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How to Register a Vehicle
In Indiana, you can register your vehicle online (if the vehicle was bought within 60 days of the current date) or in person (mandatory if the vehicle was purchased more than 60 days from the current date). To apply for registration online, you must first mail a completed Application for Certificate of Title (Form 205) to a BMV near you. Once approved, you must visit the MyBMV online registration portal and sign up for an online account (unless you already have an existing profile). Some required items needed for online registration include:
- The vehicle’s title was issued in the state of Indiana
- Have your Indiana driver’s license number on hand.
- A credit or debit card is required for any registration-related fees.
If you have exceeded the 60-day limit, stop by a BMV (Bureau of Motor Vehicles) location near you with the materials listed below:
- A notarized bill of sale (if a title could not be obtained).
- The title was signed over to the new owner.
- An Indiana State-issued driver’s license.
- Proof of auto insurance coverage.
- Payment for the process (prices may differ depending on various factors).
How to Register a Vessel
The State of Indiana enforces that to operate a vessel propelled by a motor or sail on state waterways, it must be actively registered and titled by an authoritative agency. When purchasing a new watercraft, whether it may be from a dealer or a private individual, it must be registered and titled within a 45-day period from the date of sale. Vessels that fall under the category of exceptions to this requirement are:
- Lifeboats
- Federally owned or state-owned watercraft.
- Boats registered with an alternate state or country, being utilized for an amount of time not to exceed 60 continuous days, owned by an individual who resides out-of-state.
- Vessels to be docked upon the Indiana division of Lake Michigan not exceeding 180 days on location.
To acquire proper registration and title, visit your local Indiana BMV facility with the following pertinent materials:
- A filled Indiana Application for Certificate of Watercraft Title (Form 38529).
- Sufficient evidence of vessel ownership such as:
- A manufacturer’s certificate of origin.
- An executed Bill of Sale.
- A properly reassigned title complete with the previous owner’s signature.
- If you cannot furnish any of the above documents, you can fill out and endorse an Indiana Watercraft Ownership Affidavit (Form 55100).
- An Indiana Physical Inspection of a Vehicle or Watercraft (Form 39530) completed by an authorized Indiana BMV employee or police officer.
- Proof that state tax has been paid on the vessel:
- If Indiana State tax has not yet been paid, payment can be compensated upon registration at an Indiana BMV office.
- If the tax has been previously paid, you may submit an Indiana Certificate of Gross Retail or Use Tax Paid on the Purchase of a Motor Vehicle or Watercraft (Form 48842).
- If the vessel is exempt from sales tax, fill out and hand in an Indiana Certificate of Gross Retail or Use Tax Exemption for the Purchase of a Motor Vehicle or Watercraft (Form 48841).
- Should your vessel not be issued a standard hull identification number, you will need to retrieve the following to furnish along with your application materials:
- A completed Indiana Application for Special Identification Number of Vehicle or Watercraft (Form 12907).
- A clear photograph of the side view of the exterior of the actual vessel.
- A social security card, w-2 form, or previous pay stub complete with the listed full name and security number.
- A valid Indiana driver’s license or ID with an up-to-date address or proof of residency, as required, can be found in the Real ID Documentation Checklist.
- Payment for all mandated registration fees.
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