GOVERNMENT & POLICY

Blackout plate sales generate $12.9M for Indiana BMV five‑year modernization plan

The Indiana Capital Chronicle reported on Oct. 5, 2026, that sales of the optional “blackout” license plate—launched in August 2025 and carrying a $45 charge—have produced $12.9 million earmarked for a five‑year Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) modernization effort.

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 generate $12.9M for Indiana BMV five‑year modernization plan — AI illustration · Not a photograph of the reported event.

The Indiana Capital Chronicle reported Oct. 5, 2026, that sales of the optional “blackout” license plate have generated $12.9 million toward a five‑year BMV modernization plan, according to the governor’s office. The blackout plate, offered since August 2025 and featuring white numerals on a black background, carries a $45 fee at initial registration and annual renewal. The article said the BMV reported more than 380,000 blackout plates sold in the year since launch and that about 314,000 are currently "on the road," per BMV spokesman Greg Dunn.

The article says the revenue will fund modernization work Governor Mike Braun ordered in an executive order last year to update 20‑year‑old tracking and record support software and other systems over five years. The Indiana Capital Chronicle reported agency actions already include purchases of new payment machines that accept tap‑to‑pay and digital currency, additional 24/7 BMV Connect kiosks statewide, and a planned pay raise for many customer‑facing employees, according to agency statements and quoted officials.

WHY IT MATTERS

What happened and who this affects: The state introduced an optional “blackout” license plate in August 2025. The design is optional, and choosing it adds $45 to a vehicle’s initial registration and to annual renewals. The state reports those incremental fees have produced $12.9 million that the governor’s office says will be directed to a five‑year modernization plan for the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). That matters to Indiana drivers because the fee is voluntary and paid by people who choose the plate; the reported revenue is being used to upgrade BMV systems and services rather than coming from general tax revenue.

How the change works, step by step: the blackout plate sale collects an extra $45 at registration or renewal; the BMV and governor’s office report aggregating that extra fee into a fund for specific modernization work. The modernization plan—described in an executive order as updating roughly 20‑year‑old tracking and record support software and other systems—also includes immediate investments the agency reported, such as new payment terminals that accept tap‑to‑pay and digital currency and more 24/7 kiosks. Agency officials and the governor are quoted as saying part of the funds will also support employee pay increases for customer‑facing staff.

What to watch next: follow the BMV and governor’s office for periodic updates on the five‑year modernization timeline, formal releases showing how the $12.9 million is budgeted and spent, and announcements confirming implementation details and timing for the planned pay raises and any system replacements.

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