Moving between states / Michigan
Wisconsinto
Michigan, Truck driverMoving from Wisconsin to Michigan as a CDL holder
What a CDL holder licensed in Wisconsin has to do to work in Michigan, what the move does to your pay, and who in Michigan is hiring from out of state.
Transfers at the DMV. A commercial driver's licence transfers like any licence: within 30 days of becoming a Michigan resident you surrender the Wisconsin CDL at a Michigan driver licence office, pass the vision test, pay the fee, and your endorsements carry over. A hazmat endorsement needs a fresh TSA threat assessment in Michigan. Your driving record follows you through the federal CDLIS system.
What the move does to your paycheck
On a $60,000 salary Michigan leaves you roughly $663 a year more than Wisconsin does, because Michigan's rate is lower.
| Salary | Wisconsin state tax | Michigan state tax | Difference a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $2,142 | $1,700 | +$442 |
| $60,000 | $3,213 | $2,550 | +$663 |
| $90,000 | $4,819 | $3,825 | +$994 |
Rough figures for a single filer: exact in the flat-rate and no-tax states, approximated at 70% of the top bracket in the progressive ones. In Michigan: Detroit and some cities add a local income tax. Property and sales tax are not in it.
CNA: Wisconsin to Michigan
Transfers by reciprocity. Your Wisconsin certificate stays on the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry (Department of Health Services); to work in Michigan you apply to the Michigan Nurse Aide Registry (administered by Prometric for the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs) for reciprocity. It accepts an active certificate in good standing from another state; there is no retest if your record is clean. Most registries list you within two to six weeks.
RN and LPN: Wisconsin to Michigan
Endorsement needed. Michigan is not in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so your Wisconsin multistate licence does not work there. Apply to the Michigan Board of Nursing for licensure by endorsement before you move; it commonly takes six to twelve weeks. Your Wisconsin licence stays valid for compact states.
Electrician: Wisconsin to Michigan
Exam required. Michigan licenses electricians through the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Electrical Administrative Board and does not reciprocate with any state. Your Wisconsin hours count toward eligibility, so get them certified in writing by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services before you move and book the Michigan exam early.
Does Michigan pay you to come?
No statewide program in Michigan pays people to move in. Towns sometimes list an offer through MakeMyMove, and employers in short-staffed trades pay relocation themselves; ask for it in writing before you accept.
Openings filed in Michigan
58 open positions filed with the Department of Labor by Michigan employers who could not fill them locally.
- Animal BreedersRooker Training Stable, Inc. · Fenton · $22.5/hr
- Farmworker/LaborerDiaz Agricultural Services, LLC. · Kent City · $16.37/hr
- Field Service Technician IBAXTER · Warren
- Farmworkers and Laborers, CropLegacy Labor, Inc. · Portage · $13.73/hr
- Farmworkers and Laborers, CropLegacy Labor, Inc. · Portage · $13.73/hr
- Equipment Operator/Farm LaborerNickle Plate Dairy · Portland · $16.28/hr
Your own route from Wisconsin to Michigan
Tell us your trade and your licence. We write the steps for your case, check the job offer for scams, and keep your resume ready for Michigan employers.
Plan my move to MichiganSame move, by trade
CNA: Wisconsin to Michigan · RN or LPN: Wisconsin to Michigan · Electrician: Wisconsin to Michigan · All licences: Wisconsin to Michigan
From Wisconsin to the states next to Michigan
Ohio (progressive, top rate 3.5%) · Indiana (flat 3% state income tax)
To Michigan from the states next to Wisconsin
Everything about working in Michigan · All moves between states · All 50 states