Indiana BMV says $13M from optional ‘blackout’ plate will fund modernization, pay raises

Indiana Capital Chronicle reported on 2026-10-05 that the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles has collected roughly $13 million in extra revenue from sales of an optional “blackout” license plate that carries an additional fee. The agency says it will use the revenue to buy new payment machines and kiosks, and to fund planned pay raises for customer-facing employees. Commissioner Kevin Garvey is quoted saying the agency will invest the revenue in modernization; Governor Mike Braun is also quoted calling the plate a success.

The article says the BMV began offering the blackout plate after an executive order directed a five-year modernization of BMV systems. It also notes the agency was required last year to complete a comprehensive review of its systems and that the reported plate-sales totals include registration renewals and transfers; the story includes first-month and 2025 year-to-date sales figures and an agency estimate of how many blackout plates are currently on the road.

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