GOVERNMENT & POLICY

Indiana BMV nets $12.9M from optional ‘blackout’ plate sales to fund five-year modernization, pay raises

The Indiana Capital Chronicle reported on Oct. 5, 2026, that sales of the state’s optional “blackout” license plate, launched in August 2025, generated $12.9 million. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles says the money will support a five-year modernization plan, new payment machines and kiosks, and pay raises for customer-facing staff.

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

AI-generated illustration of the topic: Indiana BMV nets $12.9M from optional ‘blackout’ plate sales to fund five-year modernization, pay raises — AI illustration · Not a photograph of the reported event.

The Indiana Capital Chronicle reported on Oct. 5, 2026, that Indiana’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) has sold more than 380,000 optional “blackout” license plates since the design launched in August 2025. About 314,000 of those plates are on the road, and the agency says blackout-plate sales generated $12.9 million toward modernization.

The blackout plate — white numerals and letters on an all-black background — adds $45 to initial registration and to annual renewal fees. The governor’s office and BMV say the $12.9 million will be used for a five-year modernization plan, purchases such as tap-to-pay and digital-currency payment machines and additional 24/7 BMV Connect kiosks statewide, and pay raises for many customer-facing employees.

WHY IT MATTERS

What changed: The BMV expanded its optional license plate lineup with a minimalist “blackout” design in August 2025 and, by Oct. 5, 2026, reported more than 380,000 sales that generated $12.9 million earmarked for agency improvements. The BMV is the state agency that handles vehicle registration, driver records and customer service at branches and kiosks.

How it works, step by step: Choosing the blackout plate adds a $45 optional fee to a vehicle’s initial registration and to each renewal. Those supplemental fees accumulate as more drivers opt in; the BMV says the money is being allocated to a five-year modernization program, new payment hardware (including tap-to-pay and digital-currency acceptance) and more 24/7 kiosks. The agency also says pay raises are coming for many customer-facing employees, which the BMV frames as part of reinvesting the revenue into people and technology.

What to watch next: The modernization direction traces to an executive order from Gov. Mike Braun directing upgrades to the BMV’s roughly 20-year-old tracking and record systems over five years. Follow announcements from the governor’s office or the BMV for specifics on the modernization rollout, timing of employee pay raises and where new kiosks and payment options will appear.

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