A personalized license plate (PLP) is a license plate containing a BMV-approved message specifically requested by the owner or the lessee of the vehicle.
How to Order a PLP
Customers can apply for a PLP at a branch, on a BMV Connect Kiosk, or though online services on myBMV.
A PLP message is available on a first-come first-serve basis. If your request for a PLP message is approved by the BMV, you will receive your license plate in the mail within approximately 30 days of your request. You must continue to register the PLP each year to retain ownership of the PLP message. If the PLP is not registered and more than one calendar year has passed since the last registration expiration date, the PLP message becomes available to be requested by any other person on the following January 1.
If Your PLP Message is Denied
The BMV may refuse to issue a PLP containing a combination of letters or numbers, or both, if the following apply:
- Carries a meaning or connotation offensive to good taste and decency;
- Would be misleading; or
- The BMV otherwise considers improper for issuance.
If your PLP request is denied, you will receive a denial letter in the mail requiring you to select one of the following alternate license plate options:
- Register a standard license plate of the same plate type you purchased with your initial PLP request. The PLP fee paid at time of reservation will be refunded to you.
- Select an alternate PLP message. The PLP fee paid at time of reservation will be applied to your alternate PLP selection.
You may also appeal the BMV's decision for your PLP request by one of the following methods:
- Complete a Petition for Review online;
- Mail your request; or
- Personally appear at the Office of Administrative Law Proceedings located at 402 W. Washington Street Rm. W161, Indianapolis, IN 46204 to file a Petition for Review.
(You will need your denial letter to complete this request.)
The denial of the PLP will become final unless a written request for an administrative review is received by the BMV within 18 days after the date of the denial letter.
PLP Requirements
The following vehicles and license plates can have a personalized plate on them:
Eligible Vehicle Types
✅ Motorcycles
✅ Passenger motor vehicles
✅ Recreational vehicles (RV)
✅ Trucks with a declared gross weight of not more than 11,000 pounds
Low digit plates (1-100) require authorization from the sponsoring organization.
Eligible License Plate Types
✅ Standard Indiana passenger: issued for passenger vehicles, trucks with a vehicle weight no greater than 11,000 pounds and RVs
✅ Standard Indiana motorcycle: issued for motorcycles and autocycles
✅ In God We Trust
✅ Disability
✅ Military
✅ Special Group Recognition: including Organizational (except Colts) and College/University
Plate Formatting
The following character requirements and restrictions apply to a PLP message request:
- A PLP message may only contain a combination of numbers (0 – 9) and letters (A – Z). Special characters are not allowed.
- The message must contain at least two characters.
- The message may contain spaces entered between any combination of numbers and letters. More than one consecutive space is not allowed.
- The message cannot contain only numbers.
- The message must be unique and cannot duplicate the alpha/number format of any other BMV-issued license plate.
Maximum characters permitted on each license plate type are as follows:
PLPs on Standard Indiana Plates
Plate size | Max. Characters |
Passenger | 8 |
Motorcycle | 6 |
PLPs on All Other Distinctive Plates
Plate size | Max. Characters |
Passenger | 6 |
Motorcycle | 5 |
Download the Personalized License Plate (PLP) Quick Reference Guide for Customers to get help with creating a PLP message. You can also check online at mBMV.com to see if your PLP message fits the required formatting and check that it is not already in use.
PLP Fees
A PLP fee is due upon registration and each subsequent annual registration renewal (in addition to any fee(s) associated with any distinctive Special Group Recognition (SGR) license plates).
A plate change fee may be due if you request a license plate that's different from the license plate issued upon registration of your vehicle.