Access to license and identification card photographs and fingerprints
Wis. Stat. § 343.237
in effect(1) In this section:
(ag) “Federal law enforcement agency” means a governmental unit of one or more persons employed by the federal government for the purpose of preventing and detecting crime and enforcing federal laws, employees of which unit are authorized to make arrests for crimes while acting within the scope of their authority.
(ar) “Law enforcement agency of another state” means a governmental unit of one or more persons employed by a state other than this state or by a political subdivision of a state other than this state for the purpose of preventing and detecting crime and enforcing laws or ordinances of that state or a political subdivision of that state, employees of which unit are authorized to make arrests for crimes while acting within the scope of their authority.
(b) “Wisconsin law enforcement agency” has the meaning given in s. 175.46 (1) (f).
(2) Any photograph taken of an applicant under s. 343.14 (3) or 343.50 (4), and any fingerprint taken of an applicant under s. 343.12 (6) (b), may be maintained by the department and, except as provided in this section and s. 165.8287, shall be kept confidential. Except as provided in this section and s. 165.8287, the department may release a photograph or fingerprint only to the person whose photograph or fingerprint was taken or to the driver licensing agency of another jurisdiction.
(3) The department shall provide a Wisconsin law enforcement agency or a federal law enforcement agency with a print or electronic copy of a photograph taken on or after September 1, 1997, of an applicant under s. 343.14 (3) or 343.50 (4), or a printed or electronic copy of a fingerprint taken of an applicant under s. 343.12 (6) (b), if the department receives a written request on the law enforcement agency’s letterhead that contains all of the following:
(a) The name of the person whose photograph or fingerprint is requested.
(b) The name of the person making the request and the law enforcement agency that employs the requester.
(c) A statement signed by a division commander or higher authority within the law enforcement agency that the photograph or fingerprint is requested for any of the following purposes:
1. An investigation of unlawful activity.
2. A missing person investigation.
3. The identification of an accident victim.
4. The identification of a deceased person.
(d) For requests for photographs only, a statement that the request is not made solely to obtain a photograph for use as part of a photo lineup or photo array.
(e) If the requester is a federal law enforcement agency, a statement that the agency agrees to comply with all of the requirements under this section.
(4) If a law enforcement agency of another state or the commission makes a request meeting all the requirements specified for a request by a Wisconsin law enforcement agency or a federal law enforcement agency under sub. (3), the department shall comply with the request if all of the following apply:
(a) The law enforcement agency of the other state or the commission agrees to comply with all of the requirements under this section.
(b) The other state or the commission allows Wisconsin law enforcement agencies similar or greater access to similar information from that state or the commission.
(4m) The department shall attach to each copy of a photograph or fingerprint provided under this section the notation: “This photograph is subject to the requirements and restrictions of section 343.237 of the Wisconsin Statutes.” or “This fingerprint is subject to the requirements and restrictions of section 343.237 of the Wisconsin Statutes.”
(5) Any law enforcement agency that has in its possession a copy of a photograph or fingerprint provided to it under sub. (3) or (4) shall destroy any copies of the photograph or fingerprint in its possession when the photograph or fingerprint is no longer necessary for the investigatory or identification purpose specified in its request for the copy of the photograph or fingerprint.
(6) For each copy of a photograph or fingerprint provided under sub. (3) or (4), the department shall record and maintain the written request for the copy of the photograph or fingerprint and may not disclose any record or other information concerning or relating to the written request to any person other than a court, district attorney, county corporation counsel, city, village, or town attorney, law enforcement agency, the applicant or identification card holder or, if the applicant or identification card holder is under 18 years of age, his or her parent or guardian.
(7) The department may not charge a fee for providing a copy of any photograph or fingerprint to a Wisconsin law enforcement agency under this section.
(8)
(a) Any law enforcement agency that receives a photograph or fingerprint provided to a law enforcement agency under this section shall keep the copy of the photograph or fingerprint confidential and may disclose it only if disclosure is necessary to perform a law enforcement function and the person to whom the copy of the photograph or fingerprint is disclosed agrees to comply with par. (c).
(b) If a law enforcement agency discloses a copy of a photograph or fingerprint to another person under par. (a), the copy of the photograph or fingerprint shall have attached to it the notation specified in sub. (4m).
(c) Any person who receives a copy of a photograph or fingerprint from a law enforcement agency under par. (a) shall destroy any copies of the photograph or fingerprint in his or her possession when the photograph or fingerprint is no longer necessary to perform the law enforcement function for which the photograph or fingerprint was disclosed.
(9) Not later than August 1, 1998, and annually thereafter, the department of transportation and the department of justice jointly shall submit a report to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the legislature under s. 13.172 (2) concerning the copies of photographs provided under this section, including the agencies to whom and the purposes for which the copies of the photographs were provided. The department of transportation and the department of justice shall consult with other interested persons when preparing a report under this subsection.
(10) Any person who willfully discloses a copy of a photograph or fingerprint in violation of this section may be required to forfeit not more than $500 for each violation. Each copy disclosed constitutes a separate offense.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/343.237Fetched: 10/7/2026