Indiana Vehicle Identification Numbers
Is it important to have a VIN check run on a car in Indiana?
Yes. A car is a big investment and you always want to have a VIN check done on the car before you purchase it, particularly if it is a used car and the history of the car is unknown. Some states, including Indiana, require a VIN check to register a car.
A simple VIN check can tell you things like:
- Accident History – around six million car accidents are reported annually by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration;
- Title Brands – flood, hail-damage, and salvage titles are examples of critical title brands to look for before you purchase a used car;
- Look for used-cars that have had special-purpose designations – including taxi-use, rental-use, or police-use;
- Faulty Odometer settings;
- If there are any liens currently against the car. If you purchase a car with liens against it then you may become financially responsible for those liens which need to be paid before the car can be registered in your name;
- To check and see if the vehicle has been previously declared a lemon;
- If there have been any airbag deployments;
- In some cases, the title may be detailed enough to give you history on maintenance on the car; and
- To check and see if the vehicle has been reported stolen and not recovered.
Where do I get a VIN Check in Indiana?
The state of Indiana has a state database, called the BMV Records Search, which allows users to get information from the state database. For information on a Title and Lien you will need a Title Number AND a Social Security Number or a VIN AND a Social Security Number.
- For a Title Search you will get the following information:
- Title Number;
- Branch Number;
- Last Action;
- Purchased;
- Issued;
- Vehicle Make;
- FTN;
- VIN;
- Out of State Title;
- Vehicle Type;
- Vehicle Model;
- Vehicle Brand;
- Odometer;
- Title Brand;
- Damage Brand;
- First Lien Information; and
- Second Lien Information.
Reports from individual states are often not as complete as the reports that you can get through the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) or through VINCheck, the free service recommended by the National Crime Insurance Bureau. NMVTIS is a reporting agency which focuses on auto recyclers, salvage yards, and junk yards. Their reporting helps to ensure that no vehicles, or materials from salvaged vehicles, are used again on other cars. They also help to protect the VINs of salvaged vehicles so that thieves do not use a fake, or improper VIN, on a stolen vehicle. There are also private companies which do VIN checks for a price and they will often have more information that either the NMVTIS or the NICB.
BMV State of Indiana:
Recommended by the National Insurance Crime Bureau
What vehicles are required to have a Certificate of Title in the state of Indiana?
Residents of Indiana are required to have an Indiana certificate of title for all vehicles except for those which are specifically exempt from being titled, including:
- A vehicle that is not required to be registered;
- “Special Machinery” –
- A vehicle designed and used to perform a specific function unrelated to transportation people or property on a highway;
- With permanently mounted machinery or equipment used to perform operations unrelated to transportation on a highway; and
- Incapable of, or would require substantial modification to be capable of, carrying a load.
- “Motor-driven cycles” – A motor vehicle that:
- Has a seat or a saddle for the use of the rider;
- Is designed to travel on no more than three wheels on the ground; and
- Complies with applicable motor vehicle equipment requirements under IC 9-19 and 49 CFR 571;
- Has an engine that produces no more than five brake-horsepower; and
- Is registered as a Motor Driven Cycle – Class A.
- The terms does not include an electric personal assistive mobility device.
- An “off-road” vehicle that was purchased or acquired before January 1, 2010 – defined as a motor driven vehicle capable of cross-country travel without benefit of a road, on or immediately over land, water, snow, ice, marsh, swampland, or other natural terrain, and includes the following types:
- A multi-wheel drive or low-pressure tire vehicle;
- An amphibious machine;
- A ground effect air cushion vehicle;
- An all-terrain vehicle (ATV);
- A recreational off-highway vehicle; and
- Other means of transportation deriving motive power from a source other than muscle or wind.
- A “snowmobile” – defined as a motor driven vehicle designed for travel primarily on snow or ice; and of a type that uses sled type runners or skis, and endless belt tread, or any combination of these or other similar means of contact with the surface upon which the vehicle is operated; and
- A watercraft not required to be registered – all watercraft operating on Indiana waterways must be registered with the BMV and display valid watercraft decals unless otherwise exempt, including:
- Non-motorized boats including, but not limited to, canoes, rowboats and paddleboats, but excluding sailboats. Non-motorized sailboats must display valid watercraft decals and pay and applicable fees and taxes;
- Motorized watercraft from another country that is temporarily operated on Indiana waters;
- A ship’s lifeboat;
- Motorized watercraft that is legally registered in another state and:
- Has not been within Indiana for more than 60 consecutive days; or
- The owner or the motorboat has paid the required Indiana excise taxes and fees.
- Watercraft moored on the Indiana part of Lake Michigan for not more than 180 consecutive days.
