Section 140IAC6-1-2. Application for title; contents

   (a) In addition to the requirements in IC 9-17-2, an application for a certificate of title shall contain the following:

(1) The name, residence, mailing address, and SSN or FEIN for the person in whose name the vehicle is titled. An applicant's information and SSN presented to the bureau must match the information that the Social Security Administration has in its records for the SSN. An applicant who is not a United States citizen must show proof of current lawful status in the United States by presenting sufficient evidence showing the applicant meets the requirements of:

(A) IC 9-24-9-2.5 for a driver's license; or

(B) 9-24-16-3.5(1) [IC 9-24-16-3.5(1)] for an identification card.

(2) The vehicle's description shall include the vehicle's:

(A) make;

(B) model;

(C) model number;

(D) manufacture year; and

(E) VIN or special identification number.

(3) The former title number, if any.

(4) The purchase or acquisition date.

  (b) An individual must apply for an Indiana title before obtaining registration plates; however, registration plates need not be purchased at the time application for title is made.

  (c) Accompanying the application for certificate of title shall be an affidavit of the seller or transferor certifying that the Indiana sales or use tax has been paid to the seller or transferor. If the affidavit is not presented to the license branch, the branch shall collect the sales or use tax on the vehicle.

  (d) If the owner assembled or rebuilt the vehicle, then the owner must have a police officer's inspection of the vehicle. The inspecting police officer shall verify the facts stated in the application and note the following information on the application:

(1) The VIN.

(2) The make and year of the vehicle.

(3) The police officer's:

(A) name;

(B) title;

(C) police agency; and

(D) signature.

(4) The inspection date.

  (e) In addition to IC 9-17-2, an applicant who purchased a vehicle and is unable to obtain a properly executed title for a vehicle that is valued at five thousand dollars ($5,000) or less may obtain a title by presenting all of the following items:

(1) A valid bill of sale.

(2) An affidavit of ownership on the bureau's designated form.

(3) A letter requesting the registered owner/seller to provide the signed title to the purchaser. The letter must have been:

(A) sent to the seller by registered mail at the seller's last known address; and

(B) returned to the sender unopened and marked as being unclaimed.

(4) A VIN inspection.

(5) A lien release, if necessary.

The bureau will issue a new title to the applicant if the bureau determines that sufficient credible evidence exists to substantiate the applicant's claim of ownership.

  (f) In addition to IC 9-17-2, an applicant who purchased a vehicle and is unable to obtain a properly executed title for a vehicle that is valued at more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) shall present a court order that establishes the applicant as the legal owner of the purchased vehicle for which the applicant is seeking a title.

  (g) United States government verification will be accepted as proof of ownership from military personnel who did not obtain the standard port of entry forms for importing the personnel's personal vehicle from out of the country.

  (h) To record a lien on an existing title, an applicant must apply for a new title and include the following information:

(1) The new lien holder's information.

(2) The signatures of all the persons whose names appeared on the original title.

  (i) The bureau may require a VIN inspection whenever unusual or suspicious circumstances exist pertaining to a title transaction or a title's information. (Bureau of Motor Vehicles; (9-1-2-1)-1; filed Feb 13, 1978, 10:31 a.m.: Rules and Regs. 1979, p. 133; filed Sep 23, 1988, 8:30 a.m.: 12 IR 249; errata filed Aug 10, 1992, 3:00 p.m.: 15 IR 2595; readopted filed Jul 30, 2001, 10:29 a.m.: 24 IR 4230; readopted filed Nov 14, 2007, 1:31 p.m.: 20071212-IR-140070562RFA; filed Oct 7, 2008, 10:23 a.m.: 20081105-IR-140080215FRA; filed Nov 12, 2009, 3:44 p.m.: 20091209-IR-140090169FRA; readopted filed Nov 24, 2015, 4:18 p.m.: 20151223-IR-140150108RFA)