Indiana no longer issues a chauffeur’s license. The state stopped issuing standalone chauffeur’s and public passenger chauffeur’s (PPC) licenses after December 31, 2016, and replaced them with a for-hire endorsement added to a standard Indiana driver’s license.1Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-24-14-6 – Operators License With For-Hire Endorsement Issued to Replace Public Passenger Chauffeurs License After December 31, 2016 If you were searching for how to get a chauffeur’s license in Indiana, what you actually need is that endorsement: a $19 one-time fee, a BMV branch visit, a vision screening, and a written knowledge exam.
Who Needs the For-Hire Endorsement
The endorsement is required to operate a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating between 16,000 and 26,000 pounds used to transport property, or a vehicle designed to carry fewer than 16 people (driver included) used to carry passengers for pay.2Bureau of Motor Vehicles. For-Hire Endorsement That covers shuttle vans, limousines, airport car services, non-emergency medical transport, and medium-duty commercial delivery trucks.
Driving without the right credential is a Class C infraction under Indiana Code 9-24-3-5.3Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-24-3-5 – Violations
When You Need a CDL Instead
The for-hire endorsement does not authorize you to operate a commercial motor vehicle. A commercial driver’s license is required if the vehicle exceeds 26,000 pounds GVWR, carries 16 or more passengers, or hauls placarded hazardous materials.2Bureau of Motor Vehicles. For-Hire Endorsement
Uber and Lyft Drivers
Driving for a transportation network company does not require a for-hire endorsement. Indiana’s TNC statute asks only for a standard driver’s license and sets a minimum driver age of 19; the company itself handles the driving-record review and background check.4Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 8-2.1-19.1-5 – TNC Driver Requirements Before Acting as a TNC Driver
If You Still Hold a Chauffeur’s or PPC License
Existing chauffeur’s and PPC licenses remain valid until the expiration date printed on the card. The next time you renew, replace a lost or damaged card, or amend any information, the BMV will convert it to a driver’s license with the for-hire endorsement.2Bureau of Motor Vehicles. For-Hire Endorsement
The $19 endorsement fee is not charged on conversion. If your old license has been expired for fewer than 180 days, no knowledge exam is required. Past 180 days, you must pass a new for-hire knowledge exam before the endorsement can be added.2Bureau of Motor Vehicles. For-Hire Endorsement
Qualifications
To add a for-hire endorsement to your Indiana driver’s license under Indiana Code 9-24-8.5-5, you must:5Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-24-8.5-5 – For-Hire Endorsement Conditions and Fees
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Have held a valid driver’s license for more than one year.
- Pay a one-time $19 endorsement fee.
- Pass the for-hire written knowledge exam.
- Pass the BMV’s vision screening.
The one-year license-holding rule means a brand-new driver cannot add the endorsement the day they get their first license. And if any of your work will cross state lines, federal rules push the age floor higher: the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requires drivers to be at least 21 to operate a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce, even in vehicles that don’t require a CDL.6Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. What Is the Age Requirement for Operating a CMV in Interstate Commerce
How to Apply
Applications are handled in person at any Indiana BMV branch. Bring the standard licensing documents:
- One original document proving identity, such as a birth certificate, U.S. passport, or unexpired Indiana Real ID.
- One original document showing your full Social Security number, or proof of SSN ineligibility from the Social Security Administration.
- Two original documents proving Indiana residency with your name and residential address, such as a utility bill issued within 60 days or a lease agreement.
If you already have a current Indiana driver’s license and none of your information has changed, you may not need to resubmit every document; the BMV’s checklist covers what applies.2Bureau of Motor Vehicles. For-Hire Endorsement The $19 fee is charged once; it does not repeat at renewal.7Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Driver’s License Fees The PPC Medical Certification form (State Form 3337) that used to be required for public passenger chauffeur’s licenses is no longer needed.
New Indiana Residents
If you already hold a valid for-hire endorsement, chauffeur’s license, or equivalent from another state, you can transfer it after passing the Indiana for-hire knowledge exam at a BMV branch.2Bureau of Motor Vehicles. For-Hire Endorsement
The Knowledge Exam
Test questions come from the Indiana Driver’s Manual, which includes a dedicated chapter on for-hire endorsements and chauffeur’s licenses (Chapter 2) and sample questions in Chapter 9.8Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Driver’s Manual Expect multiple-choice questions on traffic laws, right-of-way rules, vehicle inspection, and handling hazardous road conditions.
If you passed the chauffeur’s knowledge exam within the last 180 days but never picked up your license, you do not have to retake it. The BMV treats the two exams as the same test.2Bureau of Motor Vehicles. For-Hire Endorsement
Medical Certification for Interstate Work
The for-hire endorsement itself does not require a DOT physical or a federal Medical Examiner’s Certificate.5Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-24-8.5-5 – For-Hire Endorsement Conditions and Fees Federal rules change that when you cross state lines. Under FMCSA regulations you need current medical certification if your vehicle weighs more than 10,001 pounds in interstate commerce, or if you transport more than 8 passengers for compensation across state lines.9Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Medical Examiner Handbook Plenty of medium-duty delivery and passenger-van drivers fall into this category without realizing it.
Renewal and Lapses
The endorsement renews automatically with your driver’s license. Indiana license terms and base fees, as of January 1, 2026, depend on age:10Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. BMV Fee Chart
- Under 75: six-year license, $17.50.
- Ages 75 to 84: three-year license, $11.00.
- 85 and older: two-year license, $7.00.
You will not be charged the $19 endorsement fee again at renewal.7Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Driver’s License Fees Drivers 75 and older must renew in person at a BMV branch.11Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Renewing a Driver’s License, Learner’s Permit, or Identification Card
If your license expires, the price of getting current climbs with time. A license expired for fewer than 180 days requires a $6 administrative penalty and a vision screening. Between 180 days and five years, you also have to pass the written knowledge exam. Past five years, you must retake both the written and driving tests.11Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Renewing a Driver’s License, Learner’s Permit, or Identification Card The BMV sends renewal notices, but the deadline is on you.