Frequently Asked Questions - Motor Carrier Services

After processing your transaction online and making the payment, you can print a 45-Day Temporary Permit. Without payment, you can request a 45-Day Temporary Permit for added vehicles and replacement plates only. All other transactions must be paid before you obtain the 45-Day Temporary Permit.

There may be several reasons why the system gave you this message. Keep the following tips in mind:

• The name you entered in the search field should match your IRP cab card registration.
• The account should reflect your Social Security number if you are a sole proprietor, and not your federal identification number (FEIN).
• The system is case sensitive.

If you are still receiving the message, you can call the MCS division at 317-615-7200.

In your IRP online service account, go to credentials and select your account information. Select transaction, unit, or plate number. You may sort by unit number, VIN number, plate number, or owner name. Click “Pay later/print” to reprint your cab card.

The fee is 10% of the Indiana apportion fees on the renewal bill. This fee will be charged on any renewal not paid by the 15th day prior to its staggered month. For example: if your renewal month is February, then your bill must be paid by January 15th.

As a service bureau, you cannot register yourself as the account holder. As a service bureau, you must send a valid Indiana Department of Revenue power of attorney form (POA-1) to the IRP unit of MCS. After the POA-1 is received and approved, the IRP unit will e-mail your username and password to you. If the service bureau represents additional accounts, you will need to send a POA-1 for each account and receive approval from the Department to be granted access to those accounts. You will only be issued one username and password.

If you processed a transaction within the last 21 days and did not submit the required documents to the IRP unit, your account will suspend. Any outstanding liabilities past 30 days will also cause your account to suspend.

If you have any questions, please call our office at 317-615-7200. You may also fax your documents to 317-615-7310 for faster results.

Zero mileage is not acceptable.

Yes, you may transfer your plate to the same vehicle type and the same vehicle weight. To transfer a plate, go to your IRP’s online service account and select the “Plate Transfer” transaction; otherwise, you will inadvertently select the wrong transaction type and purchase a new plate.

An "Estimator" can be found in your IRP's online service account. This tool will prompt you to provide the information needed to give you an estimated cost.

Go to Indiana Motor Carrier Applications and select “Apply for an OSW Account.” You will need to have your company's federal identification number (EIN) to apply for a permit. Sole proprietors who do not have an EIN may apply using their Social Security. You must also know your USDOT number (if applicable).

You must have a user ID and password to access the system. After you have established an Indiana account, you can register as a user. Go to Indiana Motor Carrier Applications and select “User Registration.” When you are registered and logged into your OSW account, you can order your permits online.

The MCS Oversize/Overweight page offers several resources to help you with routing prior to applying for a permit including maps, toll road information, bridge heights, and weather and construction information.

Applying online is the easiest and fastest way to receive an OSW permit.

You may complete Form M-233 and mail it to:
Motor Carrier Services
Oversize/Overweight Vehicle Permitting
7811 Milhouse Rd., Suite M
Indianapolis, IN 46241

In-person service is available at DOR’s Motor Carrier Customer Service Center. Customers who arrive at Motor Carrier Services without an appointment may experience longer than expected wait times and may be requested to make an appointment for some transaction types. In-person service is available at DOR’s Motor Carrier Customer Service Center.

A "Superload" is any load that exceeds 15 feet high, 16 feet wide, 110 feet long, and/or 120,000 pounds, or fails the overload analysis. Any load that fails the overload analysis must be reviewed by an Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) engineer. Loads that are reviewed by INDOT engineers require additional processing time. The new permitting system allows you to have the INDOT engineering analysis done ahead of time, before you need the permit, and receive a superload preapproval number. Once you have this preapproval number, you can get additional permits using the same vehicle configuration and route for the next 30 days without any additional INDOT analysis or delays.

Log into the OSW online service account and click “My Recent Applications.” You can view your application number and status. When the status is “Approved,” your permit is ready for payment and printing. The status of every permit shows on the dashboard.

If the status is “Rejected,” click on OSW Home from the menu on the left (in the permitting application). Locate the section called “Our Rejected Applications.” Click on the application number and scroll to the bottom of the permit summary to see the explanation. The status of every permit shows on the dashboard.

Log into your OSW online service account and click on “Special Weight Vehicle Registration.” Select the year you are registering for and add your vehicle information, including the full Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). After you have added all your vehicles, you must pay the registration fee before any Special Weight Permits can be ordered. Once you have entered and registered all your vehicles, you need to renew your Special Weight Registration annually. You can also add, edit or delete trucks at any time at no additional cost. To order a Special Weight Permit, your vehicle must be registered.

Yes, some carriers are exempt if any of the following are true:

• You are farm plated (both truck and trailer) and you do not cross the state line.
• You stay in Indiana only, haul your own private property that is non-hazardous and your combined gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight rating is less than 26,000 lbs.

Any carrier that is for-hire (hauling someone else’s property) intrastate (in Indiana only) and has a gross vehicle weight rating that is less than 10,000 lbs.

If you are a for-hire carrier of property or passengers, and you leave the state, you need to apply for a Motor Carrier (MC) number from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). You can apply for your MC number online or contact FMCSA to request forms at 800-832-5660.

