Special License Plates in Indiana

SUMMARY: Special Indiana License Plates

Many specialty license plates are available to Indiana residents, including plates for military recognition and antique or historical vehicles. You can usually apply for specialty plates online or in person.

Keep reading to learn more about specialty license plates available from the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV).

NOTE: Applying for disability plates? Visit Disability Placards & Plates for complete details.

Types of Specialty Plates in Indiana

The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) offers several types of specialty license plates.

NOTE: Personalized plates are not currently available in Indiana, due to a suspension of the program.

Organizational License Plates

Several license plates are available in Indiana that support charities, professional organizations, and other groups.

Examples of organizational plates include:

  • The American Diabetes Association plate.
  • The Freemasons license plate.
  • The Indiana Heritage Trust plate.
  • The Indianapolis Zoological Society plate.
  • The Professional Firefighters license plate.

Fees for these license plates are charge IN ADDITION to your regular registration fees. A portion of the fee goes to the organization.

Fees are decided by the organization and vary by plate.

You'll find a complete list of available license plates and fees on the IN BMV website. Details on how to apply are listed below.

Collegiate License Plates

The Indiana BMV also issues special license plates for several colleges and universities.

License plates are available for institutions such as:

  • Ball State University.
  • Indiana State University.
  • Purdue University.
  • St. Mary's College.
  • Valparaiso University.

A complete list of collegiate plates is provided on the Indiana BMV website.

You'll pay fees for a college plates when you order the plate AND renew the plate. These fees are charged IN ADDITION to registration renewal fees.

Fees for most collegiate plates, like the Indiana State University license plate, are:

A portion of your fees goes to the college or university that sponsors the plate. For application details, see below.

Personalized Tags

IMPORTANT NOTE:

The IN BMV is currently NOT issuing personalized plates due to a suspension of the program. The information below reflects the most recent personalized plate program and is subject to change.

Personalization has previously been offered for the standard plate design, some special plate designs, and motorcycle plates.

Custom tag numbers are/were limited to no more than 1 consecutive space AND:

  • 8 characters on standard plates and 1 space.
  • 6 characters on a standard motorcycle plate.

Specialty plates and other plate designs have differing character limits. See the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles website for all guidelines.

The fee for a personalized license plate is $45, PLUS registration or renewal fees AND specialty plate fees, if applicable.

Check back for up-to-date information about the reinstatement of Indiana personalized license plates.

Military License Plates

The Indiana BMV issues military license plates to qualifying military personnel, veterans, and families.

Military plates are available to:

  • Veterans of each branch of the U.S. military.
  • Gold Star families.
  • National Guard members.
  • Pearl Harbor survivors.
  • Purple Heart recipients.

Each plate has specific eligibility requirements and requires proof of eligibility, such as discharge papers or a valid military ID.

Fees for military license plates vary and may be charged IN ADDITION to registration fees.

Visit the Indiana BMV website for a complete list of plates, eligibility requirements, and fees.

Antique Indiana License Plates

The IN BMV allows owners of antique vehicles to apply for Year of Manufacture license plates. Your vehicle must be 25 years old or older to qualify.

Year of Manufacture plates are authentic Indiana license plates that were issued in the same year as your vehicle's model year.

You must acquire these plates yourself. The Indiana BMV will then determine if the plates are acceptable to use.

To learn more about Year of Manufacture plates, visit the IN BMV website.

Apply for IN Specialty License Plates

Most specialty Indiana license plates can be ordered:

  • Online.
  • In person.

To apply for your specialty license plate:

* If you do not already have an account, you will need to create one.

Most specialty plates will arrive within 21 days.

Renew or Replace IN Specialty Plates

Renew Specialty Plates

Your specialty plates will be renewed as part of your registration renewal. You can renew your registration:

  • Online.
  • In person.
  • By mail.

NOTE: Additional specialty plate fees may apply at the time of your renewal in addition to your standard renewal fees.

For further details, visit our Registration Renewal in Indiana page.

Replace License Plates

If you need to replace your lost, stolen, or damaged plates, you may apply for a replacement or duplicate plate.

However, note that if your plates were stolen, you must:

  • Report the theft to the police.
  • Have a law enforcement officer complete the appropriate section of your application before submitting it to the Indiana BMV.

Specialty plate fees may apply in addition to the standard replacement fee. Check with your local license branch for more information.

For more detailed information on replacing your plate, visit our License Plates and Placards in IN page.

Selling a Car with Specialty Plates

If you sell your car, remove and keep your license plates. If you wish, you may transfer them to another vehicle if:

  • It is registered in the same name(s) as your old vehicle.
  • You title the vehicle before or at the same time as the transfer.

You do not need to surrender your plates to the Indiana BMV.

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