Vehicle registration plates of Indiana

Current Indiana license plate

The U.S. state of Indiana first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1905. Registrants had to provide their own license plates for display until July 1, 1913, when the state began to supply plates.^[1]

In 1956, the U.S. states and Canadian provinces came to an agreement with the Automobile Manufacturers Association that standardized the size for license plates for vehicles, except those for motorcycles, at six inches in height by twelve inches in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first Indiana license plate that complied with these standards.

Plates are currently issued by the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV).

Passenger plates 1915 to present

Image	First issued	Description	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	1915	Green lettering on pink base	none	12345
	1916	Black lettering on white base	none	12345 A1234
	1917	Yellow lettering on black base	none	12345 A1234
	1918	Black lettering on green base	none	123456
	1919	White lettering on black base	none	123456
	1920	Green lettering on white base	none	123456
	1921	Black lettering on orange base	none	123456
	1922	White lettering on dark blue base	none	123456
	1923	White lettering on brown base	none	123-456
	1924	Orange lettering on black base	none	123-456
	1925	Maroon lettering on tan base	none	123-456
	1926	White lettering on green base	none	123-456
	1927	White lettering on black base	none	123-456
	1928	White lettering on maroon base	none	123-456
	1929	Black lettering on orange base	none	123-456
	1930	Orange lettering on dark blue base	none	123 456
	1931	Black lettering and rims on orange base	none	123 456
	1932	White lettering on dark green base	none	123 456
	1933	White lettering on maroon base	none	123 456
	1934	White lettering on black base	none	123 456
	1935	Black lettering on light green base	none	123 456
	1936	White lettering and rims on red base	none	123 456
	1937	Gold lettering on black base	none	123 456
	1938	Maroon lettering on cream base	none	123 456
	1939	Dark blue lettering on golden yellow base	none	123 456
	1940	Silver lettering on black base	none	123 456
	1941	White lettering on blue base	none	123 456
	1942	Dark blue lettering on golden yellow base	none	123 456		Revalidated for 1943 with black tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II.
	1944	White lettering on black base	none	123456
	1945	White lettering on brown base	none	123 456
	1946	Yellow embossed lettering on black base	none	123 456
	1947	Dark blue lettering on golden yellow base	none	123 456
	1948	White embossed lettering on navy blue base	none	123 456 A-12345
	1949	White embossed lettering on red base	none	123 456 A-12345
	1950	Yellow lettering on black base	none	AB 1234	County-coded
	1951	Black lettering on white base	none	AB 1234	County-coded	Revalidated for 1952 with yellow tabs, and for 1953 with green tabs, due to metal conservation for the Korean War.
	1954	White lettering embossed on maroon base	none	AB 1234	County-coded	Revalidated for 1955 with red tabs.
	1959	Navy lettering embossed on golden yellow base	LINCOLN YEAR	AB 1234	County-coded	Commemorated the 150th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, who lived in Indiana from 1816 to 1830.
	1960	White lettering embossed on navy base	SAFETY PAYS	AB 1234	County-coded
	1961	White lettering on dark red base	SAFETY PAYS	AB 1234	County-coded
	1962	Yellow embossed lettering on black base	SAFETY PAYS	AB 1234	County-coded
	1963	Yellow lettering on blue base	none	0A1234 00A1234	County-coded
	1964	Reflective white lettering on dark red base	none	0A1234 00A1234	County-coded
	1965	Reflective white lettering on dark green base	none	0A1234 00A1234	County-coded
	1966	Black lettering on reflective white base	150th Year	0A1234 00A1234	County-coded	Commemorated Indiana's 150 years of statehood.
	1967	Red lettering on reflective white base	none	0A1234 00A1234	County-coded
	1968	Blue lettering on reflective white base	none	0A1234 00A1234	County-coded
	1969	Black lettering on reflective white base	none	0A1234 00A1234	County-coded
	1970	Red serial on reflective white background	none	0A1234 00A1234	County-coded	Staggered registration introduced, with the month of expiration determined by the initial letter of the registrant's surname. Plates expired from January 31 through June 30, 1971.
	1971	Blue serial on reflective white background	none	0A1234 00A1234	County-coded	Plates expired from January 31 through June 30, 1972.
	1972	Green serial on reflective white background	none	0A1234 00A1234	County-coded	Plates expired from January 31 through June 30, 1973.
	1973	Red serial on reflective white background	none	0A1234 00A1234	County-coded	Plates expired from January 31 through June 30, 1974.
	1974	Black serial on reflective white background	none	0A1234 00A1234	County-coded	Plates expired from January 31 through June 30, 1975.
	1975	Blue serial on reflective white background	none	0A1234 00A1234	County-coded	Plates expired from January 31 through June 30, 1976.
	1976	Blue serial on reflective white, red and blue graphic background	Heritage State	0A1234 00A1234	County-coded	First graphic plate; commemorated the US Bicentennial. The letter in the serial was moved to the bottom of the plate to accommodate the Minuteman graphic. Plates expired from January 31 through June 30, 1977.
