To register a car in Indiana, you’ll take the vehicle’s title, proof of insurance, proof of an Indiana address, your Social Security number, and (for any car coming from out of state) a completed VIN inspection to a Bureau of Motor Vehicles branch, fill out State Form 44905, and pay the sales tax, excise tax, title fee, and registration fee at the counter. First-time registrations have to be done in person. Budget roughly 7% of the purchase price plus about $36 in flat fees, and watch the deadlines — they are shorter than most people expect, especially after a private-party purchase.
Know Your Deadline Before Anything Else
New Indiana residents have 60 days from the date they establish residency to register any vehicle they own and plan to drive here.1IN.gov. New Indiana Residents The clock runs from the move, not from the day you decide to deal with it.
If you buy from a licensed dealer, the dealer usually issues an interim plate that keeps you legal for up to 45 days while registration is processed. The same 45 days applies if you move a valid, unexpired plate from a vehicle you’re getting rid of onto the one you just bought.2Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-18.1-2-8 – Newly Acquired Vehicle; Exception
Private sales are the trap. If you buy from a private seller and have no plate to transfer, you have 72 hours to drive the vehicle, and only on the most direct route from where you picked it up. Line up your BMV visit before you hand over the money.
Documents to Bring
The Title
You need the vehicle’s certificate of title. If the car was titled in another state, you’ll surrender that out-of-state title so Indiana can issue its own.3Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-17-2-1 – Vehicles Requiring Certificates of Title; Proof of Residency; Violation On a private sale, the seller signs the title over to you. Confirm the name, VIN, and odometer reading are filled in correctly before you leave the seller’s driveway. Fixing a title mistake later is slow.
Application for Certificate of Title and Registration
Complete State Form 44905. It asks for your full legal name, current Indiana address, and the vehicle identification number. Download it from the BMV website or pick one up at a branch and fill it out ahead of time.
Proof of Insurance
Indiana requires minimum liability coverage of $25,000 for bodily injury per person, $50,000 for bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage.4IN.gov. Proof of Financial Responsibility Bring your insurance card or a declarations page showing those limits. If your coverage falls short of any one of them, the BMV won’t register the vehicle until your insurer updates the policy.
Proof of Indiana Address
Bring at least one document showing your current Indiana address. A valid Indiana driver’s license or state ID with the right address works. If your license still shows an old address, or you don’t have an Indiana license yet, bring something from the BMV’s approved list such as a utility bill, bank statement, or mortgage document. The document must be dated within the last 60 days.1IN.gov. New Indiana Residents
VIN Inspection for Out-of-State Vehicles
Any vehicle coming from another state needs a physical VIN inspection before Indiana will issue a title. The inspector confirms the VIN on the car matches the VIN on your paperwork, and records the result on State Form 39530. A police officer, BMV employee, licensed dealer employee, or a military police officer stationed in Indiana can perform it.5IN.gov. Physical Inspection of a Vehicle or Watercraft – Form 39530 You can usually have it done at the BMV branch during your visit, or have a dealership handle it beforehand to speed things up.
Social Security Number
You’ll need your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number on the application. It ties your registration into state tax and identity verification records.
What It Costs
Several charges stack together at the counter.
Sales Tax
Indiana charges 7% sales tax on vehicle purchases.6IN.gov. DOR – Vehicle Dealers A dealer usually collects and remits it for you. On a private-party purchase, you pay it directly to the BMV when you register, calculated from the bill of sale. On a $20,000 car, that’s $1,400.
Vehicle Excise Tax
Indiana also charges an annual vehicle excise tax at every registration and renewal. The amount is based on the vehicle’s original MSRP and age, and it drops as the car gets older along a set depreciation schedule.7Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 6-6-5-1 – Definitions; Applicability The BMV publishes a tax estimator so you can price yours in advance.8IN.gov. Vehicle Registration Fees and Taxes
Registration and Title Fees
The base annual registration fee for a passenger vehicle is $21.35, and a new title costs $15.00.9IN.gov. BMV Fee Chart First-time Indiana registrations pay both; later renewals pay only the registration fee plus excise tax.
County Wheel Tax and Surtax
Your county may add a wheel tax and an excise surtax. State law lets counties set a surtax between 2% and 10% of the excise tax, along with flat wheel tax amounts that vary.10Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 6-3.5-4-2 – Imposition and Rate of Surtax; Wheel Tax Not every county charges them, and amounts differ a lot. Look up your county’s rates on the BMV’s registration page before you budget.8IN.gov. Vehicle Registration Fees and Taxes
Where to File
First-time Indiana registrations and out-of-state title transfers have to be done in person at a BMV branch. Bring every document, payment for the fees and taxes, and expect staff to catch and fix form errors at the counter. The BMV’s online scheduling tool lets you book a specific time slot, which cuts the wait considerably compared with walking in. In most cases you’ll leave the same day with plates, a registration, and an expiration decal for your plate. Personalized or specialty plates are mailed to your home.
Once the vehicle is in the Indiana system, future renewals can be done through the myBMV portal online or at a 24-hour BMV Connect kiosk.11IN.gov. Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles Home Neither option works for a first-time registration or title transfer.
Emissions Testing Only Applies in Two Counties
Indiana does not require emissions testing statewide. The exception is Lake and Porter counties, where vehicles built after 1975 with a gross vehicle weight rating of 9,000 pounds or less must pass an emissions test and tampering inspection every two years.12IN.gov. Vehicle Emissions Testing Program If you live anywhere else, you can skip it. Lake and Porter residents should schedule the test before their renewal date, since the BMV won’t renew without a passing result.
Odometer Disclosure on a Private Purchase
Federal law requires the seller in a private sale to disclose the odometer reading at transfer and certify whether it’s accurate, has exceeded mechanical limits, or is unreliable. Buyer and seller both sign, and the disclosure is usually recorded on the title itself. Vehicles over 16,000 pounds gross weight, non-self-propelled vehicles, and model year 2010 and older vehicles are exempt. For 2011 and newer models, the disclosure requirement runs 20 years from the model year.13eCFR. Part 580 – Odometer Disclosure Requirements Falsifying an odometer disclosure is a federal offense with potential fines and prison time, so handle this step carefully on both sides of the deal.