Buying & Shipping
Buying a Car Out of State? How to Title It in Indiana and Get It Home
Bought a car in another state? The Indiana BMV steps to title it (VIN inspection, sales tax, 45-day deadline) and how to get it home without flying out.
The right car is often a few states away. A truck in Texas with the exact options you wanted. A low-mile SUV at a dealer in Ohio. A private-party or online-dealer deal that beat everything around Indianapolis.
Buying it is the easy part. Then come two questions: how do I get it home, and what does the Indiana BMV need from me? This guide answers both.
Step one: quote the shipping before you buy
Shipping is part of the price of the car. A lower price three states away isn't a deal if getting the car home eats the savings. Before you send money:
- Get the car's exact pickup address, not just the city.
- Request a written, all-in shipping quote to your door.
- Ask how soon it can be picked up, so you can plan around the seller's deadlines.
Quotes come within minutes during business hours. For today's prices on our regular routes out of Indianapolis, see the Indianapolis Car Shipping Cost Index.
Step two: get the car home
You have two choices. Fly out and drive it back, or have it brought to your driveway.
Shipping means no plane ticket and no two-day drive back. You also skip the temporary tag. A car on a trailer doesn't need plates or a temp tag, because it isn't being driven on the road.
How pickup works depends on who's selling:
- A dealer releases the car to the driver during business hours. You tell us the dealer and your salesperson, and we schedule it.
- A private seller needs to be there to hand over the keys. Settle payment and the signed title with the seller before pickup.
- An auction like Copart, IAA or Manheim releases the car with a gate pass once it's paid. Book transport the day you win, because storage fees start fast. We pick up at all three every day; see auction car transport.
Our guide to shipping a car from Copart, IAA, a dealer or a private seller covers each seller in more detail, along with the shipping scam to watch for. We pick up at Copart, IAA, Manheim and dealer lots every day. See online car purchase shipping for how the service works.
Who hauls it
Velocity is a licensed motor carrier based in Indianapolis, with its own trucks and drivers, and we ship door to door anywhere in the lower 48. Depending on the route and your dates, the car rides home on one of our trucks or with a vetted carrier through our licensed broker partner. Either way, you deal with Velocity from quote to delivery.
Step three: title it in Indiana
Once the car is home, here's what the Indiana BMV asks for.
The 45-day deadline
The BMV says you must apply for the Indiana title within 45 days after you buy the car. Miss it and there's an administrative penalty. If you buy on the 1st, put the 45th day on your calendar now.
The VIN inspection
A car coming from another state needs a VIN inspection before Indiana will title it. The inspection checks that the VIN on the car matches the paperwork.
- Any Indiana BMV branch or BMV-certified service provider does it free.
- A police officer can also do it. They may charge up to five dollars and give you State Form 39530, "Physical Inspection of a Vehicle or Watercraft."
The car has to be in Indiana for the inspection. That's one more reason to get it home quickly after you buy it.
Sales tax
Indiana credits sales tax you already paid in the other state. If that state's tax was lower than Indiana's, you pay the difference when you apply for your Indiana title. Bring proof of what you paid, such as the bill of sale or the dealer's purchase agreement.
Bought from a private seller and paid no sales tax? Then you pay Indiana's sales tax at the branch when you title the car.
What to bring
The BMV has a full checklist in its "Transfer of Out-of-State Title" packet on in.gov/bmv. In general, plan on:
- The out-of-state title, signed over to you
- The bill of sale or purchase agreement
- The VIN inspection, done at the branch or on State Form 39530
- Your driver's license and proof of insurance
If a bank or lender in the other state holds the title, the BMV says you'll need to visit a branch and complete a Request for Title, State Form 1014. If you bought from an out-of-state dealer, the BMV lets you mail the application in.
Step four: register it and get plates
With the title application done, you register the car and get your Indiana plates. Many people do the title, the VIN inspection and the registration in one branch visit. If a lender in another state holds the title, plan on more than one.
A quick timeline
- Before you buy: get a shipping quote and the exact pickup address.
- The day you buy: book transport and arrange pickup with the seller.
- Pickup: the driver inspects and photographs the car, then loads it.
- Delivery: you check the car against the pickup photos and sign.
- Within 45 days of buying: visit a BMV branch for the VIN inspection, title and plates.
The bottom line
Quote the shipping before you buy, have the car brought home on a trailer, and visit the BMV within 45 days with the title, bill of sale and proof of insurance. The car shows up in your driveway, and you never set foot on a plane. Request a quote with the seller's address, and we'll take it from there.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to title an out-of-state car in Indiana?
The Indiana BMV says you must apply for the title within 45 days after you buy the car. Applying late brings an administrative penalty.
Does a car bought out of state need a VIN inspection in Indiana?
Yes. A vehicle coming from another state needs a VIN inspection before it can be titled in Indiana. Any BMV branch or certified service provider does it at no charge. A police officer can also do it, may charge up to five dollars, and gives you State Form 39530.
Do I pay sales tax twice if I buy a car in another state?
No. Indiana gives you credit for sales tax you paid in the other state. If that tax was less than Indiana's, you pay the difference when you apply for your Indiana title.
Does the car need plates to be shipped home?
No. The car rides on the trailer, so it doesn't need plates or a temporary tag. You register it and get Indiana plates after it arrives.
Can you pick up the car before the title paperwork is done?
Yes, as long as the car is paid for and the seller has released it. The title and tax are between you, the seller and the BMV. We move the car.