	1977	Green serial on reflective white, green and yellow background	none	0A1234 00A1234	County-coded	Plates expired from January 31 through June 30, 1978.
	1978	Black serial on reflective white, red and light blue background	none	0A1234 00A1234	County-coded	Indianapolis 500 race cars in background. This issue is thought by some to be a tribute to Tony Hulman, owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, who died in 1977; sample plates, normally numbered 00A0000 in most years, were numbered 00H0000 this year, lending some credence to this belief. Plates expired from January 31 through June 30, 1979.
	1979	Brown serial on reflective white, yellow and brown background	1779 George Rogers Clark	0A1234 00A1234	County-coded	Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 1979 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the first and, to date, only time Indiana has been so honored. Plates expired from January 31 through June 30, 1980.
	1980	Black serial on reflective white, yellow, orange and red background	none	0A1234 00A1234	County-coded	Final single-year passenger plate in the United States. Plates expired from January 31 through June 30, 1981.
	1981	Brown serial on reflective white, light and dark brown and black graphic background	Hoosier State	0A1234 00A1234	County-coded	First multi-year plate in Indiana since 1955, and the first to be renewed with decals (except for plates with numbers up to and including 100, which were reissued annually). Plates were valid until June 30, 1984.
	1984	Black serial on reflective white, yellow, green and red background	Wander Indiana	0A1234 00A1234	County-coded	Staggered registration expanded to January–October with 1987 expiration. Plates were valid through October 31, 1987.
	1987	Blue serial on reflective blue, white and gold background	Back Home Again	0A1234 00A1234	County-coded	Small white-on-blue county name sticker in bottom right corner. Plates were valid through October 31, 1990.
	1990	Red serial on reflective white background	Hoosier Hospitality	0A1234 0AB123 00A1234	County-coded	Small white-on-blue county name sticker in bottom right corner as on the Back Home Again base. Allen County began issuing two-letter, three-digit serials in 1992 after reaching 2Z9999. Plates were valid through October 31, 1993.
	1993	Black serial on reflective red, yellow and black background	Amber Waves of Grain	0A1234 0AB123 00A1234 00AB123	County-coded	Replacement cycle extended from 3 to 5 years. Early plates had a small yellow-on-black county name sticker in the bottom right corner; this was soon discontinued. Plates were valid through October 31, 1998.
	1998	Dark blue serial on reflective white background, gold state outline and coat of arms - Indiana and Crossroads of America Printed in dark blue.	The Crossroads of America	0A1234 0AB123 00A1234 00AB123	County-coded	Final embossed plate. Plates were valid through October 31, 2003.
	2003	Dark blue on reflective farm scene graphic	www.IN.gov	0A1234 0AB123 00A1234 00AB123	County-coded	First screened plate. The original design had the slogan "Back Home Again" (as on the 1987–90 base); this was replaced with the state's web address before production began. Early plates used a bolder serial font that included full-height letters; this was changed in response to legibility concerns. Plates were valid through October 31, 2008.
	2008	White serial on reflective dark blue; torch and stars from the state flag at left; county number and name on white sticker at top	none	Standard Version 123A, 123AB or 123ABC Grandfathered Version 00A0, 00A00 or 00A000 Handicapped Plates 2008-2010: 123456 2010>: D123A, D123AB National Guard Plates NG123A	Serials not issued sequentially. Letters or combinations of letters are unique to a particular county.	Issued concurrently with "In God We Trust" base. Staggered registration once again expanded to include all twelve months of the calendar year; four dates, the 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th of each month, are used (except in January and December). Grandfathered Version are laid out by county coding depending on demand for them. Some counties may only use single suffix numbers while others may use as much as three.
	2013	Black serial on reflective white fading to gold; number 200 and circle of 19 stars (the 19th enlarged and colored gold) over dark blue state shape at left; expiration date, year, county number and recycling symbol in corners clockwise from top left	Bicentennial 1816-2016	Standard Version 123A, 123AB or 123ABC, No Grandfathered Version	Serial tied to vehicle.	Registrants keep their old license plate numbers upon renewal if they have a license plate in either the 123A, 123AB or 123ABC formats. If vehicle was issued a previous plate with serial 661XYZ for example, the vehicle's 2013 issued plate will have serial 661XYZ.
	2017	Dark blue serial on reflective country scene graphic featuring a covered bridge; expiration date, year, county number and recycling symbol in corners clockwise from top left	none	Standard Version 123A, 123AB or 123ABC, No Grandfathered Version with possibilities for 1234AB, 12345A, or 1234 ABC	Serial tied to vehicle.	Registrants keep their old license plate numbers upon renewal if they have a license plate in either the 123A, 123AB or 123ABC formats. If vehicle was issued a previous plate with serial 661XYZ for example, the vehicle's 2013 issued plate will have serial 661XYZ.

