Indiana Vehicle Registration Renewal

By Javier Marín, Editor·Last reviewed September 2026·How we check this

Indiana vehicle registrations renew on a 12-month cycle tied to the registered owner's last name (a staggered system that spreads workload across the calendar year). The Indiana BMV offers four renewal channels: online through myBMV, at any of the 80+ BMV Connect kiosks, by mail, or in person at a branch. Each renewal includes the annual Excise Tax for the vehicle.

Renewal notice

The BMV mails a renewal notice about 60 days before the registration expires. The notice lists the vehicle, the renewal amount (registration fee plus Excise Tax plus any county wheel tax), and a renewal access code that speeds up the online and kiosk options. If you do not receive the notice — for example after a recent move — you can still renew by entering your title number and license plate on myBMV. See the address change page if a missed notice is part of a wider address update.

Online renewal through myBMV

The online portal renews most passenger registrations in five minutes. To use myBMV, the vehicle must:

Have a current title in your name with no recent ownership change pending.
Carry valid Indiana insurance — myBMV pings the carrier database for proof of 25/50/25 liability.
Have no outstanding traffic citation or court hold on the BMV record.
Not require an emissions test (vehicles registered in Lake or Porter counties may need to pass emissions before online renewal opens).

Payment is by credit or debit card. The new sticker is mailed within 7 to 10 business days; print the temporary receipt and keep it in the vehicle as proof of renewal until the sticker arrives.

BMV Connect kiosk renewal

The BMV Connect kiosks handle registration renewals in about three minutes. Insert the renewal notice or enter the plate and title information, pay by card, and the kiosk prints a temporary receipt and the new sticker on the spot. Kiosks are located in branch lobbies, participating grocery stores, libraries, and county clerk offices. The kiosk option is one of Indiana's most-used self-service channels — see the Indiana BMV hub for kiosk locator information.

Mail renewal

Mail renewal is available to drivers who want to send a check rather than pay by card. Send the renewal notice with payment to the address listed on the notice. Mail renewals take 14 to 21 days for the sticker to arrive, so submit the renewal at least three weeks before the expiration date.

In-person renewal at a branch

An in-person renewal at a BMV branch is required for:

Vehicles that have changed ownership during the registration year.
Vehicles with an unresolved title issue (unsigned title, missing lien release, name correction).
Vehicles registered in Lake or Porter counties that need the emissions test before renewal.
Specialty plate orders that include a personalized message.
Renewals where the owner wants to switch from a standard plate to a specialty or military plate.

Excise Tax at renewal

Every Indiana registration renewal includes the annual Vehicle Excise Tax on the same receipt. The Excise Tax is calculated from the vehicle's age and original cost using the IC 6-6-5 depreciation schedule. A typical mid-size sedan starts around $300 in year one and decreases roughly 15% each year through year 10, stabilizing at the minimum charge thereafter. The Excise Tax is paid to the BMV at renewal and distributed back to the owner's home county for road and infrastructure use.

Late renewal

Indiana does not offer a grace period. Driving with expired plates is a Class C infraction, and the BMV imposes a late fee on registrations renewed more than 30 days past expiration. After 90 days the registration is canceled, and reinstatement requires bringing the title and proof of insurance to a branch (online and kiosk renewal are no longer available). After one year, the BMV may require a fresh title application and full registration as if registering the vehicle for the first time — see the Indiana car registration page.

If you sell the vehicle before the renewal date, the plate stays with you, not the buyer. Keep the plate to transfer to a replacement vehicle within 30 days or surrender it to a branch to stop further Excise Tax billing. The buyer titles and registers the vehicle in their own name using Form 44237 and a fresh registration application.