CHAPTER 25. SPECIAL GROUP RECOGNITION LICENSE PLATES
IC 9-18-25
Chapter 25. Special Group Recognition License Plates
IC 9-18-25-1
Exemptions from chapter
Sec. 1. This chapter does not apply to the following:
(1) Antique motor vehicle license plates (IC 9-18-12).
(2) Recovery vehicle license plates (IC 9-18-13).
(3) Personalized license plates (IC 9-18-15).
(4) Prisoner of war license plates (IC 9-18-17).
(5) Disabled Hoosier veteran license plates (IC 9-18-18).
(6) Purple Heart license plates (IC 9-18-19).
(7) Indiana National Guard license plates (IC 9-18-20).
(8) Person with a disability license plates (IC 9-18-22).
(9) Amateur radio operator license plates (IC 9-18-23).
(10) In God We Trust license plates (IC 9-18-24.5).
(11) Pearl Harbor survivor license plates (IC 9-18-45.8).
(12) Hoosier veteran license plates (IC 9-18-50).
(13) Support our troops license plates (IC 9-18-51).
(14) Abraham Lincoln bicentennial license plates (IC 9-18-52).
(15) Indiana Gold Star family member license plates (IC
9-18-54).
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.97-1991, SEC.1;
P.L.23-1993, SEC.32; P.L.222-1999, SEC.10; P.L.58-2006, SEC.3;
P.L.68-2006, SEC.3; P.L.1-2007, SEC.84; P.L.30-2008, SEC.2;
P.L.87-2010, SEC.18.
IC 9-18-25-1.6
Repealed
(Repealed by P.L.2-2005, SEC.131.)
IC 9-18-25-1.7
Applicability to college or university plates
Sec. 1.7. Section 15 of this chapter does not apply to a college or
university special group recognition license plate.
As added by P.L.225-1999, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.2-2005, SEC.32.
IC 9-18-25-2
Adoption of rules; petitions; design and issuance
Sec. 2. (a) The bureau shall adopt rules under IC 4-22-2
establishing the requirements to qualify for participation in the
special group recognition license plate program.
(b) Representatives of a special group shall petition the bureau to
qualify for participation in the special group recognition license plate
program.
(c) Each petition submitted under this section must contain the
printed name, address, and signature of at least five hundred (500)
members of the special group who pledge to purchase the special
group recognition license plate if a special group recognition license
plate is issued for the group under this chapter.
(d) When a petition containing the information required in
subsection (c) is submitted to the bureau, the bureau may design and
issue a special group recognition license plate that designates a
vehicle as being registered under this chapter by a person (as defined
in IC 9-13-2-124) who is a member of the special group.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.125-1995, SEC.6;
P.L.261-2001, SEC.2.
IC 9-18-25-3
Design and emblem; reflective material
Sec. 3. (a) The design of a special group recognition license plate
issued under this chapter must be a distinct design and include an
emblem that identifies the vehicle as being registered to a person
who is a member of a special group.
(b) A special group license plate must be treated with special
reflective material designed to increase the visibility and legibility of
the special group license plate.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.118-1998, SEC.5.
IC 9-18-25-4
Repealed
(Repealed by P.L.261-2001, SEC.5.)
IC 9-18-25-5
Special group representatives; design conference; group
membership list
Sec. 5. The bureau:
(1) shall require representatives of a special group to confer
with the bureau concerning the design of the emblem that
identifies the vehicle as being registered to a person who is a
member of a special group; and
(2) may request a list of the names and addresses of the persons
who are:
(A) members of the special group; and
(B) eligible for a special group recognition license plate.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.118-1998, SEC.6;
P.L.261-2001, SEC.3.
IC 9-18-25-6
Repealed
(Repealed by P.L.261-2001, SEC.5.)
IC 9-18-25-7
Display
Sec. 7. A special group recognition license plate issued under this
chapter may be displayed on the following:
(1) A passenger motor vehicle.
(2) A truck registered as a truck with a declared gross weight of
not more than eleven thousand (11,000) pounds.
(3) A recreational vehicle.
(4) A motorcycle.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.117-2006, SEC.1.
IC 9-18-25-8
Owner registration; former prisoners of war
Sec. 8. (a) Except as provided under subsection (b), a motor
vehicle may be registered under this chapter only by an owner who
qualifies for a special group recognition license plate.
(b) The bureau may register a vehicle under this chapter if the
applicant is:
(1) a former prisoner of war; or
(2) the surviving spouse of a former prisoner of war.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6.