- Vehicles which are exempt from being titled under the law in Indiana may be voluntarily titled by the owner; however, once a title has been issued then the vehicle must meet all state requirements for titling under Indiana law until the title is surrendered.
Vehicles purchased outside of Indiana take additional forms and may take longer to process. If there is a lien on the vehicle and the title is held by a lienholder in another state, you must visit a branch and complete a “Request for Title – State From 1014.” The branch will mail the request to the lien holder and once they have received the title from the lienholder they will contact you.
Indiana Definition of “Special Machinery:”
Indiana Definition of “Motor-Driven Cycle:”
Indiana Definition of “Off-Road Vehicle:”
Indiana Definition of “Watercraft not requiring Registration:”
Request for Title – State Form 1014
Lemon Laws in Indiana
The Indiana Lemon Law is also known as the “Indiana Motor Vehicle Protection Act,” and applies to vehicles purchased or leased in the state of Indiana, whether the purchaser is a resident of Indiana or not, or if the vehicle is titled there.
Under the Indiana Lemon Law, passenger vehicles leased or purchased in the state of Indiana. Vehicles that weigh over 10,000 pounds, conversion vans, motor homes, farm machinery, road building equipment, motorcycles, mopeds, snowmobiles or any other vehicle designed primarily for off-road use are not eligible (although they may be eligible under the Federal “Lemon Law,” the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.)
- If any of the covered vehicles have a nonconformity or a defect that arises within the first eighteen (18) months of ownership or within the warranty period; and
- At least four (4) attempts have been to repair the car, OR the car has been unavailable to the consumer (primarily because it was in the shop being repaired) for thirty (30) days or more (which need not be consecutive).
If your vehicle has met these conditions you should first contact the manufacturer of the vehicle by certified mail where you list the problems with the car, the date of purchase, the dates the car began having problems, and all other documentation which should include the bill of sale, any expenses that you have incurred because of the defect in the car (such as a rental car, towing expenses, or hotel bills if appropriate,) and notes of all telephone conversations you have had with the dealer and repair shop regarding the vehicle, including the names of the people with whom you spoke.
You should read the owners’ manual in your car or your vehicle warranty for further instructions on what to do. For example:
- Is written notice to the manufacturer required? If it is, you must contact them by certified mail, within 18 months of receiving the vehicle or before the odometer reaches 18,000 miles, with copies of all repair orders to the manufacturer at the address in the manual or specified on the warranty?
- If the manufacturer has adopted an informal dispute procedure that has been certified by the Indiana Attorney General? If the have, you should follow the procedures listed before you can file a lawsuit under the Lemon Law?
- If no notice is required and the manufacturer does not have an informal dispute process, you can file a lawsuit without notifying the manufacturer of your claim.
The manufacturer of the vehicle has 30 days to accept the return of your vehicle and either replace the vehicle with a comparable one or refund your money. The choice is usually the consumers.
If the manufacturer does NOT resolve your claim, then you must file a lawsuit within two (2) years of the date that you first reported the problem to the dealer. If you win then you are eligible for not only the costs of the vehicle, but all costs including attorney fees.
Once a manufacturer has repurchased a vehicle it must be stamped or branded with “Manufacturer Buyback-Disclosure On File.” When the dealer sells a lemon, the buyer must receive:
- Written notice, when the sale is made, that the vehicle was repurchased or replaced under the Lemon Law, and
- A 12-month or 12,000-mile manufacturer’s warranty.
You may also wish to retain an attorney to represent you in a lemon law case. It is recommended that you hire an attorney who is familiar with lemon laws and the laws of the state of Indiana. You should speak with friends and family to see if they have any suggestions about attorneys and, if not, you can search the Internet or contact the state or local Bar Association. Be sure and talk with the attorney about their case history, the kind of cases they specialize in, and the terms of their payment.
If you are not familiar with any lawyers, you can go to the Indianapolis Bar Association and search for an attorney who has experience in lemon law cases.
