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BMV > Military Families Information for Military Families

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Support Our Troops license plate

The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles has provided a number of resources to assist military families in meeting the requirements of renewing driver licenses and registrations, as well as completing other transactions, while living away from the state.

Many of the solutions provided below allow members of the military and their families to conduct business with the BMV while living out of state. However, if you are planning to be in Indiana and need to visit a license branch, consider making an appointment at that branch through the BMV's new appointment scheduling program.

Important information on this page:

Social Security Online Verification information

The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles launched the Social Security Online Verification (SSOLV) project on November 7, 2007. Prior to launching SSOLV, the BMV compared all existing records with the Social Security Administration (SSA) records. Social Security numbers for approximately 6.4 million records in the BMV database (or 97 percent) were verified through this process, and customer records have been marked as matching. Individuals who have received an invalidation notice from the BMV have failed to resolve a mismatch of their Social Security number between the BMV and the SSA databases.

Hoosiers who are on active military duty may obtain an extension of time to provide the BMV with the necessary information. An extension also delays an invalidation of the person’s driver’s license. To obtain an extension, submit a written request to the BMV containing the person’s name, driver’s license number, a copy of the person’s current active duty military orders, an explanation of why the person cannot resolve the issue, and a time by which the person will be able to provide the necessary information. Please include contact information so that the BMV can notify you of its determination after reviewing the information.

Please send the information by fax or mail to:

Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles
100 N. Senate Avenue, Room N440
Legal Dept., SSOLV
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Fax: (317) 233-3135

You may also email this information to bmvresponse@bmv.IN.gov.

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Driver license renewal for military personnel

Military personnel may apply for an extension of their driver license by submitting a completed Request for Photo Exempt License - State Form 45811. You may apply for a 90-day extension letter, a 90-day temporary license or an Indiana photo exempt driver license or ID card with this form.

If you are temporarily living outside Indiana because you are serving with the military, your license remains valid for 90 days following your discharge from service. To obtain a renewed license after you have been discharged, you need to visit a license branch and show proof of your discharge.

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Military-provided motorcycle safety courses

Indiana recognizes approved motorcycle safety courses completed in other states and all five branches of the military and allows applicants to obtain a motorcycle license or endorsement after showing proof of completing an approved safety course.

An applicant for a motorcycle license or endorsement must have completed an approved safety course no more than one year prior to applying for the license or endorsement. Please note that the one-year rule applies even if you are waiting for the required 30-day holding period of your permit to end. If your course completion card is more than a year old, and even if that year includes the 30-day holding period, you may not use that card for a waiver of the skills test.

If you are applying for a motorcycle license or endorsement in Indiana and have completed a motorcycle safety course in another state or through the military, you must provide a copy of the course completion card, and a copy your driver’s license and motorcycle learner’s permit (if you have one), to Indiana's Motorcycle Safety Program State Coordinator. You may fax the copy to (317) 233-0858 or mail it to:

Motorcycle Safety Program
Indiana Department of Education
151 West Ohio Street,
Indianapolis, IN 46204

You must include your mailing address and phone number along with the copy of your course completion card.

If it is determined that the safety course you completed meets the criteria set for approved courses, you will be issued an Indiana course-completion card, dated the same as your original course completion, which will be recognized at any Indiana license branch as a waiver of the state skills test. Replacement cards are normally processed in one to three days plus mailing time. You will be notified if it is determined that the course you took does not meet Indiana standards.

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Easy plate renewal

Military personnel from Indiana who live out of the state may either obtain registration in their new state of residence or renew their vehicle registrations through the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. If you are a member of the military who lives out of Indiana but would like to renew your registration in Indiana, you may have the BMV send your registration renewal notice and your renewed material either to your home address or to the address of a friend or family member who can send the material to your current location. If you would like the BMV to send your renewal notice and renewed registration material to your home address, you will need to have a valid mail-forwarding order with your local post office so that your material will reach your current address. If you would like your renewal notice and renewed material sent to the address of a friend or family member, please ensure that the address of your friend or family member is filed with the BMV as your address of record.

If you are a member of the military from another state who is stationed in Indiana, you may renew your vehicle registrations in Indiana. Please visit a license branch with the following documents:

  • Copy of your Leave and Earnings Statement
  • Military Affidavit - State Form 46402 signed by your commanding officer
  • Valid, current military identification card

Please note that members of the military will not be charged the $5 per license plate late fee if they do not renew their registration by their renewal deadline.

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Title an imported vehicle

Military and civilian employees of the U.S. government returning at the end of an assignment to extended duty outside the customs territory of the U.S. may include a conforming vehicle among their duty-free personal and household effects.

The following completed documents are necessary for titling imported vehicles for personal use:

  • Letter from the manufacturer (Ford, GM, Chrysler, etc.) that states the vehicle conforms to FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards).
  • Customs Entry Form - The U.S. Customs has several types of entry forms:
    • CF 368 - Collection Receipt or Informal Entry (when duty is due).
    • CF 3461 - Informal Entry (when there is no duty).
    • CF 7523 - Entry and Manifest of Merchandise Free of Duty
    • CF 3299 - Declaration for Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles
    • CF 3311 - Declaration for Free Entry of Returned American Products
    • CF 7501 - Entry Summary
    • CF 6059B - Customs Declaration
    • NOTE: Military Personnel should have an equivalent Department of Defense (DD) Form.
  • Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) - NHSTA HS-7 Declaration Form (Importation of Motor Vehicle Safety, Bumper and Theft Prevention Standards). This form must be filed when motor vehicles or items of motor vehicle equipment are entered. The HS-7 can be obtained from custom brokers or ports of entry.
  • Environmental Protection Agency - EPA 3520-1 Emissions Form
  • Documents of ownership (bill of sale, transfer on title or registration, etc.)
  • Affidavit of Police Officer/Physical Inspection of an Indiana Resident's Vehicle/Watercraft - State Form 39530. A law enforcement official of any state may fill this form out.
  • Odometer Disclosure Statement - State Form 43230 containing original signatures and printed names of both the seller and the purchaser. Any version of this form that meets the Federal Odometer Statement requirements will be acceptable.
  • Application for Certificate of Title - State Form 205

Once you have all of these documents, you may apply for an Indiana title at a license branch.

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License plates supporting military personnel

The special recognition license plate program allows motorists to support military personnel.

Hoosiers who purchase special recognition license plates should expect to pay the following fees:

  • Group fees determined by the organization sponsoring the license plate;
  • Administrative fee of $15, except "Support Our Troops," Pearl Harbor Survivor, Purple Heart, Hoosier Veteran, and Ex-Prisoner of War plates;
  • Registration charges determined by the year and make of the vehicle and the customer's county of residence. For more information, please view our Registration Fees page.

All Indiana license plates that support military personnel are available as motorcycle plates except the "Support Our Troops" plate.

To view more information about available military license plates, please select a plate from the list below:

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