To view all of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) on the FMCSA website.

If you plan to transport passengers or household goods between points in Indiana, you need to apply for a Certificate of Public Convenience & Necessity.

To view a list of licensed insurance companies or agents found on the Indiana Department of Insurance (IDOI) web site.

Yes. If you are crossing the state line and you are farm plated, you must register for UCR.

No. All UCR registrations are available for viewing online; therefore, nothing needs to be carried in the vehicle.

No. You will not have to pay for additional vehicles added throughout the year. You will add those vehicles on the next UCR registration year.

Motor Carrier Services registrations are processed online, allowing carriers to conveniently manage their business from anywhere, 24/7. If an account is in good standing, carriers can add a vehicle, register, and be road ready within 10 minutes. Additionally, carriers no longer manage stickers every year. Their plate is permanent, only needs to be renewed once a year, and only needs to be replaced if lost, stolen, or mutilated.

The BMV processes registration for intrastate vehicles that are less than 11,001 pounds because the Indiana law determined Motor Carrier Services will only process registration for carriers with 5 or more vehicles that are registered at 11,001 pounds or more.

IRP and BPR transactions must be conducted online beginning June 1, 2021. Take a moment now to review your user profile (click on User Profile after logging in) to ensure your contact information is correct or register for access. If you have issues complying with the legal mandate for online transaction, contact MCS at 317-615-7200 or email IndianaBPR@dor.IN.gov. See MCS Online Services.

The first time you complete base plate registration with MCS, your initial registration will not be for 12 months.

When completing your initial registration with Motor Carrier Services, you will be asked to select a staggered month, which is simply the month in which your vehicle registrations will renew every year. Depending on your staggered month selection, your initial registration fee could be greater or less than 12 months in fees. Any extra fees will transition you to your selected renewal month. If you did not select a renewal month, MCS will automatically assign you one. Every effort will be made to accommodate your selection. After this process, you will renew each year in your selected month. Motor Carrier Services’ goal is to stagger the renewal process throughout the year.

No. If you register with Motor Carrier Services with 5 or more commercial intrastate vehicles you will renew with Motor Carrier Services each year, even if at a later date you own less than 5.

The 45-Day Temporary Permit is issued to all paid vehicles that appear on renewals and transactions. The permit allows travel to legally continue until permanent plates are received.

There are several ways to submit supporting documents:

• Email documents to IndianaBPR@dor.IN.gov
• Fax documents to 317-615-7280
• Mail documents to:

Indiana Department of Revenue
Motor Carrier Services/BPR Section
7811 Milhouse Road, Suite M
Indianapolis, IN 46241

Yes. If you travel outside of your base state you are required to have an IFTA license unless a law exists in your base state that exempts you from filing fuel taxes when farm plated (e.g. Michigan, Indiana, and Kentucky).

Yes, fuel purchased at a metered pump marked “Trucks Only” (tax exempt) qualify for “Tax Paid Gallons” for the IFTA and MCFT.

More information about “Trucks Only” metered pumps or general sales tax exemptions as it pertains to fuel purchases as well as the General Sales Tax Exemption Certificate (Form ST-105) are online.

Yes. A quarterly tax return is required to be filed by the due date for all quarters that you have a fuel tax license and issued compliance decals. Complete the pre-printed form sent to you indicating zero miles and zero gallons used on the IFTA-101, page 1, line 6, column B and C and list the tax due as zero on page 2, line 18. MCFT filers would indicate zero miles and zero gallons used on the MCFT-101 on line 1 and line 2 and list the tax due as zero on page 8.

Your fuel-tax account must first be current with MCS before you can close it.

After filing all returns and making any payments due, you must make your request to close your account in writing by using Form OSS-1, Closure Letter, and selecting IFTA or MCFT account.

You will return you annual fuel tax license cab cards and all compliance decals to MCS with the signed Form OSS-1, Closure Letter.

Failure to return decals and fuel tax license cab cards with the written request will require the account holder to file their respective quarterly tax returns to the end of the calendar license year, including the fourth quarter return due by Jan. 31of the following year.

If you don’t have a computer you still have several ways to register your base plate:

• Go to a public library and use a computer.
• Visit Motor Carrier Services’ One Stop Shop Customer Service Office located at 7811 Milhouse Road Suite M, Indianapolis, IN 46241 to use a computer. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Visit a Department of Revenue district office located near you to use a computer.

Find the system requirements to use the online applications.

The security settings on your computer must be updated before you can use the MCS online applications. Please note the security settings have been put in place to better protect you. You may access directions on how to change computer security settings.

The great thing about the MCS online service application is that you can process your renewal and transactions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This includes processing, paying and printing your cab cards without ever leaving your home or office. In addition, you can renew your plates and process most transaction types such as add vehicles, transfers, add states, replacement plates and more.

The OSW online service application allows carriers to electronically request, pay for, and print oversize and/or overweight permits. You may also amend permits and register for special weight permits. The electronic permit system is the fastest way to request and obtain your permits.