Wheel ScoutWhat an Indiana plate lookup shows
A license plate points to one car. We turn the Indiana plate into the car's 17-character VIN, show you the year, make and model, then read its history: salvage, flood and rebuilt brands, title history by state, odometer readings and theft records. You also see the factory specs and the safety recalls for that model year before you pay. What it never shows is the owner: the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act keeps names and addresses in DMV records private, and we don't sell them.
What an Indiana plate looks like
Indiana is a one-plate state. The BMV's display rules put the plate on the back of the vehicle, mounted level, at least 12 inches off the ground, with the text, numbers and stickers fully visible; only tractors, dump trucks and trucks with a rear-mounted forklift carry it on the front. An Indiana plate carries three stickers: the expiration year at top right, the month and day at top left, and the county at bottom right. Frames or covers that hide any sticker, letter or number are against Indiana law. Type the plate without spaces and we find the car.
What changed recently, and what matters in a sale:
- Blackout plates. Since August 8, 2025, Indiana sells an optional plate with a black background for an extra $45, charged again at every yearly renewal. It is a paid design, not a new standard plate, so a black Indiana plate on a used car is normal. Personalizing any plate is another $45.
- Plates stay with the seller. The seller removes the plate at the time of sale. The BMV does not require plates from sold vehicles to be returned, and the seller can transfer them to another vehicle they own for a $9.50 transfer fee. The buyer gets a new plate when the title is issued.
- Temporary permits come from the BMV, not the seller. Any branch sells a 96-hour delivery permit, good for driving the car to storage, to an emissions station or to a branch to register it, and a 30-day temporary registration permit for cars headed out of state or awaiting a title. Both cost $18. The temporary plate goes on the back of the car or the left side of the rear window, and the permit itself stays inside the car.
Since July 1, 2025, Indiana owners can choose an electronic title instead of paper. The BMV's electronic transfer form works only for a sale to a dealer, so a seller with an electronic title may need to have it printed before selling to you; the BMV prints one at no added cost when there is no lien. Ask before you meet.
Indiana title brands: what the lookup can show
Indiana brands a title when a car has been through something a buyer should know about. Our $5 report reads the NMVTIS record that Indiana and the other states report into, so these brands show up on it along with the odometer readings and any theft or total-loss record.
| Salvage | A salvage title is required for a wrecked or damaged vehicle manufactured within the last seven model years, and can be issued on request for an older one. BMV Central Office processes it. The salvage title fee is $4, with a $10 penalty if the application arrives more than 45 days after the purchase or the insurance settlement. An owner who keeps a totaled car must apply for the salvage title within 45 days of settling with the insurer. |
|---|---|
| Rebuilt | To put a salvage car back on the road the owner applies to BMV Central Office for a salvage restoration title. The packet includes the Application for Certificate of Title (State Form 205), the salvage title, the Affidavit of Restoration for a Salvage Motor Vehicle (State Form 44606), which has a section for a physical inspection of the vehicle and its major parts by an Indiana police officer, and proof of ownership or purchase for every major component part used in the rebuild. The new title carries the Rebuilt brand. Fees are the regular $15 title fee, plus 7% sales tax if the car is changing hands. |
| Out-of-state brands | A car coming into Indiana on another state's title must pass a VIN inspection first (State Form 39530), done at no cost at a BMV branch or for up to $5 by a police officer. The inspection checks the VIN, not the car's history; the brands follow the car through NMVTIS. |
| Odometer | Indiana records the odometer reading at each transfer on the title or on the Odometer Disclosure Statement (State Form 43230). The report shows the readings and dates so you can compare them with the dashboard. |
Run the check before any money changes hands, including a deposit. A Rebuilt brand is not a reason to walk away on its own, but it is a reason to ask for the restoration paperwork and the parts receipts the BMV required.
