Introduced Version
HOUSE BILL No. 1599
_____
DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL
Citations Affected: IC 9-18.1-2-8; IC 9-32-6-11.
Synopsis: Motor vehicle registration. Provides that a person that
acquires a vehicle may operate the vehicle on a highway with an
interim plate and without registering for 90 days if the vehicle is to be
titled or registered in another state. Allows an interim plate to authorize
a person to operate a motor vehicle until 90 days after the date of sale
or lease or until the date on which a regular license plate is issued by
another state, whichever comes first.
Effective: July 1, 2025.
Snow
January 21, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Roads and Transportation.
2025 IN 1599—LS 7749/DI 92 Introduced
First Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2025)
PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
between statutes enacted by the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
HOUSE BILL No. 1599
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
motor vehicles.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
1 SECTION 1. IC 9-18.1-2-8, AS ADDED BY P.L.198-2016,
2 SECTION 326, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS
3 [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 8. A person that acquires a vehicle
4 may operate the vehicle on a highway without registering the vehicle
5 under this article under the following conditions:
6 (1) For the length of a temporary permit issued under the
7 following:
8 (A) IC 9-18-7-1 (before its expiration on December 31, 2016).
9 (B) IC 9-18-7-4 (before its expiration on December 31, 2016).
10 (C) IC 9-18.1-12-2.
11 (D) IC 9-18.1-12-3.
12 (2) For not more than forty-five (45) days after the date on which
13 the person acquires the vehicle, if the person displays on the
14 newly acquired vehicle a valid and unexpired license plate
15 transferred from another vehicle that the person disposes of by
16 sale or other means. While operating the newly acquired vehicle,
17 the person must have in the person's possession a:
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1 (A) manufacturer's certificate of origin;
2 (B) certificate of title; or
3 (C) bill of sale;
4 indicating that the person owns the vehicle to which the unexpired
5 license plates are affixed.
6 (3) For a vehicle that will be titled or registered in Indiana, for
7 not more than forty-five (45) days after the date on which the
8 person acquires the vehicle from a dealer licensed under IC 9-32,
9 if the person displays on the newly acquired vehicle a valid and
10 unexpired interim plate issued under IC 9-32-6-11.
11 (4) For a vehicle that will be titled or registered in another
12 state, for not more than ninety (90) days after the date on
13 which the person acquires the vehicle from a dealer licensed
14 under IC 9-32, if the person displays on the newly acquired
15 vehicle a valid and unexpired interim plate issued under
16 IC 9-32-6-11.
17 (4) (5) If the person acquires the vehicle from a person other than
18 a dealer licensed under IC 9-32, for:
19 (A) not more than seventy-two (72) hours after the date of
20 acquisition; and
21 (B) the sole purpose of transporting the vehicle by the most
22 direct route from the place of acquisition to:
23 (i) a place of storage, including the person's residence or
24 place of business;
25 (ii) an inspection station for purposes of emissions testing
26 under IC 13-17-5-5.1(b); or
27 (iii) a license branch or a location operated by a full service
28 provider (as defined in IC 9-14.1-1-2) or a partial services
29 provider (as defined in IC 9-14.1-1-3) to register the vehicle
30 under this article.
31 While operating the vehicle, the person must have in the person's
32 possession a certificate of title indicating that the person owns the
33 vehicle.
34 SECTION 2. IC 9-32-6-11, AS AMENDED BY P.L.20-2022,
35 SECTION 6, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
36 JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 11. (a) The secretary may issue an interim license
37 plate to the following persons licensed under this article:
38 (1) An automobile auction company.
39 (2) A converter manufacturer.
40 (3) A new motor vehicle dealer.
41 (4) A watercraft dealer.
42 (5) A manufacturer.
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1 (6) A used motor vehicle dealer.
2 (b) The secretary shall prescribe the form of an interim license plate
3 issued under this section. An interim license plate must bear the
4 assigned registration number and provide sufficient space for the
5 expiration date as provided in subsection (c).
6 (c) A dealer may provide a person with not more than one (1)
7 interim license plate issued by the secretary at the time the dealer:
8 (1) sells or leases a motor vehicle to the person; or
9 (2) allows a person that buys a motor vehicle to take delivery of
10 the motor vehicle before the sale of the motor vehicle is fully
11 funded;
12 whichever occurs first. The dealer shall, in the manner provided by the
13 secretary, affix on the plate in numerals and letters at least three (3)
14 inches high the date on which the interim license plate expires.
15 (d) An interim license plate authorizes a person to operate the motor
16 vehicle until the following:
17 (1) The earlier of the following dates for a vehicle titled or
18 registered in Indiana:
19 (1) (A) Forty-five (45) days after the date of sale or lease of the
20 motor vehicle to the person.
21 (2) (B) The date on which a regular license plate is issued.
22 (2) The earlier of the following dates for a vehicle titled or
23 registered in another state:
24 (A) Ninety (90) days after the date of sale or lease of the
25 motor vehicle to the person.
26 (B) The date on which a regular license plate is issued by
27 another state.
28 A person that violates this subsection commits a Class A infraction.
29 (e) A motor vehicle that is required by law to display license plates
30 on the front and rear of the motor vehicle is required to display only a
31 single interim license plate.
32 (f) An interim license plate shall be displayed:
33 (1) in the same manner required in IC 9-18-2-26 (before its
34 expiration) or IC 9-18.1-4-3; or
35 (2) in a location on the left side of a window facing the rear of the
36 motor vehicle that is clearly visible and unobstructed. The plate
37 must be affixed to the window of the motor vehicle.
38 (g) The dealer must provide an ownership document to the person
39 at the time of issuance of the interim license plate that must be kept in
40 the motor vehicle during the period an interim license plate is used.
41 (h) All interim license plates not issued by the dealer must be
42 retained in the possession of the dealer at all times.
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1 (i) The fee for an interim dealer license plate is three dollars ($3).
2 The fee shall be distributed as follows:
3 (1) Forty percent (40%) to the crossroads 2000 fund established
4 by IC 8-14-10-9.
5 (2) Forty-nine percent (49%) to the dealer compliance account
6 established by IC 9-32-7-1.
7 (3) Eleven percent (11%) to the motor vehicle highway account
8 under IC 8-14-1.
9 (j) The secretary may issue an interim license plate to a person that
10 purchases a motor vehicle from a dealer if the dealer has not timely
11 delivered or transmitted the certificate of title for the motor vehicle
12 under IC 9-32-4-1.
13 (k) The secretary may design and issue to a dealer a motor driven
14 cycle decal to be used in conjunction with an interim license plate upon
15 the sale of a motor driven cycle.
16 (l) A new motor vehicle dealer may issue an interim license plate for
17 use on a new motor vehicle that the new motor vehicle dealer delivers
18 to a purchaser on behalf of a manufacturer or another new motor
19 vehicle dealer if:
20 (1) there is a written courtesy agreement between the new motor
21 vehicle dealer delivering the motor vehicle and the new motor
22 vehicle dealer or manufacturer that sold the motor vehicle being
23 delivered; and
24 (2) the new motor vehicle is transported directly from the
25 manufacturer to the new motor vehicle dealer delivering the new
26 motor vehicle to the purchaser.
27 A person that violates this subsection commits a Class C infraction.
28 (m) A person that fails to display an interim license plate as
29 prescribed in subsection (f)(1) or (f)(2) commits a Class C infraction.
2025 IN 1599—LS 7749/DI 92