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.
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
PLP Format Requirements
A PLP message may only contain a combination of numbers (0 – 9) and letters (A – Z).
The following character requirements and restrictions apply to a PLP message request:
- The message must contain at least two characters.
- The message may contain spaces entered between any combination of numbers and letters. The PLP message cannot:
- Contain special characters. Contain numbers only
- Contain more than one consecutive space. Duplicate the alpha/number format of any other BMV-issued license plate.
The following table describes the maximum characters permitted on each license plate type:
Standard Indiana PLP
Plate size | Max. Characters |
Passenger | 8 |
Motorcycle | 6 |
All Other Distinctive PLPs
Plate size | Max. Characters |
Passenger | 6 |
Motorcycle | 5 |
Approved/Denied PLP Message
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 approved, you will receive your license plate in the mail within 30 days of your request.
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.
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.
Ordering Information
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 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.
Customers can apply for a PLP at a branch, on a BMV Connect Kiosk, or though online services on myBMV.
You may request a new PLP if:
- You are not registering the vehicle for the first time;
- Renewing your vehicle registration; or
- Are unable to process your request online for any other reason.
If you are visiting a BMV branch to purchase your PLP, come prepared with at least four different PLP message options in order of preference. Download the Personalized License Plate (PLP) Quick Reference Guide for Customers, print your top four options at the bottom, and bring the document with you to any BMV branch.
PLP Fees
A PLP fee is due upon registration and each subsequent annual registration renewal.
Fee(s) associated with any Special Group Recognition (SGR) license plate is/are due in addition to the PLP fee.
A plate change fee may be due when requesting a license plate different from the license plate issued upon registration of your vehicle.