What an Indiana title transfer costs
Buying from an individual, the buyer pays everything at a BMV branch when applying for the title. Amounts are from the BMV fee chart revised January 1, 2026.
| Title fee | $15 to issue, duplicate or replace a title. An optional speed title is $25 more. |
|---|---|
| Sales tax | 7% of the purchase price, paid at the branch when you apply for the title. A dealer collects it and hands you Form ST-108; in a sale between two people you pay it yourself. Tax paid to another state is credited, and any shortfall is owed to Indiana. New residents bringing in a car they already own are not charged. |
| Registration | $21.35 for a passenger car, plus the $15 Transportation Infrastructure Improvement Fee paid at every registration, plus vehicle excise tax, which is either a flat rate or based on the car's value and age. Electric vehicles add a $242 supplemental fee and hybrids $81 each year. Some counties and cities add their own vehicle tax if they have adopted one by ordinance. |
| Late penalties | $30 administrative penalty if the title application is not received within 45 days of the purchase, and $15 for late registration. |
| Plate transfer | $9.50 to move your existing plate to the new car, or to replace a plate, decal or registration certificate. |
| Gift or family transfer | A car given from one individual to another with no consideration is exempt from sales tax; the buyer files Form ST-108E to claim it. Taking over the seller's loan payments counts as consideration and is taxed. Adding or removing a spouse, child, parent, grandparent or sibling on a title is exempt under a separate rule. |
Credit or debit card payments at a branch, kiosk, by phone or on myBMV add $0.40 plus 2.06%. The BMV's Quick Quote tool estimates the full plate cost for a specific car.
Indiana forms and deadlines
| Buyer's deadline | Apply for a new title within 45 days of buying the vehicle. After that the BMV adds the $30 administrative penalty. |
|---|---|
| The title itself | The seller completes both the seller and purchaser sections of the title in full before you go to the branch. Indiana will not transfer ownership on a bill of sale alone for any vehicle that requires a title; the signed title is the ownership document. |
| Bill of sale (State Form 44237) | Useful alongside the title. It can supply the sale date or price when the title is missing them, but it cannot override the title: if the two show different prices, the BMV goes by the title. |
| Odometer Disclosure Statement (State Form 43230) | Required when the title does not have a completed odometer section. |
| Application for Certificate of Title (State Form 205) | The buyer's application, filed at the branch with the signed title, proof of address, the sales tax and the fees. |
| Liens | If a lender is shown on the title, ask for proof it has released the lien before you pay. If an out-of-state lender holds the title, you file a Request for Title (State Form 1014) at a branch, and the branch mails it to the lender. |
| Out-of-state cars | A VIN inspection (State Form 39530) is required before Indiana will title a car coming from another state. |
The BMV's own advice for a sale between individuals: make sure the seller has completed both the seller and purchaser sections of the title before you go to a branch.
Inspections in Indiana
The inspections the Indiana BMV lists are a VIN check for cars coming from another state and, in two counties, an emissions test.
- Where: cars registered in Lake County and Porter County, in the northwest corner of the state.
- Which cars: vehicles made after 1975 with a gross vehicle weight rating of 9,000 pounds or less. The four newest model years and antique vehicles are exempt.
- How often: every two years. Odd model years test in odd years, even model years in even years. Testing can be done as early as October of the year before it is due.
- At registration: renewing online at myBMV asks for the emissions test number from the Clean Air Car Check station. Bring the renewal notice or current registration to the testing station.
IDEM, the state's environmental agency, still lists the testing requirement for Lake and Porter counties as of this check, so a Lake or Porter car needs a passing test to renew.
Everywhere else, the only state check is the VIN inspection for out-of-state cars, so no state program has looked at the car's brakes, frame or airbags. Treat a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic you choose as part of the price.
Before you meet an Indiana seller
- Run the plate or the VIN here first, before the deposit. Then match the year, make, model and trim to the car in front of you.
- Match the VIN on the dashboard, the driver door sticker and the title. A VIN plate that looks tampered with is a walk-away.
- Match the name on the title to the seller's ID. A title in someone else's name means you're buying from a middleman, and a bill of sale cannot transfer ownership in Indiana.
- Look for the Rebuilt brand on the face of the title. If it is there, ask for the restoration affidavit and the parts receipts.
- Check for a lender. Ask for proof the lender released its lien before you pay.
- Plan the drive home. The seller keeps the plate. A 96-hour delivery permit from any BMV branch is $18 and covers the trip to storage, an emissions station or the branch.
- In Lake or Porter County, ask for the emissions result and bring the car's registration renewal notice to the station if it is due.
