Visiting an Indiana BMV branch: appointments, what to bring and what to expect

Which Indiana BMV transactions you can finish online or at a BMV Connect kiosk, when you need a branch appointment, which documents to bring, how to pay and what happens at the counter.

Guide · Indiana · Appointments · updated October 29, 2026

In Indiana, one agency handles both driver licensing and vehicles: the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). Its branches issue driver's licenses, learner's permits and ID cards, and they also process titles and registrations. This guide covers what you can do without a branch visit, how appointments work, and what to bring so that one trip is enough.

Check whether you need to visit at all

The BMV offers two ways to skip the branch:

• myBMV.com, its online service. You can renew a driver's license or ID card and order a duplicate license or replacement ID. You can renew a vehicle registration and register a vehicle you bought in the last 60 days, if its title was submitted to the BMV. You can also order a duplicate title, update your address and insurance details, and view or buy your driving record. The BMV says myBMV is unavailable every Sunday from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. for maintenance.
• BMV Connect kiosks, self-service machines open 24/7. They handle similar transactions, including license and ID renewals and replacements, new vehicle registrations, registration renewals, replacement stickers, duplicate titles and official driver records.

Not everyone can use these. Online license renewal, for example, depends on your age and how you renewed last time. The details are in the Indiana driver license and ID card guide. A first Indiana license or ID, a license transfer from another state and and a new-resident title for a vehicle you bring from another state all need a branch visit.

Appointments and walk-ins

Branches offer walk-in service, and you can also book an appointment. The BMV says each household member needing a branch transaction must have a separate appointment or use walk-in service. You book through the "Schedule a Branch Appointment" link on the BMV's branch visit page. The same page has a lookup tool to find, change or cancel an appointment. If you cannot make it, the BMV asks you to cancel within 24 hours, since branches can take only a limited number of appointments each day.

Two rules are fixed:

• Driving skills tests require an appointment, booked at least 48 hours and at most 3 weeks ahead. Arrive at least 15 minutes early. If you need a driving test for a new license, schedule it in advance.
• Knowledge exams need no appointment, unless you need the exam read to you or you are deaf or hard of hearing. The BMV's pages give different cut-offs for the computer-based exam (one hour or 30 minutes before closing), so plan to arrive at least an hour before the branch closes. For an American Sign Language interpreter, call the Contact Center at 888-692-6841 to book an appointment.

You may use any branch in the state, not only the one in your county. To find one, see the BMV branch map or the Indiana BMV office list on this site.

What to bring

The BMV asks you to have your photo ID ready, confirm you have every document your transaction needs, and check the branch's hours before you go.

When you apply for a new license, permit or ID card in Indiana, the BMV issues a Real ID-compliant card. For that you bring original or certified documents proving:

1. Identity, such as a U.S. birth certificate or an unexpired U.S. passport.
2. Lawful status; usually the identity document also proves this.
3. Social Security number, such as a Social Security card, W-2 or pay stub showing the full number.
4. Indiana residency: two printed documents, such as a bank statement, a pre-printed pay stub, or a bill issued within 60 days.
5. Any change of name or date of birth, such as a marriage license, divorce decree or court order.

The BMV's Real ID Documentation Checklist lists every accepted document, and a Spanish version is available. If you cannot provide two residency documents, some applicants can use an Indiana Residency Affidavit (State Form 50879) signed at a branch. For background, see REAL ID explained.

Teens applying for a permit or license also need an adult to sign an agreement of financial liability in person at the branch.

Paying

The BMV lists accepted payment by channel:

• Branches: credit cards, debit cards, cash or check
• BMV Connect kiosks: credit cards, debit cards or cash
• myBMV: credit cards, debit cards or e-check
• Phone: credit or debit cards
• Mail: credit cards, debit cards, check or e-check

Checks should be made out to "BMV" or "Bureau of Motor Vehicles". Card payments carry a transaction fee of $0.40 plus 2.06%.

At the counter

An associate checks you in when you arrive; mention any appointment then. For a license, permit or ID card, your photo is taken, you take a vision screening, your documents are scanned and returned to you, and you pay the fee. Exams, if required, follow.

Permanent cards are printed at a secure central location and mailed, so you do not leave with one. If you are a new resident, getting your first Indiana credential, or renewing an expired one, you get a paper interim license or permit valid for 30 days. If you are renewing a valid card, you keep it along with the 30-day interim. Interim ID cards are issued only within 30 days of an election. The permanent card should arrive within 14 days. If it has not, call 888-692-6841 or track it in myBMV. For faster delivery, the Express Credential service costs $25 on top of the credential fee.

The knowledge exam is offered in many languages besides English, including Spanish, Arabic, Burmese, French, Mandarin, Polish and Vietnamese.

For vehicle paperwork, see the Indiana vehicle registration and title guide.