How to fill out the State Form 39738 in Indiana
A field-by-field walkthrough of the Indiana State Form 39738 (Certificate of Repossession) for licensed used car dealers — what goes in every section, who signs what, and the documents you attach. Verified against the official form as of October 2026.
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Filling out the IN State Form 39738 after a sale:
- What it is
- The BMV form a primary lienholder completes to get a title in its own name after a repossession
- Who completes it
- The lienholder. On a BHPH note, that's your dealership. The signer gives their position/title
- Where to file it
- The BMV, with the title application (State Form 205) and the other documents on the BMV's repossession list
- Processing time
- The form lists none. The BMV says you can't sell the vehicle until the title is in your name
- Cost
- The form lists no fee of its own
This guide is informational and does not replace the official Indiana instructions. Always confirm the current form and procedure with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles before you file.
The State Form 39738 is one car's paperwork. A 20-second read on your lot, and the tax-and-fee math for the whole deal — built for dealers, no signup. Free calculators dealers actually use — no signup, no email.
DealerVLO fills the official Indiana State Form 39738 straight from your deal: the owner name(s) last name first (buyer and co-buyer) with the buyer's address; the Vehicle box, the VIN one character per box, year, make and model; the date of lien (the sale date); and your dealership as lienholder with its address. It prints from the servicing section of a BHPH deal where your dealership carries the note, for when you've taken a car back, not on every deal. The date of repossession, signature, date signed, printed name and position/title stay blank. $29/month, free to try — cancel any time.
What the State Form 39738 is and why it matters
State Form 39738 is the Indiana BMV's Certificate of Repossession. The form says to complete it "when applying for a title in the primary lienholder name following the statutory redemption period." If you sold the car on a buy-here-pay-here note and took it back, your dealership is the lienholder applying.
The order matters in Indiana. The BMV says the lienholder may not sell the repossessed vehicle until it has properly obtained a title in its own name. So this form comes first, then the resale. This guide covers the paperwork: each section, the BMV's document list, and the sworn statement. It doesn't cover when or how you may repossess.
The current revision is State Form 39738 (R4 / 12-24), from the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. The form cites IC 9-17-5-2 and 140 IAC 6-1-15.5. When people search for an "Indiana repossession affidavit," this is it. It's one page in four sections: owner, vehicle, lien, and a sworn affirmation. There's no notary block.
Documents to have before you start
Gather these before you complete the State Form 39738. A missing attachment is the number-one reason the the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles bounces a title application back.
- The certificate of title with your lien recorded — The BMV says the lien must not be released on it. If the repossession is from a dealer who is the last titleholder, a copy of the UCC Financing Statement filed with the Secretary of State by the lienholder is required in lieu of a title.
- Application for Certificate of Title, State Form 205 — In the lienholder's name. See the Form 205 guide for the boxes.
- Odometer Disclosure Statement, State Form 43230 — Or another conforming odometer statement, completed by the applying lienholder, showing the current odometer brand and mileage.
- Certificate of Gross Retail or Use Tax Exemption (ST-108E), State Form 48841 — The BMV lists Exemption 10.
- Power of attorney, if applicable
- Physical Inspection of a Vehicle or Watercraft (State Form 39530) or a vehicle history report, if applicable
State Form 39738, section by section
Before you start: the form's three instructions
Complete it in blue or black ink, or print the form. The repossession must be from the last owner on BMV records: the form says the person you repossessed from "must be shown by the records of the Bureau to be the most recent owner." If the certificate of title isn't available, the form says the applicant must present acceptable proof of lien, "a UCC filing or court order." The BMV adds that the form must be completed in its entirety.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Blue or black ink, or printed | You (dealer) |
Proof of lien if no title (UCC filing or court order) | You (dealer) |
Section 1: Owner information (from whom the vehicle was repossessed)
The owner's name goes last name first, then first name and middle initial, or the company name. Use the name on BMV records, since the form requires that this person be the most recent owner. On a BHPH deal that's your buyer, plus the co-buyer if they're on the title. Then the owner's legal address: number and street, city, state, ZIP code.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Owner Name(s) (last, first, middle initial or company name) | You (dealer) |
Legal Address, City, State, ZIP Code | You (dealer) |
Section 2: Vehicle / watercraft / manufactured home information
Check the type: Vehicle, Watercraft, or Manufactured Home. For a car, check Vehicle. Then the identification number (the VIN, one character per box), year, make, and model, copied from the title.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Type: Vehicle | You (dealer) |
Identification Number All 17 VIN characters. | You (dealer) |
Year, Make, Model | You (dealer) |
Section 3: Lien information
Under "The encumbrances are as follows," enter the date of lien and the date of repossession, both as mm/dd/yyyy. Then the lienholder name and address. On a BHPH note the lienholder is your dealership, under the name recorded on the title.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Date of Lien (mm/dd/yyyy) | You (dealer) |
