About Replacing Car Registration in Indiana

Replacing a lost car registration in Indiana is an important process that you must complete whenever you lose your vehicle’s original registration card, decals or license plates. If your lost vehicle registration credentials were stolen, however, it is also important that you file a police report with a local law enforcement agency, as doing so helps to protect your identity.

Moreover, you must obtain duplicate registration credentials if your original documents acquire a substantial amount of damages to the point that they are no longer readable. If your registration credentials are not valid, visible or legible, you may receive a traffic ticket if a police office pulls you over for any reason. Therefore, it is important to replace your registration credentials as soon as they sustain damages or disappear from your possession.

To learn more about replacing your car registration credentials and the steps you must take once you lose or damage them, review the information below.

Replacing a Defective or Lost Registration in Indiana

To replace car registration credentials after your original registration card or license plate decals disappear from your possession or become damaged, you must submit your request online or in person. Learn more about these application methods in the sections below and through downloading our car registration guide.

Online

“Can you print your car registration online in Indiana?” is a question you may have if you need to replace your damaged or lost registration credentials at any time. In most cases, you can print your registration card online under the website of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), as long as you can provide several important pieces of information.

When submitting your online request, for instance, you must be able to login to your existing myBMV account by providing a user name and password, or you may create a new account by providing your Indiana driver’s license number, ZIP code and the last four digits of your Social Security number (SSN). Alternatively, you may choose to submit your order as a guest.

In Person

If you prefer to obtain a copy of registration credentials in person, you must visit a BMV Connect kiosk location to submit your request. When you visit a BMV kiosk, you can obtain a replacement car registration card and/or license plate decal, depending on the type of credential you wish to replace.

It is important to note that if you are close to your renewal date you will be required to renew your car registration instead of replacing it.

Getting Indiana Auto Registration Replacement License Plates

In addition to obtaining a DMV copy of registration decals and cards once these items sustain damages or disappear from your motor vehicle, you must purchase duplicate license plates if you lose, damage or mutilate these important credentials at any time. Driving a motor vehicle without valid registration tags is unlawful, as the state requires every registered automobile to display valid license plates with three current registration stickers.

To obtain duplicate car registration plates after you damage or misplace your vehicle’s tags, you must complete an Application for Replacement or Duplicate License Plate.

You may obtain this application from your local BMV office or you may download an electronic copy if you wish to complete the form in advance. After completing this official form, you must submit it in person at any BMV branch near you, similar to when you apply for your car registration for the first time.

When obtaining duplicate BMV registration plates, you must also provide payment for the applicable fee. If you believe that your license plates were stolen from your vehicle, however, you must first file a police report with a local law enforcement agency. Additionally, the law enforcement official must complete the top half of your Application for Replacement or Duplicate License Plate.

To learn more about how to get a replacement car registration, download our free guide.