail by June. You might have even gotten them already.

Those stickers became a requirement as part of the state's latest two-year budget. In February, the state Department of Transportation announced it would begin sending out the stickers.

The law was created to help first responders identify if an electric vehicle is involved in an emergency situation. The batteries in those vehicles can pose risks like electric shock.

Here's what to know about the new stickers, where you should put them on your license plate and why they were created:

Where should I put the new electric vehicle stickers?

The DOT says you should place your stickers on the upper right corner of each plate, just to the right of the bolt holes. That's if you have a standard-sized plate, like for a typical car or light truck.

A sticker should be attached to both the front and rear plates, as required by the new state law.

When will I get the new electric vehicle stickers?

Anyone with a current, valid registration of an electric or hybrid vehicle will be sent stickers automatically, so you don't need to contact the Department of Motor Vehicles. You should get those stickers in the mail by June.

Starting this summer, anyone who applies for a title and registration for a new electric or hybrid car will get stickers with their new plates.

Does the electric vehicle sticker cost anything?

No. While the Republican-authored version of the state budget included a one-time, $1 fee for the new stickers, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers vetoed that fee. He said it was unnecessary due to existing registration fees.

"A fee of this magnitude would simply be an irritant to state residents owning these vehicles," Evers said.

Registration fees are now an extra $175 for electric vehicles compared to gas-powered vehicles, which are $85. Republicans proposed increasing what had been a $100 fee to $175, which Evers kept in the budget. Hybrid vehicles also come with a $75 surcharge.

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Why do electric vehicle batteries pose risks for first responders?

The state is requiring the new stickers so first responders can know if they're responding to a situation involving an electric vehicle.

If an electric vehicle catches on fire, such as during a crash, first responders can be exposed to the high-voltage components of a damaged lithium-ion battery, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. That means there's a risk of electric shock.

"A further risk is that damaged cells in the battery can experience thermal runaway — uncontrolled increases in temperature and pressure — which can lead to battery reignition," the NTSB says.

Could Wisconsin get electric vehicle license plates?

While the new electric and hybrid vehicle stickers were included in the budget signed by Evers, he vetoed a separate bill last month that would have phased in special license plates for electric and hybrid vehicles.

The bill was authored by Republican lawmakers, who also cited the need to help first responders identify electric vehicles.

"It only takes one faulty battery to take the life or seriously injure the driver or first responder," testified bill author Sen. Jesse James, a Republican from Altoona. "That is why it is crucial that our first responders are able to clearly and confidently recognize and identify these vehicles as quickly as possible so that they can respond accordingly."

In his veto message, Evers said the DOT was already developing the stickers to help first responders and that the department wouldn't have the data to know who to send the license plates to.

The bill would have required the new license plates to go to electric or hybrid vehicles powered by more than 50 volts. The DOT said the DMV does not have "access to consistent data" about the voltage of vehicles on the road and would not be able to implement special plates.

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The Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association supported a separate plate instead of a sticker, which it said could be obscured by license plate frames that people add to their cars.

Other states have specific license plates for electric vehicles, such as Colorado, Illinois and Nevada.

How many electric vehicles are in Wisconsin?

In 2023, there were about 146,000 electric vehicles on the road in Wisconsin, according to the DOT.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What to know about Wisconsin's new electric, hybrid vehicle stickers