GOVERNMENT & POLICY

Blackout plate sales net $12.9M to fund Indiana BMV five-year modernization

Indiana Capital Chronicle reported on 2026-10-05 that sales of the optional “blackout” license plate generated $12.9 million toward a five‑year modernization plan for the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles; the BMV has sold more than 380,000 blackout plates since the design launched in August 2025.

BUSINESSINDY BRIEFBy BusinessIndy Editorial StaffCommentsPublished October 5, 2026 at 12:33 PM EDTLiving story · 2 sources

AI-generated illustration of the topic: Blackout plate sales net $12.9M to fund Indiana BMV five-year modernization — AI illustration · Not a photograph of the reported event.

Indiana Capital Chronicle reported on 2026-10-05 that sales of the optional “blackout” license plate generated $12.9 million toward a five‑year modernization plan for the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. The BMV has sold more than 380,000 blackout plates since the design launched in August 2025; the option adds $45 to initial registration and annual renewals.

WHY IT MATTERS

What happened and who it affects: The governor’s office told Indiana Capital Chronicle on 2026-10-05 that revenue from an optional license plate design — the all-black “blackout” plate with white numerals — produced $12.9 million to put toward a planned five‑year modernization of BMV systems. People who choose the optional plate pay an extra $45 at initial registration and each renewal, and those added fees are the source of this revenue.

How the modernization is meant to work: Governor Mike Braun’s executive order last year directed the BMV to update about 20-year-old tracking and record-support software and other systems over five years. The agency has already cited purchases and planned changes paid from the program, including new payment machines that accept tap-to-pay and digital currency, more 24/7 BMV Connect kiosks, and announced pay raises for many customer-facing employees. A comprehensive review produced 13 initiatives the BMV listed for the modernization effort — examples named by the agency include introducing an AI chatbot (automated conversational software), sending automated personalized notifications to customers, upgrading branch cameras and implementing digital driver’s licenses.

What to watch next: The BMV and the governor’s office will be the sources for timing and details as the five‑year plan is implemented. Look for specific rollout dates, budget allocations from the $12.9 million, and announcements about when items such as the AI chatbot, automated notifications, digital driver’s licenses, kiosk expansions or employee pay changes will be deployed.

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