GOVERNMENT & POLICY

Indiana applies $12.9M from optional ‘blackout’ plate sales to a five-year BMV modernization plan

The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles sold more than 380,000 optional “blackout” license plates since the design launched in August 2025, generating $12.9 million toward a five-year modernization plan, the Indiana Capital Chronicle reported on Oct. 5, 2026.

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

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

According to the Indiana Capital Chronicle, the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) reported on 2026-10-05 that more than 380,000 sales of an optional “blackout” license plate — white letters and numbers on a black background — have occurred since the design launched in August 2025. The agency said those sales have generated $12.9 million toward a five-year BMV modernization plan; the sales total includes registration renewals and the BMV spokesman Greg Dunn said about 314,000 blackout plates are on the road.

The Chronicle reported the BMV and Gov. Mike Braun said the funds are being used to invest in employees and technology. The agency announced pay raises for many customer-facing staff, purchased new payment machines that accept tap-to-pay and digital currency, added more 24/7 BMV Connect kiosks statewide and is pursuing a five-year replacement or upgrade of 20-year-old tracking and records software after an executive order Braun issued in 2025.

WHY IT MATTERS

What happened: Indiana is using fees from an optional license-plate design to fund work at its motor-vehicle agency. The blackout plate is a consumer choice: the optional design adds $45 to initial vehicle registration and to each annual renewal, and the state reports those extra fees have produced $12.9 million so far.

How it works: When a driver chooses the blackout plate, the one-time and recurring $45 surcharge is collected as part of registration transactions. The BMV is directing that revenue toward a multi-year modernization program and near-term upgrades the agency says will affect how customers pay and access services — for example, new payment terminals that accept contactless (tap-to-pay) and digital-currency options, plus more 24/7 BMV Connect kiosks (self-service terminals) for routine transactions.

Who this affects and what to watch: Drivers who opt for the blackout plate pay the surcharge and contribute to the fund; other motorists are unaffected unless the BMV changes general fees. The practical items to watch next are BMV announcements with specific modernization milestones, timelines for the 20-year software replacement ordered in 2025, and published details about the scope and timing of employee pay raises or new service rollouts.

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