It’s a new year, and there is a slew of things that must be accomplished, including the renewal of vehicle registrations, and for some, licenses. Not all are renewed in January, or at the same time, however, renewals must be done annually based on the first few letters of your last name. The Indiana BMV has created this nice schedule that tells you when to renew. Check it out here!
It’s important to note that the process has evolved a bit over the past few years. Things like COVID-19 protocols shortened BMV hours, and limited capacity has all worked to elevate the level of difficulty in completing this task.
Due to this, let’s take this step by step—specifically for those doing this for the first time.
For those who don’t mind a little human interaction, you can visit your local Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles to renew. Here is a list of items you should bring. At the very least, make sure you have:
- Proof of insurance
- Current registration or renewal notice
- Payment
For those who prefer minimal in-person interaction, you’re in luck! The state of Indiana has made it quite easy to renew your vehicle registration online.
Get started:
- Start by visiting BMV: Registration & Plates: Interactive Guide: How to Title & Register a Vehicle. Be sure to have your driver’s license and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) handy—you’ll need it!
- Once you’ve accessed the website and you’ve selected to renew online, you’ll be prompted to create an account.
- After you’ve logged in, you’ll be welcomed to the website and introduced to a host of different links. The site is pretty easy to navigate from here. You will see options to renew license plates and/or driver’s license, learner’s permit, or ID card listed at the top of the page.
Whether renewing a license or a license plate, your personal information will be found at the bottom of the next screen. Ensure all existing information is correct. If you’ve just entered information to ‘add other registration,’ double-check to make sure you’ve entered it correctly before proceeding to the next screen.
From there, you can choose to renew everything from the previous year or choose standard or personalized plates. You can select from Indiana’s standard ‘In God We Trust’ or ‘Indiana’ Plate, or choose an organization, club, or cause that’s close to your heart. Be advised: personalized plates do come with an additional cost, and the price to renew plates can differ based on car year, make, model, etc.
Now that you’ve entered all of your information and selected your plates, it’s time to check out! In 21 days or less, you’ll receive your plate, sticker and/or license in the mail. YOU DID IT! Give yourself a pat on the back.
