Indiana BMV Guide
Indiana is one of the small group of states where a single agency — the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (Indiana BMV) — handles driver licensing, vehicle titles, and registration under one roof. That makes the agency map simpler than in split-bureau states, but Indiana also has a few quirks no other state quite duplicates: the OWI charge under IC 9-30-5 instead of DUI, an Excise Tax billed annually with the registration, and a network of 80+ BMV Connect kiosks that can complete renewals in under two minutes.
The Indiana BMV operates roughly 134 branches statewide, plus the BMV Connect self-service kiosks at participating grocery stores, libraries, and BMV branch lobbies. Most routine business — license and ID renewal, registration sticker, address change, driver record request — can be done online through myBMV or at a kiosk. First-time licenses, REAL ID upgrades, title transfers with a lien release, and any transaction tied to an OWI or suspended license still require an in-person visit to a branch.
Indiana's 6-year license cycle is one of the longest in the country, and there is no annual statewide vehicle inspection — points that surprise drivers moving in from Pennsylvania, New York, or Missouri. The trade-off is the state's 7% sales tax on vehicle purchases, which is among the highest, and an Excise Tax that's billed every year through the registration renewal rather than as a separate county property bill.
Most-used Indiana BMV transactions
Indiana Driver's License
The standard Indiana license: minimum age, document checklist, knowledge exam, road test, and the REAL ID upgrade through the BMV.
Read more →Learner's Permit
The Indiana Learner's Permit at 15 with concurrent driver education, parental consent, and the supervised-practice requirement.
Read more →Teen License (Probationary)
Indiana's probationary license for teens: passenger limits, nighttime curfew, and the path to a full unrestricted license at 18.
Read more →License Renewal
Renewing an Indiana license online, at a BMV Connect kiosk, or at a branch — and the shorter cycles after age 75.
Read more →Suspended License
Reinstating an Indiana license after points, an OWI, an unpaid ticket, or financial-responsibility lapse, with the SR-22 timeline.
Read more →Vehicle Registration
Registering a car in Indiana: Form 44049, the 60-day deadline, sales tax, Excise Tax, and the title fee schedule.
Read more →Registration Renewal
Renewing Indiana plates online, at a BMV Connect kiosk, or by mail — and the Excise Tax that comes with each renewal.
Read more →Title Transfer
Transferring an Indiana title between buyer and seller using Form 44237, the $15 title fee, and the lien-release rules.
Read more →Title Replacement
Applying for a duplicate Indiana title: Form 44237 with the duplicate box checked, lien holder consent, and processing time.
Read more →Other Vehicle Registrations
Trailers, motorcycles, RVs, antique vehicles, and Indiana's specialty plates for qualifying organizations.
Read more →Driving Records
Pulling your Indiana driving record (Form 56000): certified vs. uncertified, employer copies, and how to dispute an entry.
Read more →Indiana OWI Laws
The 0.08% threshold, ALR 180-day suspension, ignition interlock, and first-offense penalties under IC 9-30-5.
Read more →Indiana Point System
How Indiana points are assessed by offense, the 18-point hearing threshold, and how points roll off after two years.
Read more →Traffic Tickets
Paying or contesting an Indiana citation, deferral programs, and how a guilty plea ties back to your point total.
Read more →Car Insurance
Indiana minimum liability (25/50/25), uninsured-motorist coverage, and the SR-22 filing after a major offense.
Read more →Address & Name Change
Updating your address on an Indiana license and registration, and changing your legal name through the BMV.
Read more →
What's different about Indiana
The combined BMV model
The Indiana BMV is one of the few state agencies in the country to combine driver licensing with vehicle titling and registration under a single operation. In most states those functions sit in separate departments — a "DMV" plus a "Department of Revenue Motor Vehicle Division." In Indiana the same branch processes a license application, the title on the car you just bought, and the plate that goes on it. The trade-off: peak-hour waits at popular branches can be longer than in split-agency states, but a single appointment can cover several errands in one visit.
OWI rather than DUI
Indiana's impaired-driving statute charges Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) rather than DUI. The substantive standards mirror most other states — 0.08% BAC for adults, 0.04% for commercial drivers, 0.02% for drivers under 21 — but the language carries through every form, court document, and BMV record. A BAC of 0.15% or higher is charged as a Class A misdemeanor "high-test" enhancement under IC 9-30-5-1. The administrative license suspension (ALR) of 180 days for a chemical-test failure or refusal runs in parallel with any criminal case, and winning the criminal trial does not undo the administrative side.
BMV Connect self-service kiosks
The Indiana BMV operates 80+ BMV Connect kiosks in branch lobbies and at participating grocery stores, libraries, and county clerk offices across the state. The kiosks accept card payment and can complete a registration renewal, an ID renewal, or a duplicate driver license in two to three minutes — including printing a receipt and a temporary card on the spot. The kiosk network is one of the densest in the country and is the fastest way to handle routine BMV business without booking a branch appointment.
No annual statewide inspection
Indiana does not require an annual safety inspection or a statewide emissions test. A small number of vehicles registered in Lake and Porter counties (the Northwest Indiana region near Chicago) are subject to a federal-mandate emissions test under the Indiana Department of Environmental Management; the rest of the state has no inspection requirement at all. Drivers moving in from inspection states often need to verify with their carrier that the registration is current rather than waiting for an inspection appointment that does not exist.
Indiana BMV forms you'll see
- Form 39530 — Application for an Indiana driver license, learner's permit, or identification card.
- Form 44049 — Application for Vehicle Registration.
- Form 44237 — Application for Certificate of Title for a Vehicle (used for transfers and duplicates).
- Form 56000 — Driver Record Request.
- Form 39684 — Affidavit of Correction.
Indiana BMV branch network
The Indiana BMV operates roughly 134 branches across all 92 counties. The largest are in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, South Bend, and Bloomington. Many smaller branches are open four to five days a week with rotating Saturday hours; Indianapolis and Fort Wayne keep the longest weekday hours. The BMV publishes branch hours and same-day visit estimates on its website, and most branches accept appointments through the myBMV portal. For routine renewals the BMV Connect kiosks remain the fastest option.
For a national-level overview of how driver licensing differs between states, see our national driver's license guide and vehicle registration overview. For OWI law differences across the country, the national DUI guide is a good companion to the Indiana page.