Where these Indiana facts come from
Read on the state's own pages on October 31, 2026. Fees and rules change; the county tax office has the final word on the day you file.
- Indiana BMV: buying and selling a vehicle
- Indiana BMV: fee chart, revised January 1, 2026
- Indiana BMV: vehicle registration fees and taxes
- Indiana BMV: salvage title application checklist
- Indiana BMV: salvage restoration (rebuilt) title checklist
- Indiana BMV: temporary permits
- Indiana BMV: vehicle emissions testing program
- Indiana Department of Revenue: Form ST-108E, sales tax exemptions for vehicles
- Indiana BMV: bill of sale as proof of ownership
- Indiana BMV: plate frame and sticker display rules
- Indiana BMV: electronic titles
- Indiana BMV: license plates and the Blackout plate
Look up a plate from another state
The reports
Works for Indiana plates and every other state. You see the car before you pay.
Basic history report
By VIN or license plate · official NMVTIS record · shows right away
- Salvage, junk, flood and rebuilt title brands
- Title history by state, with dates
- Odometer readings and rollback flags
- Total-loss records from insurers
- Theft check
- Market value for the car
Full vehicle history report
By VIN or license plate · Not instant: emailed or texted to you within two hours
- Every owner, how they used it (personal, lease, rental or fleet) and where
- Accidents and damage reports
- Title brands: salvage, junk, rebuilt, flood, fire, hail, lemon
- Odometer readings over time, checked for rollbacks
- Service and maintenance history
- Open recalls and common owner complaints for the model
Indiana license plate lookup questions
How do I look up an Indiana license plate?
Type the plate above with Indiana selected. We turn it into the car's VIN and show the year, make and model at no charge, then the $5 report shows its title brands, odometer readings, total-loss records and theft check.
How much does it cost to transfer a car title in Indiana?
The title fee is $15, paid at a BMV branch, plus 7% sales tax on the purchase price, plus registration: $21.35 for a passenger car, the $15 Transportation Infrastructure Improvement Fee, excise tax based on the car's value and age, and $242 for an electric vehicle or $81 for a hybrid. Apply within 45 days to avoid the $30 late penalty.
Do I pay sales tax on a car bought from an individual in Indiana?
Yes, 7% of the purchase price, paid at the BMV when you apply for the title. A true gift with nothing given in return is exempt with Form ST-108E, but taking over the seller's loan counts as payment and is taxed. Tax paid to another state is credited against what Indiana charges.
Does Indiana require a vehicle inspection?
The BMV lists no safety inspection. Emissions testing is required only for cars registered in Lake and Porter counties: vehicles made after 1975 rated 9,000 pounds or less, every two years, with the four newest model years exempt. IDEM still lists it as required.
Can a salvage car be retitled in Indiana?
Yes, as Rebuilt. The owner sends BMV Central Office the salvage title, the Application for Certificate of Title (State Form 205), the Affidavit of Restoration (State Form 44606) with its police inspection section, proof of purchase for each major part used, the $15 title fee and, if the car changed hands, 7% sales tax. The Rebuilt brand stays on the title.
How do I drive a car home in Indiana if the seller keeps the plate?
Buy a 96-hour temporary delivery permit at any BMV branch for $18 with your proof of ownership and insurance. It covers the trip to storage, to an emissions station or to the branch to register. The temporary plate goes on the back of the car or the left side of the rear window.
Can I find the owner of an Indiana plate?
No. The federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act keeps owners' names and addresses in BMV records private, and no legitimate plate lookup shows them. You see the car, not the person.
Who runs vehicle titles in Indiana?
The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) issues titles and plates through its branches, and its Central Office in Indianapolis handles salvage and rebuilt titles. The Indiana Department of Revenue sets the 7% sales tax rules, and IDEM oversees the Lake and Porter County emissions program.
More ways to check a car
Find the deal, then check it.
Wheel Scout alerts you the moment an underpriced car posts on Marketplace, OfferUp or Craigslist near you, and runs the history right in the app.
The basic history report uses NMVTIS data from an approved NMVTIS data provider. NMVTIS records come from states, insurers and salvage yards; not every event is reported to it. Vehicle specs and recalls come from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Wheel Scout is not affiliated with any marketplace or government agency. Wheel Scout is not affiliated with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV).