CHAPTER 15. PERSONALIZED LICENSE PLATES
IC 9-18-15
Chapter 15. Personalized License Plates
IC 9-18-15-1
Authorization
Sec. 1. (a) A person who is the registered owner or lessee of a:
(1) passenger motor vehicle;
(2) motorcycle;
(3) recreational vehicle; or
(4) vehicle registered as a truck with a declared gross weight ofnot more than eleven thousand (11,000) pounds;
registered with the bureau or who makes an application for anoriginal registration or renewal registration of a vehicle may apply tothe bureau for a personalized license plate to be affixed to the vehiclefor which registration is sought instead of the regular license plate.
(b) A person who:
(1) is the registered owner or lessee of a vehicle described insubsection (a); and
(2) is eligible to receive a license plate for the vehicle under:
(A) IC 9-18-17 (prisoner of war license plates);
(B) IC 9-18-18 (disabled Hoosier veteran license plates);
(C) IC 9-18-19 (Purple Heart license plates);
(D) IC 9-18-20 (Indiana National Guard license plates);
(E) IC 9-18-21 (Indiana Guard Reserve license plates);
(F) IC 9-18-22 (license plates for persons with disabilities);
(G) IC 9-18-23 (amateur radio operator license plates);
(H) IC 9-18-24 (civic event license plates);
(I) IC 9-18-24.5 (In God We Trust license plates);
(J) IC 9-18-25 (special group recognition license plates);
(K) IC 9-18-29 (environmental license plates);
(L) IC 9-18-30 (kids first trust license plates);
(M) IC 9-18-31 (education license plates);
(N) IC 9-18-32.2 (drug free Indiana trust license plates);
(O) IC 9-18-33 (Indiana FFA trust license plates);
(P) IC 9-18-34 (Indiana firefighter license plates);
(Q) IC 9-18-35 (Indiana food bank trust license plates);
(R) IC 9-18-36 (Indiana girl scouts trust license plates);
(S) IC 9-18-37 (Indiana boy scouts trust license plates);
(T) IC 9-18-38 (Indiana retired armed forces member licenseplates);
(U) IC 9-18-39 (Indiana antique car museum trust licenseplates);
(V) IC 9-18-40 (D.A.R.E. Indiana trust license plates);
(W) IC 9-18-41 (Indiana arts trust license plates);
(X) IC 9-18-42 (Indiana health trust license plates);
(Y) IC 9-18-43 (Indiana mental health trust license plates);
(Z) IC 9-18-44 (Indiana Native American trust licenseplates);
(AA) IC 9-18-45.8 (Pearl Harbor survivor license plates);
(BB) IC 9-18-46.2 (Indiana state educational institution trust
license plates);
(CC) IC 9-18-47 (Lewis and Clark bicentennial licenseplates);
(DD) IC 9-18-48 (Riley Children's Foundation licenseplates);
(EE) IC 9-18-49 (National Football League franchisedprofessional football team license plates);
(FF) IC 9-18-50 (Hoosier veteran license plates);
(GG) IC 9-18-51 (support our troops license plates);
(HH) IC 9-18-52 (Abraham Lincoln bicentennial licenseplates);
(II) IC 9-18-53 (Earlham College Trust license plates); or
(JJ) IC 9-18-54 (Indiana Gold Star family member licenseplates);
may apply to the bureau for a personalized license plate to be affixedto the vehicle for which registration is sought instead of the regularspecial recognition license plate.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.118-1998, SEC.3;P.L.1-1999, SEC.26; P.L.222-1999, SEC.9; P.L.216-2003, SEC.4;P.L.54-2004, SEC.1; P.L.214-2005, SEC.55; P.L.58-2006, SEC.2;P.L.68-2006, SEC.1; P.L.1-2007, SEC.83; P.L.30-2008, SEC.1;P.L.182-2009(ss), SEC.286; P.L.87-2010, SEC.10.
IC 9-18-15-2
Format; restrictions
Sec. 2. (a) A personalized license plate may be the same color andsize and contain similar required information as regular license platesissued for the respective class of vehicle.
(b) A personalized license plate is limited to the:
(1) numerals 0 through 9; or
(2) letters A through Z;
in a continuous combination of numbers and letters with at least two(2) positions.
(c) A personalized license plate may not be issued to duplicate aregularly issued plate.
(d) Only one (1) personalized plate, without regard toclassification of registration, may be issued by the bureau with thesame configuration of numbers and letters.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6.
IC 9-18-15-3
Issuance limited to registered owners and lessees
Sec. 3. A personalized license plate may be issued only to theperson registered as the owner or lessee of the vehicle on which thelicense plate will be displayed.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6.
IC 9-18-15-4
Applications; letter and number combination restrictions
Sec. 4. (a) A person who applies for: (1) a personalized license plate; or
(2) the renewal of a personalized license plate in the subsequentperiod;
must file an application in the manner the bureau requires, indicatingthe combination of letters or numerals, or both, requested as aregistration number.
(b) The bureau may refuse to issue a combination of letters ornumerals, or both, that:
(1) carries a connotation offensive to good taste and decency;or
(2) would be misleading.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.115-1993, SEC.6.
IC 9-18-15-5
Repealed
(Repealed by P.L.87-2010, SEC.41.)
IC 9-18-15-5.5
Personalized license plate; annual issuance
Sec. 5.5. After December 31, 2006, the bureau shall issuepersonalized license plates annually.
As added by P.L.103-2006, SEC.5.
IC 9-18-15-6
Previously issued letter and number combinations; availability
Sec. 6. If a person who has been issued a personalized licenseplate reserves the same configuration of letters or numbers, or both,for the next plate cycle, that configuration of letters or numbers, orboth, is not available to another person until the following platecycle.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.115-1993, SEC.7;P.L.182-2002, SEC.3; P.L.233-2005, SEC.2; P.L.87-2010, SEC.11.
IC 9-18-15-7
Availability of untransferred number and letter combinations
Sec. 7. If a person who has:
(1) registered a vehicle; and
(2) been issued a personalized license plate for the vehicle;
releases ownership of the registered vehicle without transferring theregistration to another vehicle, the combination of numbers or letters,or both, becomes available in the next registration year to any person.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.233-2005, SEC.3.
IC 9-18-15-8
Plates used on leased vehicles
Sec. 8. (a) If a person has registered a vehicle and has been issueda personalized license plate for use on a leased vehicle, and:
(1) the person cancels the lease; or
(2) the lease expires during the registration year;
the person may transfer the registration to another vehicle eligible to
be registered under this chapter.
(b) A transfer of a license plate under subsection (a) must takeplace not more than thirty-one (31) days after the expiration of thelease.
(c) The bureau may reissue the license plate with the combinationof numerals and letters returned under subsection (a) upon receivingan application for registration under this chapter.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.2-2005, SEC.31.
IC 9-18-15-9
Surrender of regular plates and registration
Sec. 9. A person who has registered a vehicle with the currentyear's license plate and applies for a personalized license plate for thesame vehicle shall surrender the regular license plate and registrationto the bureau when the personalized license plate is delivered to theperson.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6.
IC 9-18-15-10
Fees
Sec. 10. (a) In addition to the applicable excise tax imposed underIC 6-6-5, the regular registration fees, and any additional fee requiredto receive a special recognition license plate described in section 1(b)of this chapter, a person applying for or renewing the registration ofa personalized license plate shall pay the personalized license platefee under IC 9-29-5-32.5 upon an original application or registrationrenewal, as provided in this chapter.
(b) Each license branch shall collect the personalized license platefee at the time of application or registration renewal for thepersonalized license plate.
(c) Upon the payment of the required fee and service charges foran original application or renewal of a personalized license plate, thebureau shall issue a receipt designating and acknowledging a statefee and the service charge under IC 9-29.
(d) The payment of regular registration fees and excise tax, ifapplicable, may be deferred until the time that the personalizedlicense plate is delivered to the person who applied for the plate.
(e) A license branch shall collect the service charge prescribedunder IC 9-29 for each initial or renewal application for apersonalized license plate as a reservation and special processing fee.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.118-1998, SEC.4;P.L.182-2002, SEC.4; P.L.233-2005, SEC.4.
IC 9-18-15-11
Refund of fees
Sec. 11. If a person who applies for a personalized license platewith a given configuration of letters or numbers is not able to obtainthe license plate requested or a satisfactory alternative configuration,a license branch shall refund the entire fee to the person. However,a refund of a personalized license plate fee may not be made when
the person who applies for the personalized license plate cancels therequest.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6.
IC 9-18-15-12
Dual fees and taxes prohibited
Sec. 12. A vehicle that has been properly registered in a currentyear is not subject to dual registration fees or dual excise taxes.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6.
IC 9-18-15-13
Repealed
(Repealed by P.L.1-2007, SEC.248.)
IC 9-18-15-13.5
Deduction and deposits
Sec. 13.5. The bureau shall:
(1) deduct thirty-seven dollars ($37) of the fee collected for aninitial or a renewal application for a personalized license plate;and
(2) deposit:
(A) seven dollars ($7) of the fee described in subdivision (1)in the motor vehicle highway account established underIC 8-14-1; and
(B) thirty dollars ($30) of the fee described in subdivision(1) as a service charge into the state license branch fundestablished by IC 9-29-14-1.
As added by P.L.233-2005, SEC.6.
IC 9-18-15-14
Rules
Sec. 14. The bureau may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 necessary toimplement this chapter.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6.
IC 9-18-15-15
Repealed
(Repealed by P.L.87-2010, SEC.41.)