To reinstate your Indiana driver’s license, follow the steps outlined by the BMV or the court that ordered your suspension and pay the reinstatement fee.

Written by Pat Roache

Edited by Georgina Grant

Reviewed by Jessica Barrett

Updated on Sep 7, 2023

Table of Contents

How Indiana license reinstatements work
How to get a license reinstatement in Indiana
Indiana license reinstatement fees
How to get a hardship license in Indiana
What is an SR-22 certificate?

Load full table of contents

To reinstate your

Indiana

driver’s license, you’ll need to check your driving record, pay the reinstatement fee, and follow the other steps outlined by the BMV or the court that ordered your suspension.

The reinstatement fee is $250 for your first driver’s license suspension, $500 for a second, and $1,000 for any following suspensions.
You can often avoid paying a fine—or even avoid the suspension altogether—by providing an SR-22 certificate through your
Indiana car insurance
company.
You may be able to apply for a hardship license while your regular driver’s license is suspended.

How Indiana license reinstatements work

If the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (IN BMV) revokes or

suspends your license

for an offense, you’ll have to reinstate your license to regain your driving privileges. This doesn’t happen automatically when your suspension period ends.

Instead, you’ll have to submit paperwork and pay reinstatement fees to complete the process.

MORE:

Can you get car insurance with a suspended license?

How to get a license reinstatement in Indiana

Check your Viewable

Driver Record

on the

BMV’s website

at no charge to be sure why your license was suspended or revoked in the first place and what is required for reinstatement.

Pay close attention to the “Reinstatement Requirements” and “Suspensions Information” sections for the most relevant information.

Although the reinstatement process will differ depending on the reason for your

Indiana driver’s license

suspension, here’s a general overview of the process:

Court-ordered suspension: Contact the court to find out the exact requirements you’ll need to meet to get your license reinstated. Only go to the BMV to reinstate your license once you have documentation from the court to verify your eligibility.

BMV suspension: Review your Official Driving Record (ODR) to find out the exact requirements you’ll need to meet to get your license reinstated. You can view your ODR by completing a

Request for Certified Records (State Form 53789)

and submitting a $4 fee to the BMV.

Suspension for lack of insurance: You can have your suspension removed once you meet

Indiana’s minimum insurance requirements

. Have your insurance company provide a Certificate of Compliance (COC) to the BMV to finalize the fulfillment of your requirements.

Indiana license reinstatement fees

Here are the BMV license reinstatement fees:

First suspension: $250

Second suspension: $500

Future suspensions: $1,000

You may be able to avoid paying fees if you

file an SR-22

with the BMV for 180 consecutive days.

Providing an SR-22, which serves as proof of financial responsibility, may also allow you to stay a suspension of your license from the court or BMV, depending on the specific requirements outlined on your order.

If you choose to pay reinstatement fees over SR-22 coverage, you can do so by one of the following means:

Log into your

myBMV account

and pay online

Call 888-692-6841 and provide the access code found on your reinstatement notice

Submit the reinstatement coupon found in your reinstatement notice by mail

Download a Reinstatement Fee Submission Form if you no longer have your reinstatement coupon

Use a self-service Connect kiosk at your local BMV

How to get a hardship license in Indiana

Transportation can become a significant challenge for drivers with a suspended license, but you can apply for a hardship license to accommodate specific needs. With a hardship license, you’ll have certain restricted driving privileges to get to and from authorized locations like school and work.

To get a hardship license, you’ll need to file a hardship license petition in the county where your case originated or the county where you reside (depending on the origin of your suspension). You can process your filing in person at the county clerk or

online

All applicants have to pay a $157 filing fee and submit an

Initiating Party Appearance form

with one additional copy.

All pleadings must be on 8.5” by 11” paper, and applicants should include a stamped self-addressed envelope for return copies. Other required documents will depend on the type of violation that caused your suspension in the first place.

Applying for a hardship license after a civil infraction

If the BMV suspends your license for a non-criminal violation, such as failing to pay a traffic ticket or insufficient

car insurance

, you’ll have a much easier time filing your hardship license petition.

Here are the types of documents and numbers of copies you’ll need to include in your file:

Service of complaint: one copy per defendant served

Court’s file: original and one copy

Attorney’s file or pro se file: one copy

Initiating Party Appearance form

: original and one copy

Contact your local county clerk, your attorney, or check the

guides on e-filing

if you need help identifying and getting a hold of these required documents.

MORE: How long does a speeding ticket stay on your record?

Applying for a hardship license after a criminal infraction

If your license is suspended for a serious moving violation that is charged as a misdemeanor or felony, you’ll have to supply much more documentation while filing your hardship license petition.

Here are the documents and number of copies you’ll need to include in your file:

Service of summons by a sheriff or certified mail: original and three copies of the summons, two copies of all papers signed by the judge, and one copy of any motions or pleadings served with the summons (6+ total documents)

Court’s file: original copy of all pleadings with additional copies as required by the specific court

Attorney’s file or pro se file: one copy

Initiating Party Appearance form: original and one copy

If you want to file for a hardship license while you are currently a defendant in a court case or on probation for

driving while intoxicated

/DUI, or if you have lost your driving privileges under Indiana Code S. 35-48-4-15, you will have to file directly through the circuit court or superior court where your case is being or was tried.

What is an SR-22 certificate?

Indiana SR-22 certificate

provides legal proof of future financial responsibility and is a common requirement when reinstating a suspended license in the Hoosier State.

You’re likely to be required to submit an SR-22 after a license suspension for the following offenses:

Failure to provide

proof of insurance

Failure to appear in court or pay a fine

Certain convicted court-related violations

You can request an SR-22 certificate from your insurance provider, who will electronically submit the proof of your insurance directly to the BMV. You’ll often need to maintain your SR-22 insurance for 180 consecutive days to enjoy the fee-wavering and suspension-lifting effects of the certificate.

It may sound easy, but be warned: filing for an SR-22 will cause a massive increase in your insurance rates.

“I have a really bad record, so all of my previous insurance quotes were pretty high. I started using
Jerry
and the fantastic app saved me $130 a month on my insurance.” —Jett A.

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