The Indiana rules of the road set out how drivers must behave on state highways, city streets, and everything in between: speed limits vary by road type, seat belts are required for every occupant, the phone stays out of your hand, the blood alcohol ceiling is 0.08%, and every vehicle needs liability insurance. Penalties range from a $25 seat belt fine to felony charges when someone gets hurt. What follows is the working set of rules a driver in Indiana needs to know.
Speed Limits
The maximum on rural interstates is 70 mph for passenger vehicles, with lower posted limits for trucks and buses. Urban interstates typically carry a 55 mph limit.1Indiana Department of Transportation. Facts About Speed Limits Inside urban districts the default is 30 mph unless signs say otherwise, and alleys are capped at 15 mph.2Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-21-5-2 – Maximum Speed Limits; Violation
School zones don’t use a single statewide number. The zone limit is 10 mph below the road’s regular posted speed, except that on roads posted at 55 or 60 mph the school zone limit is 40 mph.1Indiana Department of Transportation. Facts About Speed Limits On a 30 mph residential street, that means 20 mph, not 25.
Local governments can adjust limits based on engineering studies, and work zones often impose temporary reductions with increased penalties. A standard speeding violation is a Class C infraction.2Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-21-5-2 – Maximum Speed Limits; Violation
Right-of-Way
Signals control where they exist. At an uncontrolled intersection, the vehicle that arrives first goes first; when two arrive together, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. Left-turning drivers yield to oncoming traffic unless a green arrow says otherwise. Vehicles leaving a driveway, alley, or parking lot yield to traffic already on the road. In a roundabout, entering traffic yields to vehicles already circulating.
Pedestrians in a crosswalk have priority, and you must stop when someone is crossing on your half of the roadway. When an emergency vehicle approaches with lights and siren, pull to the right and stop until it passes.
School Bus Stop Arm
When a school bus extends its stop arm on any roadway or private road, traffic from every direction must stop before reaching the bus and stay stopped until the arm retracts. Passing a stopped bus with the arm out is a Class A infraction, and a court can suspend your license for 90 days on a first offense or up to one year with a prior violation.3Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-21-12-1
Move Over
When you approach a stationary emergency vehicle with flashing red, red-and-white, or red-and-blue lights on a road with at least two lanes in your direction, you must move out of the lane next to it if you can do so safely. If you can’t change lanes, slow to at least 10 mph below the posted limit. A violation is a Class A infraction, and if failing to move over causes serious bodily injury or death, the charge becomes a Level 6 felony.4Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-21-8-35
The same duty applies to tow trucks, utility service vehicles, solid waste haulers, road maintenance vehicles, and survey or construction vehicles displaying amber flashing lights; failing to yield to those is a Class B infraction.4Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-21-8-35 The rule also covers disabled vehicles with hazard lights on, so treat any flashing lights on the shoulder as a signal to create distance.
Lane Use and Passing
You must stay within a single lane and change lanes only when it’s safe. On multi-lane highways, slower traffic keeps right, and the left lane is for passing. If you know or reasonably should know that a vehicle behind you is trying to overtake, you cannot continue in the leftmost lane.4Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-21-8-35 Exceptions apply for congestion, bad weather, obstructions, toll plazas, and when you’re exiting or turning left. A violation is a Class C infraction.
Passing on the right is allowed only when the vehicle ahead is making a left turn, or when the road has two or more lanes moving in the same direction. Otherwise, overtake on the left and return to the right lane.
Seat Belts and Child Restraints
Every occupant of a vehicle equipped with factory-installed seat belts must wear one whenever the vehicle is moving forward.5Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-19-10-2 – Use of Safety Belt by Motor Vehicle Occupants Indiana enforces this as a primary law, so an officer can stop you solely for an unbuckled seat belt.6IN.gov. What Is the Indiana Law Concerning Seat Belts? The base fine is $25.
Children under eight must ride in a child restraint system that meets federal safety standards and is properly installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions.7Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-19-11-2 – Child Less Than Eight Years of Age From age eight, children can use a standard seat belt, though safety experts often recommend a booster seat until the belt fits properly across the chest and lap. A child restraint violation is a Class D infraction.
Phones and Distracted Driving
Indiana’s hands-free law makes it illegal to hold or use a phone or tablet while driving. Bluetooth, a headset, and other hands-free technology are allowed, and you can hold a phone to call 911 in an emergency. A violation is a Class C infraction with fines up to $500, and the BMV also assesses points on your driving record.8Indiana Department of Transportation. Hands-Free Indiana
The statute is aimed at telecommunications devices, but other distractions such as eating, reaching for objects, or adjusting a GPS can still support a reckless driving charge if they contribute to dangerous driving. Commercial drivers face additional federal restrictions on manual texting and phone use.
Operating While Intoxicated
Indiana calls it operating while intoxicated (OWI) rather than DUI, but the offense is the same. The legal blood alcohol limit is 0.08%. Driving with a BAC between 0.08% and 0.15% is a Class C misdemeanor; at 0.15% or above it is a Class A misdemeanor.9Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-30-5-1 Driving with any measurable amount of a Schedule I or II controlled substance in your blood is also a Class C misdemeanor, whether or not you appear impaired.
A first OWI conviction can bring fines up to $5,000, up to one year in jail, and a license suspension of up to two years, plus court costs over $300. You may also be ordered to complete a substance abuse education course, attend a victim impact panel, and submit to drug and alcohol testing.10Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. Impaired Driving Laws A judge may order an ignition interlock device on your vehicle.
Implied Consent
Holding an Indiana license means you have already agreed to submit to a chemical test when an officer has probable cause to suspect impairment. If you refuse, the officer must tell you that your driving privileges will be suspended, and will confiscate your license on the spot and issue a temporary receipt.11Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-30-6-7 – Refusal to Submit to Chemical Tests Refusal does not prevent prosecution for OWI; it simply removes one piece of evidence and triggers its own penalties.
Drivers Under 21
For drivers under 21, the BAC threshold drops to 0.02%, effectively zero tolerance. A first offense at that level can bring fines up to $500 and a one-year license suspension. If an underage driver’s BAC reaches 0.08%, the adult OWI penalties apply.
Insurance and SR-22
Every vehicle on the road must carry liability insurance. The minimum coverage is $25,000 for bodily injury to one person, $50,000 for bodily injury to two or more people in a single accident, and $25,000 for property damage, often written as “25/50/25.”12Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Proof of Financial Responsibility Keep proof of insurance in the vehicle at all times.
Driving without insurance is a Class A infraction on a first offense and a Class C misdemeanor with a prior conviction.13Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-25-8-2 Your license will be suspended, and to reinstate you must file an SR-22 certificate of financial responsibility with the BMV. The SR-22 requirement lasts 180 consecutive days; if coverage lapses during that window, the suspension resumes.12Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Proof of Financial Responsibility An SR-22 is also commonly required after an OWI and other serious traffic offenses.
After a Crash
If you’re in a crash, stop at the scene or as close as you can without blocking traffic. Exchange your name, address, registration number, and driver’s license with everyone else involved. If someone is injured, provide reasonable assistance as directed by law enforcement or medical personnel and notify police immediately.14Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-26-1-1.1 – Duties of Driver of Motor Vehicle
If you hit an unattended vehicle or damage property other than a vehicle, make a reasonable effort to find the owner. If you can’t, contact a law enforcement agency and provide your information. Leaving without doing this is a hit-and-run.
Law enforcement must formally investigate any crash that causes injury, death, or at least $2,500 in total property damage.15Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-26-2-1 – Investigation of Accidents Below that threshold, an officer at the scene still verifies that each driver has valid insurance.
Lights and Window Tint
Every vehicle needs working headlights, taillights, and turn signals. Headlights must be on between sunset and sunrise and any time visibility falls below 500 feet. When you come within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle, switch from high to low beams.16Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-21-7-2
On a sedan, every window, including the windshield area above the manufacturer’s AS-1 line, must allow at least 30% of visible light through, and reflectance cannot exceed 25%.17Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-19-19-4 – Tinting, Glazing, or Sunscreening SUVs and vans follow the same 30% rule for the windshield and front side windows but have more flexibility on the rear glass. A working muffler is also required; unauthorized exhaust modifications that produce excessive noise can bring fines.
Licensing Basics
The BMV issues licenses through a graduated system. A learner’s permit is available at 15 with an approved driver education course, or at 16 without one, after a vision screening and written knowledge exam.18Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Learner’s Permit Permit holders may drive only with a supervising licensed driver at least 25 years old, or with a spouse at least 21.19Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Driver’s License
After holding a permit for at least 180 days, drivers under 21 can apply for a probationary license by logging 50 hours of supervised practice, including 10 at night, and passing a skills test; applicants under 18 must also complete driver education.19Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Driver’s License For the first 180 days of a probationary license, driving between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. is restricted to work, school activities, religious events, or trips with a supervising driver in the front seat.20Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Probationary Driver’s License Probationary status ends at 21.
Adults 18 and older can apply for a full license by passing the vision, written, and driving tests. All applicants must show proof of identity, lawful status, Social Security number, and Indiana residency.