Optional types

Image	First issued	Description	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	2007	Screened white on blue with national flag at bottom; "08" screened in top right corner and county code on sticker in bottom right corner	In God We Trust	A B 1234		While very popular, this plate was controversial as the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana claimed that it is a symbol of endorsement of a religion. After a lawsuit from the ACLU, the Indiana Court of Appeals upheld the plates' constitutionality.[2]
	2012	Screened black on national flag motif; expiration year screened in top right corner, county code in bottom right corner, expiration date in top left corner and recycling symbol in bottom left corner	In God We Trust	ABC123	RAA101 to ZZZ999 YAA101 As of October 2016 *Occasionally plates with serials AAA101-PZZ999 have also been issued.	"In God We Trust" now appears at the bottom instead of on the left. The changes were made to address visibility issues with the previous version and in preparation for the introduction of the Bicentennial passenger base in 2013.
	March 4, 2008[3]	Screened black on white with graphic of young Abraham Lincoln at left; "09" screened in top right corner and county code on sticker in bottom right corner	Lincoln's Boyhood Home	BF1234 BF123A B H 1234		Aside from this and the In God We Trust Plates, there are approximately 70 other various organizations, schools, and other entities that offer plates using the same format but come with a $15 organizational fee. See Indiana Plate Types for further details.

New plate prefixing

Starting in 2010 special plates such as the handicapped, POW, National Guard, Disabled American Veteran that use the background of the standard plates will no longer use just numbers. Instead they will now use a predetermined prefix of three numbers and one or two suffix letters depending on if they have one or two prefix numbers. In all the max total characters will amount to six and, except the Disabled American Veteran and Purple Heart plate will use the background of the standard plate. Starting in 2015, the colors of these plates, with the exception of the Hoosier Veteran and Purple Heart plates, will invert, producing plates with dark blue serials on a white background.

Starting in 2012 veterans of each of the five branches of the armed forces will be able, for an extra $15, to obtain a plate with the seal of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard beginning in 2012. The $15 fee will benefit the state's Military Family Relief Fund.^[4]

Trucks and Trailers

Indiana maintains separate plates for trucks, trailers, tractors/trailers, and farm vehicles. Except for farm vehicles, the plates follow an eight character AB123CDE format. All following plates use a plain white background

County coding

From 1963 through 2008, the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles issued standard passenger plates bearing a one- or two-digit prefix identifying the county in which the vehicle was registered. These prefixes were assigned to each county in alphabetical order, beginning with 1 for Adams County and ending with 92 for Whitley County; prefixes 93 through 99 were reserved as overflow for the state's two most populous counties, Marion (93, 95, 97, 98 and 99) and Lake (94 and 96).

In each county, serials consisted of the prefix followed by one letter and up to four digits, progressing sequentially. In 1992, Allen County reached 2Z9999 and subsequently introduced a new format with the prefix followed by two letters and up to three digits; this format was later used in St. Joseph (71), Hamilton (29), Elkhart (20) and Vanderburgh (82) Counties.^[5][6]

Following the introduction of multi-year plates in 1981, plates with serials containing numbers above 100 were revalidated with decals, while those with serials containing numbers 1 through 100 continued to be issued annually.

In 2008, new serial formats were introduced with the white-on-blue torch base, consisting of three digits followed by one, two or three random letters. However, the county number system was retained through the use of decals at the top of each plate displaying both the county number and name, with the overflow numbers for Marion and Lake Counties discontinued.^[7]

The no-cost alternative "In God We Trust" plate introduced in 2007 featured the county number on a sticker at the bottom right corner of the plate. The revised "In God We Trust" plate, introduced in 2012, has the number screened onto the bottom right corner; this technique was subsequently adopted on standard passenger plates, beginning with the Bicentennial base in 2013.

List of county numbers

Overflow numbers

Renewal date tags

In the past, Indiana colored its due date tags by month. Another change to the plate system is that there are only four colors of tags which are the same regardless of the month, whether it be January, June, or December, another change because Indiana used to only issue month tags from January to October. These are all found on the top left corner of an Indiana plate based on the first three letters of the last name of the owner. Note: Business owned vehicles have black tags that expire 1-31 regardless of name.^[8]

References

External links

• Indiana license plates 1969-present
• Jacob's License Plate Website, the online home of the Jacob A. Newkirk Historic License Plate Collection (will close October 26, 2009 due to the shutdown of all Yahoo! GeoCities free web sites)
• Jacob's License Plate Blog, the new online home of the Jacob A. Newkirk Historic License Plate Collection

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