Indiana's Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) handles both driver and vehicle records through one form, and it's strict about completeness. A request that skips a step comes back unprocessed. The step that matters most for a plate lookup is the one where you state your legal basis.
State Form 53789: the Indiana license plate search
The Request for Certified Records, State Form 53789, has a vehicle section that accepts the plate or registration number and the registrant's name. The form has five steps, and the BMV says all five must be completed or the request will be returned. In step 4 you name the statutory exception that lets you receive protected information and describe your intended use.
The fee for a current-owner title inquiry is $4, set by Indiana Code 9-14-12-7. Mail the form and payment to the BMV and allow two to four weeks.
Indiana license plate lookup owner details
Protected information, including the owner's name and address, is released only under one of the exceptions in the Driver's Privacy Protection Act, which the form asks you to identify. Insurance claims, court cases, towing notices and government work are typical examples. If you can't name one honestly, an Indiana license plate lookup of the owner isn't available to you, and no free Indiana license plate lookup can lawfully fill the gap.
Online access and subscriptions
Indiana offers a vehicle registration search through IN.gov, but it requires a subscription, and accounts with only Basic Access don't receive personal information. Searches also require a DPPA reason code. The BMV's public records portal isn't a shortcut for certified records either: requests for certified records made there are referred back to State Form 53789.
What to do in common situations
- Crash or hit-and-run: report it to the police with the plate and description, then give the report number to your insurer.
- A car abandoned on your property: call local police or a licensed towing company.
- Buying a used car: match the seller's license to the name on the title, and the dashboard VIN to the paperwork. Indiana gives buyers 45 days to apply for a title; see our title transfer checklist.
- Your own vehicle: use State Form 53789 for a certified record of your own vehicle.
Sold your car? Take the plate
A surprising number of plate questions come from sellers whose old car turns up in a parking ticket or a toll notice. In Indiana, the BMV tells sellers to remove the license plate at the time of the sale, and the buyer is responsible for getting a new title, registration and plate. If you sold a car and left the plate on it, contact the BMV about the plate and keep your bill of sale and any copy of the signed title; they're your proof of the sale date. Our bill of sale template records that date in writing.
Why the exception matters
Asking you to name an exception isn't red tape for its own sake. The person whose record you request has a federal right to sue anyone who obtains their information for a purpose the law doesn't allow, with damages starting at $2,500. Writing an exception that doesn't fit your real purpose doesn't protect you; it puts your signature on the problem. If none of the exceptions fit, the police or your insurer are usually the right people to involve.
Different searches, same answer
A search by plate in Indiana, a license plate number lookup in Indiana, a search for an Indiana license plate number, an Indiana plate search or an Indiana plate number search all lead to the same form and the same exception requirement. The same goes for an Indiana license plate search done for free, or one spelled the British way (Indiana licence plate lookup): vehicle details may be obtainable, but owner details need a lawful reason.
Tips for a complete request
- Complete every step; a missing signature or blank exception sends the form back.
- Include the registrant's name if you know it, along with the plate.
- Describe your intended use specifically, and keep supporting documents ready.
- Allow the full four weeks before following up.
Indiana plate lookup FAQ
What form does the Indiana BMV use for vehicle records?
The Request for Certified Records, State Form 53789. All five steps must be completed or the request is returned.
How much is a current-owner inquiry in Indiana?
The form lists $4 for a current-owner title inquiry, under Indiana Code 9-14-12-7.
How long does it take?
The BMV asks requesters to allow two to four weeks for processing.
Sources
- Indiana BMV: Request for Certified Records (State Form 53789)
- Indiana BMV: Data programs
- 18 U.S.C. 2721 (Driver's Privacy Protection Act)
This guide is general information, not legal advice. The Indiana BMV has the final word on its records.