To register a car in Indiana, title the vehicle in your name at any Bureau of Motor Vehicles branch or through the BMV website, bring proof of Indiana insurance and a valid Indiana driver’s license or state ID, and pay the base registration fee along with the annual excise tax and any local wheel tax or surtax your county charges. If you just bought the car, you have 45 days from the purchase date to apply for the title before a penalty kicks in.1Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-17-2-14.7 – Delinquent Titles; Administrative Penalty New residents get 60 days from the day they establish residency in Indiana.2Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. New Indiana Residents
What to Bring
Three things anchor the transaction: the vehicle’s certificate of title in your name, proof of Indiana auto insurance, and a valid Indiana driver’s license or state ID.
If you don’t have an Indiana license or ID yet, you can prove Indiana residency with two documents showing your Indiana address. Acceptable options include a utility or medical bill dated within the last 60 days, a mortgage or lease agreement, a bank statement, a voter registration card, or a W-2 or property tax bill from the current or prior year.
What You’ll Pay
Every registration includes two charges: a flat registration fee and an annual excise tax.3Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle Registration Fees and Taxes For a standard passenger vehicle, the base registration fee is $21.35.4Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-18.1-5-2 – Passenger Motor Vehicles; Fee Trucks, motorcycles, and trailers have their own amounts on the BMV’s fee chart.5Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Fee Chart
The excise tax depends on the vehicle’s original manufacturer retail price and its age. The BMV sorts vehicles into classes by value and applies a rate that declines each year past the model year, so an older car costs less than a newer one at the same original price.6Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Excise Tax Information
Many counties and municipalities add a local wheel tax or vehicle surtax on top. Flat-rate wheel taxes typically run between $7.50 and $25 per vehicle. Percentage-based surtaxes range from 2% to 10% of the excise tax amount. The BMV’s online fee estimator will show what applies at your address.
Electric and Hybrid Supplemental Fee
Electric and hybrid vehicles pay an extra annual fee that offsets the gas tax those vehicles avoid.3Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle Registration Fees and Taxes The statute sets a base of $150 for battery-electric vehicles and $50 for hybrids, adjusted annually by an inflation-related factor.7Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-18.1-5-12-b – Supplemental Fee; Electric Vehicles After adjustments, the current fees are $221 for battery-electric and $74 for hybrid. The electric supplement covers vehicles up to 26,000 pounds; heavier electric vehicles, government-owned vehicles, motor-driven cycles, and vehicles already paying a fuel tax under a commercial license are exempt.
If You’re Moving to Indiana
New residents have 60 days to apply for an Indiana title on every vehicle they own, and the same 60-day deadline applies to registration.2Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. New Indiana Residents8Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle Registrations Bring your out-of-state title, proof of Indiana insurance, and a valid Indiana driver’s license or ID. If your Indiana title hasn’t arrived yet, a completed Request for Title form (State Form 1014) gets things moving.
Every out-of-state vehicle also needs a physical VIN inspection to confirm the vehicle identification number matches the title. Any BMV branch or BMV-certified service provider will do the inspection at no charge, or a law enforcement officer can do it for up to $5.9Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Buying and Selling a Vehicle If an officer performs the inspection, they complete a Physical Inspection form (State Form 39530) that you bring to the BMV with your paperwork.10Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Physical Inspection of a Vehicle or Watercraft – State Form 39530
Emissions Testing in Lake and Porter Counties
If your vehicle will be registered in Lake or Porter County, it needs an emissions test and tampering inspection every two years before the BMV will process the registration.11Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle Emissions Testing Program The requirement applies to vehicles manufactured after 1975 with a gross vehicle weight rating of 9,000 pounds or less. A vehicle that fails can get a 30-day temporary registration permit while repairs are made. No other Indiana county requires emissions testing. As of mid-2025 the state legislature began the process of potentially phasing out this program, so check the BMV site for the current status before renewing.
Renewing Your Registration
Initial registration periods can run from 3 to 24 months, but renewals cover 12 months from the current expiration date.12Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-18.1-11-3 – Registration Period; Renewal You can renew online, by mail, or at a branch. The renewal charge is the same base fee, excise tax, and local taxes you paid the first time. In Lake and Porter counties, a current passing emissions test has to be on file before the BMV will process the renewal, so getting tested a few weeks ahead of the expiration date leaves room for repairs.
Penalties for Missing the Deadlines
Applying for a title more than 45 days after buying a vehicle adds a $30 administrative penalty to your BMV transaction.1Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-17-2-14.7 – Delinquent Titles; Administrative Penalty New residents who wait more than 60 days pay the same $30. It’s an automatic fee, not a court fine, so there’s no citation or hearing.
Driving a vehicle that requires a certificate of title without one is a Class C infraction, which carries a judgment of up to $500.13Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-17-2-1 – Vehicles Requiring Certificates of Title14Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 34-28-5-4 – Judgments for Infractions First-time Class C infractions are commonly capped well below that in practice, with the maximum generally reserved for repeat offenders within the same county.
Letting your registration lapse adds a $15 administrative penalty when you renew, and the BMV can withhold renewal until any outstanding fees and excise taxes are paid.8Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Vehicle Registrations Driving on an expired registration can also draw a traffic stop.