BMV says $12.9M from optional blackout plates will fund five-year modernization

The Indiana Capital Chronicle reports the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) has generated $12.9 million from sales of its optional “blackout” license plate and is directing that revenue toward a five‑year modernization program ordered by Gov. Mike Braun last year. Commissioner Kevin Garvey told the paper the agency is investing in people, modernizing technology and making the BMV easier to use with the funds.

The BMV began offering the blackout plate in August 2025; the agency says it sold more than 380,000 plates in the year after the design launched and that about 314,000 blackout plates are currently on the road. The optional design — white numerals and letters on an all‑black background — adds $45 to initial registration and to annual renewal fees. The agency says the money will fund initiatives including pay raises for many customer‑facing employees, additional 24/7 BMV Connect kiosks, new tap‑to‑pay/digital‑currency payment machines and other technology projects drawn from a 13‑item report.

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