Federal & State Regulations | Vehicle license or registration - Indiana

All motor vehicles and trailers operating on the highways of Indiana must be registered.

Intrastate registration fees are payable annually to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles in Indianapolis, Indiana. Registration begins March 1 and runs through February 28. Renewal period is January 1 through February 28 (29).

License plate display

Indiana statute requires license plates (including apportioned license plates) to be displayed on Indiana registered vehicles in the following manner:

For a trailer or semitrailer, on the rear of the vehicle.
For a tractor or truck-tractor, on the front of the vehicle.
For a dump truck, on the front of the vehicle.
For a truck with a rear mounted forklift or a mechanism to carry a rear mounted forklift or implement, on the front of the vehicle.
All other vehicles, on the rear of the vehicle.

International Registration Plan

Indiana is a member of the International Registration Plan (IRP). The IRP is a base state system for vehicle registration fees, allowing a carrier to apply for vehicle registration and pay fees to a single jurisdiction.

Under the IRP, carriers from the member states and provinces, operating vehicles having a gross weight in excess of 26,000 pounds, or three or more axles regardless of weight, or used in combination when the weight of such combination exceeds 26,000 pounds, may apportion in lieu of full registration.

Indiana has implemented staggered registration.

Indiana does not require the registration of converter gears.

Temporary Permit: A 45-day temporary IRP registration permit is available to vehicles within established Indiana IRP fleets that are currently registered, or are in the process of registration. The permit may not be transferred to another vehicle, and the vehicle is subject to the full registration process. To obtain the 45-day permit, the IRP account must be in good standing. Permits are not issued to renewal vehicles or any previously registered vehicle. The US DOT number of the vehicle owner is included on the permit when it is different that the IRP registrant’s USDOT number.

The IRP Unit issues 45-day temporary permits under emergency situations as determined by the IRP Unit, or if an error in processing a transaction was made by the IRP Unit. Once the permit is obtained, it cannot be canceled. By opting to get a permit, the registrant is, by law, obligated to pay for the transaction of add vehicle or replacement plate. Misused permits will result in assessment of full year registration fees at 80,000 pounds.

Hunter's Permit: Hunter's permits allow an owner-operator with a newly purchased vehicle, or a vehicle previously registered in Indiana to travel at the unladen weight, in search of employment. The permit is valid for a period of 30-days.

Commercial vehicle excise tax

Owners of commercial vehicles (tractors, trucks, truck-tractors, trailers, and semitrailers) paying an apportioned registration to the state of Indiana under the IRP must also pay an apportioned tax calculated by dividing instate actual miles by total fleet miles generated during the preceding year. If in-state miles are estimated for purposes of proportional registration, these miles are divided by total actual and estimated fleet miles.

The apportioned Commercial Vehicle Excise Tax is calculated according to the following formula:

Tax Rate X Indiana Mileage Percentage = Apportioned Commercial Vehicle Excise Tax.

Commercial vehicle excise tax credit

The owner of a vehicle for which the Commercial Vehicle Excise Tax has been paid for the registrant’s annual registration year is entitled to a credit if during that registration year:

The owner sells the vehicle and purchases a like vehicle of the same or greater weight. To claim the credit, the owner of the vehicle must present proof of the sale of the vehicle.
The vehicle is destroyed and replaced with a like vehicle of the same or greater weight. To claim, the owner of the vehicle must present a statement of proof of the destruction of the vehicle on an affidavit. The owner must also present a valid registration for the vehicle within ninety (90) days after the date that it was destroyed. For purposes of this Section, a vehicle is considered destroyed if the estimated cost of repair exceeds the vehicle’s fair market value. After receipt of the statement and registration, the amount of credit that the owner is entitled to receive is fixed according to the guidelines under this paragraph.
The vehicle was registered in error at a greater weight than required. To claim, the owner of the vehicle must present an affidavit that the vehicle was registered in error at a greater weight than required.

Except as provided for below, the amount of the credit is equal to the remainder of the Commercial Vehicle Excise Tax paid for the vehicle, reduced by one-twelfth (¹/₁₂) for each full or partial calendar month that has elapsed in the registrant’s annual registration year, before the date of sale or replacement of the vehicle. The credit applies to the tax due on any other vehicle purchased or subsequently registered by the owner in the same registrant’s annual registration year. The owner of a vehicle registered in error at a greater weight than required is entitled to receive a credit equal to the Commercial Vehicle Excise Tax paid for the vehicle registered at the greater weight. However, no refund may be provided for any remainder of the tax paid when registering the vehicle at a lower weight.

The owner of a vehicle is not entitled to a refund of any part of a credit that is not used.

A credit expires at the end of the registrant’s annual registration year.

Indiana registers commercial vehicles on gross weight. A Commercial Vehicle Excise tax is added to the registration fee for tractors, trucks, truck-tractors, trailers and semitrailers.

Agency: Bureau of Motor Vehicles (intrastate); Indiana Department of Revenue, Motor Carrier Services Section, IRP Unit; see Regulatory Agencies for address(es).

Base plate registration (BPR)

Indiana Department of Revenue’s Motor Carrier Services Division may issue base plate registrations for companies with 25 or more commercial vehicles weighing 26,001 pounds or more (the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles will process plates for intrastate vehicles that are less than 26,000 pounds).

Registrations and renewals are completed online.

Fees

Note: An additional fee per vehicle will be added to each category for Indiana-based registrants only. This fee is composed of a Public Safety Fee and a Proof of Financial Responsibility Fee. Both are required by Indiana Statute.

Effective 01/01/2018, Indiana imposes a Transportation Infrastructure Improvement ("TII") Fee.

This is an apportioned fee and is applicable only to the noted vehicles that weigh up to 26,000 lbs.

Fee is transferred between vehicles, but if there is a weight increase fee charged within the 0 - 26000 lbs range.

Effective 01/01/2018, Indiana imposes a new supplemental registration fee on Hybrid and Electric vehicles.

This is an apportioned fee and is applicable only to Hybrid and Electric Vehicles, regardless of weight.

The Hybrid / Electric Supplemental Registration Fee is not refunded when transferring between vehicles, but the fee is credited. The maximum fee for any given registration year is $150.00 / vehicle for adds and transfers (see example on IRP fee guidelines and rules tab).

Commercial vehicle excise tax fee schedule

Effective January 1, 2022

To be charged in addition to Registration Fees.
Apportionment applies. Monthly proration applicable.

SEMITRAILERS (ST) (Applies to Indiana based vehicles only)

For a semitrailer to be used with a tractor including a semitrailer converted to a full trailer through the use of a converter dolly.

The excise tax on a semitrailer that is registered on a permanent basis, or on a multi-year basis, is due on or before the date in which the registration is to be renewed each year.

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Vehicle license or registration - Indiana