Indianapolis Bar Association
Attorney General Consumer Protection in Indiana
129 S Pendleton Ave
1 888-692-6841
Lebanon BMV
2222 N Lebanon St
1 888-692-6841
Open until 12:30 PM
License Branch-BMV
1951 E Wabash St
1 765-659-3812
Bureau of Motor Vehicles Michigan Road License Branch
8330 N Michigan Rd
1 888-692-6841
Open until 12:30 PM
Bureau of Motor Vehicles Indy West License Branch
10 S Mickley Ave
1 888-692-6841
Open until 12:30 PM
Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles
1400 Madison Ave
1 317-234-0550
Open until 12:30 PM
Wabash License Branch
1679 Cass St
1 888-692-6841
Open until 12:30 PM
BMV-Portage License Branch
3327 Willowcreek Rd
1 219-762-2216
Open until 12:30 PM
BMV: Sullivan license branch
273 S Section St
1 812-268-5591
Open until 12:30 PM
BMV License Agency
500 N Grandstaff Dr
1 888-692-6841
Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles
7931 Indianapolis Blvd
1 219-844-1788
Open until 12:30 PM
License Branch-Auto
516 S Halleck St
1 219-987-5141
License Branch Auto
55 N Franklin St
1 812-384-8258
State of Indiana- License Branch Auto
1038 E Ridge Rd
1 219-838-9155
Open until 12:30 PM
License Branch-BMV
612 Buckeye St
1 812-346-3441
Spencer BMV License Agency
168 E Morgan St
1 812-829-3718
BMV McCordsville
5949 W Broadway
1 888-692-6841
Open until 12:30 PM
Veedersburg License Branch
981 E State St
1 765-294-2129
BMV
2001 E Columbus Dr
1 219-397-6400
Open until 12:30 AM
Bureau of Motor Vehicles
405 Noble Creek Dr
1 317-773-8190
Open until 12:30 PM
Department of Motor Vehicles
7857 E 42nd St
1 888-692-6841
Open until 12:30 PM
LaGrange License Branch
116 N Detroit St
1 888-692-6841
BMV Goshen License Branch
740 W Lincoln Ave
1 574-533-4763
Bureau of Motor Vehicles
1320 Eagle Ridge Dr
1 219-322-9126
Open until 12:30 PM
License Branch-BMV
1040 N Miller Ave
1 765-384-4300
Open until 12:30 PM
Terre Haute BMV
2920 Professional Ln
1 812-238-1669
Open until 12:30 PM
Albion BMV
113 W Jefferson St
1 260-636-2033
Crawfordsville BMV
1629 Eastway Dr
1 888-692-6841
Lafayette Bureau of Motor Vehicles
Market Square Shopping Center
2200 Elmwood Ave C1
1 888-692-6841
Open until 12:30 PM
BMV License Branch
701 Lincoln Hwy W
1 888-692-6841
Open until 12:30 PM
BMV
745 Schnier St
1 812-379-9323
Open until 12:30 PM
License Branch-BMV
623 S St Joseph St # A
1 574-233-2149
Closing soon: 12:00 PM
License Branch Auto – BMV
2888 Frontage Rd
1 574-267-8881
Open until 12:30 PM
BMV License Branch
4503 National Rd E
1 765-962-5936
Open until 12:30 PM
Indianapolis Ameriplex BMV
7811 Milhouse Rd
1 888-692-6841
Open until 12:30 PM
Shelbyville BMV
29 Public Square
1 317-398-6533
Open until 12:30 PM
Batesville License Bureau
Suite 3, 1132 Tekulve Rd
1 812-934-3247
BMV License Agency
2211 S Park Ave #1
1 888-692-6841
Open until 12:30 PM
BMV
175 Demaree Dr
1 812-295-2550
Closing soon: 12:00 PM
BMV License Branch Ellettsville
4629 W Richland Plaza Dr
1 812-876-1244
BMV
7 W National Ave
1 888-692-6841
Monticello BMV
820 W Fisher St
1 574-583-5971
Berne license branch
1170 E Main St
1 260-589-2606
BMV License Branch
w 47454, 1565 W Hospital Rd
1 888-692-6841
License Branch-BMV
2936 Miller Dr
1 888-692-6841
Open until 12:30 PM
License Branch BMV
854 E Jefferson St
1 765-675-6103
Open until 12:30 PM
BMV License Branch
116 N Jefferson St
1 765-348-3048
Closed today
BMV License Branch
405 W State St Suite 3
1 888-692-6841
Open until 12:30 AM
BMV License Agency
1010 Mill Pond Ln
1 888-692-6841
Open until 12:30 PM
BMV License Branches
591 S Lake Rd S
1 812-752-4045
Open until 12:30 AM
New Albany License Branch
821 Northgate Blvd #100
1 812-945-0024
Open until 12:30 PM
Vevay BMV License Agency
504 Ferry St
1 812-427-3303
BMV Winchester
309 West South St.
1 888-692-6841
Closing soon: 12:00 PM
Valparaiso License Branch
1361 Morthland Dr
1 219-462-4814
Open until 12:30 PM
Bureau Motor Vehicle
348 W North St
1 260-347-2998
Jeffersonville License Branch
2944 E 10th St
1 812-282-1862
Open until 12:30 PM
Mishawaka License Branch
McKinley Town & Country Shopping Centre
2544 Miracle Lane
1 574-255-9620
Open until 12:30 PM
Plainfield License Branch
995 Andico Rd
1 317-839-2423
Open until 12:30 PM
Michigan City License Branch
1724 US-20
1 219-872-5313
Open until 12:30 PM
Sellersburg license branch
304 Hunter Station Rd
1 812-246-9010