IC 9-18-25-9
Transfer of plates
Sec. 9. A person who owns a motor vehicle registered under this
chapter may transfer the special group recognition license plate from
the motor vehicle to another motor vehicle eligible to be registered
under this chapter.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6.
IC 9-18-25-10
Repealed
(Repealed by P.L.125-1995, SEC.12.)
IC 9-18-25-11
Staggered registration
Sec. 11. The schedule for staggered registration under IC 9-18-2-8
applies to registrations under this chapter.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6.
IC 9-18-25-12
Vehicle use restricted; display by unqualified persons prohibited
Sec. 12. (a) Except as provided in subsection (c), a vehicle
bearing a special group recognition license plate issued under this
chapter may be used only for private and personal purposes.
(b) A person who does not qualify for the special group
recognition license plate may not display a special group recognition
license plate on a vehicle the person is required to register.
(c) A vehicle:
(1) owned by a corporation (as defined in IC 6-5.5-1-6), a
municipal corporation (as defined in IC 36-1-2-10), a
partnership (as defined in IC 6-3-1-19), or a sole proprietor; and
(2) bearing an environmental license plate issued under
IC 9-18-29;
may be used for any lawful purpose.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6. Amended by P.L.120-1993, SEC.2.
IC 9-18-25-13
Violations
Sec. 13. A person who violates this chapter commits a Class C
infraction.
As added by P.L.2-1991, SEC.6.
IC 9-18-25-14
Repealed
(Repealed by P.L.2-2005, SEC.131.)
IC 9-18-25-15
Termination of organization's qualification; insufficient sales
Sec. 15. The bureau shall terminate an organization's qualification
for the special group license plate program and no further special
group recognition license plates shall be issued for an organization
if less than two thousand (2,000) of the organization's special group
license plates are sold or renewed in the first four (4) years of the
five (5) year period beginning the earlier of January 1, 2002, or
January 1 of the year in which the organization's special group
license plate is first issued. The bureau shall reevaluate the
organization's qualification for the special group license plate
program every five (5) years thereafter. The bureau shall terminate
the organization's qualification for the special group license plate
program and no further special group recognition license plates shall
be issued for an organization if less than two thousand (2,000) of the
organization's special group license plates are sold or renewed in the
first four (4) years of a subsequent five (5) year period.
As added by P.L.118-1998, SEC.9. Amended by P.L.1-1999, SEC.28.
IC 9-18-25-16
Repealed
(Repealed by P.L.2-2005, SEC.131.)
IC 9-18-25-17
Sales of special group plates in excess of 10,000; design of plates
Sec. 17. (a) This section applies to a special group if at least ten
thousand (10,000) of the special group's license plates are issued
under this chapter in the first four (4) years of a five (5) year plate
cycle beginning after December 31, 2001.
(b) Notwithstanding section 3 of this chapter, the representatives
of the special group may petition the bureau to design a distinctive
license plate that identifies a vehicle as being registered to a person
who is a member of the special group.
(c) The design of the special group license plate must include a
basic design for the special group recognition license plate with
consecutive numerals or letters, or both, to properly identify the
vehicle.
(d) A special group license plate must be treated with special
reflective material designed to increase the visibility and legibility of
the special group license plate.
As added by P.L.118-1998, SEC.11.
IC 9-18-25-17.5
Sales of special group plates in excess of 5,000; fees and trust funds
Sec. 17.5. (a) This section applies to a special group if at least five
thousand (5,000) of the special group's license plates are issued
under this chapter during one (1) calendar year beginning after
December 31, 2004.
(b) Notwithstanding section 2 of this chapter, the representatives
of the special group may petition the bureau to design a distinctive
license plate that identifies a vehicle as being registered to a person
who is a member of the special group.
(c) The design of the special group license plate must include a
basic design for the special group recognition license plate with
consecutive numerals or letters, or both, to properly identify the
vehicle.
(d) A special group license plate must be treated with special
reflective material designed to increase the visibility and legibility of
the special group license plate.
(e) Beginning with the calendar year following the year in which
the representatives petition the bureau under subsection (b), the
bureau shall issue the special group's license plate to a person who
is eligible to register a vehicle under this title who:
(1) completes an application for the license plate; and
(2) pays the following fees:
(A) The appropriate fee under IC 9-29-5-38(a).
(B) An annual fee of twenty-five dollars ($25).
(f) The annual fee referred to in subsection (e)(2)(B) shall be
collected by the bureau and deposited in a trust fund for the special
group established under subsection (g). However, the bureau shall
retain two dollars ($2) for each license plate issued until the cost of
designing and issuing the special group license plate is recovered by
the bureau.
(g) The treasurer of state shall establish a trust fund for each
special group for which the bureau collects fees under this section.
