Year of Manufacture Plates
Beginning in 2008, Hoosiers will be able to plate an antique vehicle with an antique license plate issued by the BMV in the year that their vehicle was manufactured.
Click here to view Indiana's Historic License Plates
What is the cost to register my vehicle with a Year of Manufacture plate?
The cost is $48.00 plus all applicable taxes and registration fees.
Will I need to complete an application or other form to register a Year of Manufacture plate?
A State Police inspection form for an antique vehicle is required if the vehicle has not been previously registered as an antique. To print out the State Police form, please click here.
When can I register a Year of Manufacture license plate?
The first available date to register a Year of Manufacture license plate is January 2, 2008.
Must a Year of Manufacture license plate be the same year as the manufactured year of the vehicle?
Yes.
Must a Year of Manufacture plate be the original license plate issued to the vehicle I own?
No. The plate must simply be the same year of manufacture as the vehicle in order to display the plate.
Can the Year of Manufacture plate be refurbished or restored?
No. The plate must be in good and/or original condition. Its letters, numbers and markings must be clearly legible. Any indication that the plate has been repainted or otherwise altered will cause the BMV to reject the use of the plate.
What will I be issued in ordered to display my Year of Manufacture plate?
Customers will be issued a Historic plate, a current registration with the Historic plate information and an affidavit allowing the Year of Manufacture plate to be used in lieu of the Historic plate.
Will I be required to purchase a Historic plate when electing to place my Year of Manufacture plate on my vehicle?
Yes. You will be required to purchase a Historic plate which will then be registered to the vehicle. You will be required to carry this plate with the appropriate stickers, the current registration, and the affidavit to use the Year of Manufacture plate in lieu of the Historic plate in your vehicle at all times that the Year of Manufacture plate is displayed.
What will I be required to show to law enforcement if I am stopped?
Customers must carry the Historic plate, registration and affidavit in the vehicle at all times and present each at the request of law enforcement.
Do Year of Manufacture plates expire?
Yes. Year of Manufacture plates expire yearly by last name just like Historic plates. Annually, you will be required to place the appropriate stickers on your Historic Plate issued by the BMV.
Does the vehicle that I want to place the Year of Manufacture plate on have to be classified as an antique vehicle requiring a State Police inspection form?
Yes.
Is there an inspection of the authentic plate to determine if it is usable? If so who will inspect the plate?
Yes. The plate must be presented to the BMV Customer Service Representative to determine the condition of the plate.
What condition must the plate be in to be deemed suitable?
- It must be metal
- It may not be altered in any way
- Fading must be minimal, and the plate cannot be faded to an illegible state
- It may only contain minor rust on the face of the plate
- It cannot be bent
- It cannot have any unplanned holes
- It must match the picture of the plate issued for the year of manufacture according to Indiana BMV records. Click here to view Indiana's Historic License Plates
- It must be the year of the vehicle even if it is not the year that the customer first plated the vehicle
What if the Year of Manufacture of my vehicle is for a plate year in which the BMV only issued a tag to be placed over the prior year’s plate?
The customer is then required to have the prior year’s plate and the tag which corresponds to the manufactured year of the vehicle.
Will I be required to have both plates for the years that required a customer to place a plate on front and back of the vehicle?
No. Customers will only be required to have one of those plates.
What if someone else has the same Year of Manufacture plate number but with a different plate issuance year?
Both customers will be allowed to display the Year of Manufacture plate if the issuing years are different.