Date of Repossession (mm/dd/yyyy) The day the vehicle came back. | You (dealer) |
Lienholder Name, Address, City, State, ZIP Code Your dealership. | You (dealer) |
Section 4: Affirmation statement
The signer swears or affirms that the property "has been lawfully repossessed from the Owner herein," that the owner defaulted on an obligation secured by it, and that the lienholder "has exercised its post-default remedies" and "has acquired the ownership rights to the property." The signer also affirms the information is true and correct, and acknowledges that a false statement may constitute perjury. Then the signature, date signed (mm/dd/yyyy), printed name, and position/title. There's no notary block on this form.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Signature | You (dealer) |
Date Signed (mm/dd/yyyy) | You (dealer) |
Printed Name, Position/Title The person signing for the dealership. | You (dealer) |
Special cases on the BMV's list
The BMV's repossession page covers a few situations. With more than one lienholder recorded, the first lienholder can repossess without lien releases from the others; later lienholders need a lien release from the first. If the original lienholder assigned the lien to a financial institution that repossessed, that institution needs an assignment document from the original lienholder, or a properly executed Indiana title showing the assignment. For a vehicle titled out of state, send the physical out-of-state title if you have it. If not, or if the other state issued no title, the BMV asks for a verification of lien from the current state of title.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Lien release from the first lienholder (later lienholders) | You (dealer) |
Assignment document (assigned liens) | You (dealer) |
Verification of lien from the current state of title (no out-of-state title) | You (dealer) |
Common State Form 39738 mistakes that cause rejections
The BMV says the lienholder may not sell the repossessed vehicle until it has properly obtained a title in its own name. File the 39738 and title it first.
The BMV wants the certificate of title with your lien recorded and not released.
The BMV says the form must be completed in its entirety.
Section 1 asks for last name, first name, middle initial.
It goes with State Form 205, an odometer statement (State Form 43230), and the ST-108E exemption certificate, plus the title.
Common questions
What is the Indiana Certificate of Repossession?+
It's BMV State Form 39738 (R4 / 12-24). The form says to complete it when applying for a title in the primary lienholder's name following the statutory redemption period for a repossessed vehicle, watercraft, or manufactured home.
Does State Form 39738 need to be notarized?+
The form has no notary block. The signer swears or affirms the statements in Section 4 and acknowledges that a false statement may constitute perjury.
Can I sell a repo in Indiana before the title is in my name?+
No. The BMV says the lienholder may not sell the repossessed vehicle until it has properly obtained a certificate of title in its own name.
What documents go with Form 39738?+
Per the BMV: the title with your lien recorded and not released, State Form 205, an odometer disclosure (State Form 43230 or another conforming statement), the ST-108E exemption certificate (State Form 48841, Exemption 10), and a power of attorney or physical inspection/vehicle history report if applicable.
What if I don't have the title?+
The form says the applicant must present acceptable proof of lien: a UCC filing or court order. For a vehicle last titled out of state without a physical title, the BMV asks for a verification of lien from the current state of title.
Who has to be listed as the owner?+
The person you repossessed from, and the form says that person must be shown by BMV records to be the most recent owner.
Is there software that fills out the State Form 39738 automatically?+
Yes. Dealer management software like DealerVLO fills the official Indiana State Form 39738 from the deal you already entered: the owner name(s) last name first (buyer and co-buyer) with the buyer's address; the Vehicle box, the VIN one character per box, year, make and model; the date of lien (the sale date); and your dealership as lienholder with its address. It prints from the servicing section of a BHPH deal where your dealership carries the note, for when you've taken a car back, not on every deal. The date of repossession, signature, date signed, printed name and position/title stay blank. Signatures stay blank for ink. It's $29/month flat with a 14-day free trial, and the same deal also generates your federal documents (Bill of Sale, FTC Buyers Guide) and your state title paperwork.
- Affidavit of repossession forms by state
- Vehicle lien release form by state
- How to fill out Indiana State Form 205
- How to fill out Indiana State Form 43230
- Indiana used car dealer license
- Indiana dealer plates
- E-signatures and e-titling for Indiana dealers
- Title application forms in every state
- How much is a dealer's license? Cost in every state
Stop filling out the State Form 39738 by hand.
DealerVLO fills the official IN State Form 39738 straight from your deal jacket: the owner name(s) last name first (buyer and co-buyer) with the buyer's address; the Vehicle box, the VIN one character per box, year, make and model; the date of lien (the sale date); and your dealership as lienholder with its address. It prints from the servicing section of a BHPH deal where your dealership carries the note, for when you've taken a car back, not on every deal. The date of repossession, signature, date signed, printed name and position/title stay blank. $29/month. 14-day free trial, cancel any time.
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