Indiana drivers are flocking to the state’s all-black license plates. Gov. Mike Braun announced Monday that nearly 400-thousand people had purchased the plates since their launch, generating nearly $13 million in revenue.
Blackout plates were launched in August of 2025 as an optional plate that could be obtained for a $45 fee. The plates cost an additional $45 each year they are renewed.
Braun said revenue generated by the blackout license plates will be reinvested into the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
“I directed the BMV to modernize, improve customer service and find smarter ways to operate,” he said. “Nearly $13 million generated by an optional plate is now helping us invest in the employees who serve Hoosiers and technology that makes doing business with the BMV faster and easier.”
Other states, including Colorado, have seen similar benefits adopting the plates. The state reported roughly $12 million in revenue from the blackout plates in 2025.
Bureau of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Kevin Garvey said he was surprised the plates are as popular as they have been.
“We've even had folks that have said, ‘You know what? My car isn't even as nice as I would like for it to be, and this makes it feel and look a little bit nicer,’” he said.
According to Garvey, the modernization efforts planned for the agency include new payment options like tap-to-pay, additional kiosks statewide, and pay raises for public-facing employees.
“To be able to do it without having to raise everybody's cost, I think it is innovative,” Garvey said.
Social media posters have suggested that the blackout license plates are easier for police and Flock cameras to read. The BMV and Indiana State Police have previously said that is not the case.
“I'm happy to dispel the rumor out there that these are for that purpose,” Garvey said. “They are not.”
Contact Government Reporter Benjamin Thorp at bthorp@wfyi.org
