Blackout license-plate fees generated $12.9M for BMV modernization, state reports

According to the Indiana Capital Chronicle, the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles reported that sales of the optional “blackout” license plate — white numerals and letters on an all‑black background that add $45 to initial registration and annual renewal fees — have generated $12.9 million toward a five‑year modernization plan. The BMV said it has sold more than 380,000 blackout plates in the year since the design launched in August 2025 and that about 314,000 blackout plates are on the road, with totals including registration renewals.

The article says Gov. Mike Braun directed the BMV, by executive order last year, to modernize its roughly 20‑year‑old tracking and record support software and other systems over five years. The agency completed a comprehensive systems review last year, has bought new payment machines in 2026 that accept tap‑to‑pay and digital‑currency options, added more 24/7 BMV Connect kiosks statewide, and has planned pay raises for many customer‑facing employees.

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