(h) The treasurer of state shall invest the money in the fund not
currently needed to meet the obligations of the fund in the same
manner as other public funds are invested. Interest that accrues from
these investments shall be deposited in the fund. Money in the fund
is continuously appropriated for the purposes of this section. Money
in the fund at the end of a state fiscal year does not revert to the state
general fund.
(i) The commissioner shall administer the fund. Expenses of
administering the fund shall be paid from money in the fund.
(j) On June 30 of each year, the commissioner shall distribute the
money from the fund to the special group for which the bureau has
collected fees under this section.
(k) The bureau may not disclose information that identifies the
persons to whom special group license plates have been issued under
this section.
As added by P.L.54-2004, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.117-2006, SEC.2.
IC 9-18-25-17.7
Special group plates; collection of annual fee by bureau
Sec. 17.7. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, representatives of
a special group that participates in the special group recognition plate
program may request that the bureau collect an annual fee of
twenty-five dollars ($25) on behalf of the special group.
(b) If a request is made under subsection (a), the bureau shall
collect the following fees:
(1) The appropriate fee under IC 9-29-5-38(a).
(2) An annual fee of twenty-five dollars ($25).
(c) The annual fee referred to in subsection (b)(2) shall be
collected by the bureau and deposited in a trust fund for the special
group established under subsection (d).
(d) The treasurer of state shall establish a trust fund for each
special group for which the bureau collects fees under this section.
(e) The treasurer of state shall invest the money in the fund not
currently needed to meet the obligations of the fund in the same
manner as other public funds are invested. Interest that accrues from
these investments shall be deposited in the fund. Money in the fund
is continuously appropriated for the purposes of this section. Money
in the fund at the end of a state fiscal year does not revert to the state
general fund.
(f) The commissioner shall administer the fund. Expenses of
administering the fund shall be paid from money in the fund.
(g) Before June 30 of each year, the commissioner shall distribute
the money from the fund to the special group for which the bureau
has collected fees under this section.
(h) Subject to section 18 of this chapter, the bureau may not
disclose information that identifies the persons to whom special
group license plates have been issued under this section.
(i) If:
(1) representatives of a special group have collected an annual
fee as set forth in subsection (a) from purchasers of the special
group recognition license plates that was paid directly to the
special group; and
(2) the representatives of the special group request the bureau
to collect the annual fee on behalf of the special group as set
forth in subsection (a);
representatives of the special group may request the bureau to change
the method of collection of the annual fee for the following calendar
year. The representatives of the special group must make a request
under this subsection by July 1 of the year preceding the year for
which the change has been requested. The group may request only
one (1) change in the method of collection in a plate cycle.
(j) If:
(1) the bureau collects an annual fee as set forth in subsection
(a) on behalf of a special group; and
(2) representatives of the special group request the bureau to
cease collection of the annual fee as set forth in subsection (a)
on behalf of the special group as the annual fee will be paid
directly to the special group by purchasers of the special group
recognition license plates;
representatives of the special group may request the bureau to change
the method of collection of the annual fee for the following calendar
year. The representatives of the special group must make a request
under this subsection by July 1 of the year preceding the year for
which the change has been requested. The group may request only
one (1) change in the method of collection in a plate cycle.
As added by P.L.117-2006, SEC.3. Amended by P.L.87-2010,
SEC.19.
IC 9-18-25-18
Disclosure to special group of personal information on application
Sec. 18. (a) This section applies to an application form for a
special group recognition license plate that:
(1) is subject to an annual special group fee; and
(2) does not require an applicant to obtain authorization from
the special group that sponsors the license plate.
(b) The application form must include a box for the applicant to
check that states the following:
"By checking the above box, I am authorizing the bureau of
motor vehicles to disclose my personal information included on
this application form to the special group that sponsors the
license plate for which I am applying. I understand that:
(1) the special group may contact me with information about
its activities but may not use my personal information
primarily for fundraising or solicitation purposes;
(2) the bureau will not disclose my personal information to
any other person or group; and
(3) the special group will not disclose my personal
information to any other person or group without my written
consent.".
(c) If an applicant checks the box described in subsection (b), the
bureau may disclose personal information about the applicant
included on the application form only to the special group that
sponsors the license plate.
(d) If a special group receives personal information disclosed
under subsection (c), the special group:
(1) may contact the applicant with information about the special
group's activities;
(2) may not contact the applicant primarily for fundraising or
solicitation purposes; and
(3) may not disclose the applicant's personal information to any
other person or group without the applicant's written consent.
As added by P.L.87-2010, SEC.20.