How to get dealer plates in Indiana
What Indiana dealer plates cost, the types you can get, how to apply, and the rules on using them. Verified as of October 2026.
IN dealer plates at a glance:
- Issued by
- Indiana Secretary of State, Auto Dealer Services
- Cost per plate
- $40 for first 2 plates; $15 each extra (+ service charge)
- Requirement
- Valid Indiana dealer license
- Use them for
- Inventory: business use, demos, personal use by staff
- Term
- Annual, renews with your dealer license
Informational only — confirm current fees and rules with the Indiana Secretary of State (Auto Dealer Services Division) before you apply.
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What Indiana dealer plates are
In Indiana, dealer plates come from the Secretary of State's Auto Dealer Services Division, not the BMV. You get two metal plates when your dealer license is approved, and you can ask for more by showing you need them. The rules are in Indiana Code 9-32-6 and 75 IAC 6-3.
"Plates on demand" is a different thing. It's the Division's online system for printing paper interim plates for buyers at the point of sale. You buy credits at $3 a plate and print from the Dealer Portal. Metal dealer plates stay on your inventory. Interim plates go on the cars you sell.
Types of IN dealer plates
Two plates and two registrations come with an approved application: $40 for the pair plus a $5 service charge (IC 9-32-6-1). Each extra plate is $15 plus a $5 service charge (IC 9-32-6-5). Motorcycle dealer plates are $15 for the first two and $7.50 each after.
Paper plates you print for a buyer at the sale. $3 each (IC 9-32-6-11). One per sale. Good for 45 days after the sale or until a regular plate is issued, whichever comes first. Never on your own inventory or on consignment vehicles.
A dealer plate you assign to a named person for up to 180 days, with a possible 90-day extension, on a vehicle from your inventory (75 IAC 6-3-12). Up to 10 per dealer. Request on State Form 56304. Proof of insurance stays in the vehicle.
For licensed transport operators moving vehicles for others. A separate license and fee. The Division's fee chart (rev. 9/23) lists $139.25 for the first set and $34.25 for each additional set.
How to get dealer plates in Indiana
- 1
Get your Indiana dealer license
Apply to the Auto Dealer Services Division. You need liability insurance covering your established place of business, at least $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident and $50,000 property damage. The license is suspended during any lapse.
- 2
Pay for your first two plates
Once the license is approved, you're invoiced for the plates. After payment, an outside vendor ships them by USPS, usually in about 10 business days. You can't pick them up in person.
- 3
Request more plates if you need them
Ask through the Dealer Portal or on State Form 12798. IC 9-32-6-5 says you must show need with your number of employees, annual sales and other factors. The Division decides, and a request can trigger an audit. Plan on about 7 business days.
- 4
Set up Plates on Demand for interim plates
Each employee gets their own Dealer Portal login, since the system logs who issued each plate. Buy credits, enter the VIN and buyer details, and print on white paper at actual size. Your interim plate limit resets every year on your license expiration date. Raise it on State Form 56140 or through the portal.
- 5
Renew every year
Dealer licenses and plates expire annually on a date set by the first letter of your business name, from January 1 (W–Z) to December 1 (T–V). Renewal is online only, up to 90 days early. Plates are invoiced after the renewal is approved.
Rules on using IN dealer plates
- Only on vehicles held for sale in your inventory: normal business, moving inventory, or uses the Secretary's rules allow
- The dealer and its representatives may use dealer plates for personal use on inventory vehicles, at the dealer's discretion (75 IAC 6-3-2)
- A prospective buyer or service customer may drive an inventory vehicle alone on your plate for up to 10 days
- Not on vehicles leased or rented to or by you, or any vehicle someone other than an employee pays you to use
- A used vehicle on a dealer plate must display the FTC Buyers Guide
- Once a vehicle is sold and delivered, the dealer plate comes off. The buyer leaves on an interim plate
- When not in use, plates are stored at your established place of business
- Mount the plate on the rear, fully visible, at least 12 inches off the ground. Misuse is a Class A infraction
Common questions
What is Indiana's on-demand dealer plate program?+
Plates on Demand is the Auto Dealer Services Division's online system for printing interim (paper) plates at your dealership. You buy credits at $3 a plate, print a plate for the buyer at the sale, and it's valid for 45 days or until the regular plate is issued. It's for sold vehicles. It doesn't replace your metal dealer plates.
How much are dealer plates in Indiana?+
Your first two metal dealer plates cost $40 plus a $5 service charge (IC 9-32-6-1). Each additional plate is $15 plus a $5 service charge (IC 9-32-6-5). Interim plates are $3 each.
How many dealer plates can I get in Indiana?+
You start with two. For more, you apply and show need, including your number of employees and annual sales. The Secretary of State decides how many, and a request can trigger an audit. Designee plates are capped at 10 per dealer.
Can I drive a dealer-plated car for personal use in Indiana?+
Yes. Under 75 IAC 6-3-2, the dealer and its representatives may use dealer plates for personal use on inventory vehicles, at the dealer's discretion. The vehicle has to stay in inventory. Plates can't be used to avoid registration, sales tax or excise tax.
What happens if Plates on Demand goes down?+
If the Division declares a total outage in writing, and only then, you may put a dealer plate on a buyer's car and record the plate number in the deal jacket. Within 3 days of the system coming back, arrange for the plate to be returned within 7 days and swap it for an interim plate. If you can't get it back, tell the Division within 14 days of the sale.
Do I need insurance for Indiana dealer plates?+
Your dealer license requires liability insurance of at least $100,000/$300,000/$50,000 for the whole license period, with the Indiana Secretary of State as certificate holder. A designee plate also requires proof of financial responsibility kept in the vehicle.
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