Plate Surrender in Indiana

You are not required to surrender your Indiana license plates. This applies to all scenarios including moving out of state and selling your vehicle. Read on for the full scoop.

Moving to Indiana

After establishing residency in Indiana, you have 60 days to register your car at any Bureau of Management (BMV) office. Depending on your previous state’s policies, surrendering your old plates may be required. Contact your former state’s DMV office to be sure.

Before visiting your local BMV office to register your vehicle, give some thought to your license plate design. You can opt for a standard plate, at no extra cost, or choose from a variety of specialized plates.

Learn more about Indiana in our relocation guide.

Moving from IN

Indiana license plates stay with the owner and not the car. This means you do not have to surrender your plates after moving out of the state. You can keep the plates as a reminder of your Indiana years, or check if your new neighborhood offers license plate recycling.

For relocation help, visit our Moving Out of Indiana page.

Selling a Used Car in Indiana

After deciding to hand over the car keys, remember to remove the car’s license plates. Indiana license plates stay with you, the owner. This means no surrendering of plates to the BMV. You do have the option to transfer the plates to another vehicle under your name, provided it’s the same type of vehicle.

For step-by-step details on selling your car, check out our Title Transfers page.

Buying a Used Car in IN

The seller surrenders the car keys and title, but not the license plates. To obtain plates, you’ll need to register the vehicle at any BMV office.

If needed, apply for a 30-day temporary registration.

For insight on what steps to follow when buying a car, visit our Vehicle Title Transfers page.

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