Indiana Vehicle History — Salvage Titles, the Seven-Model-Year Rule & Rebuilt Brands (Reports from $4.99)

Indiana requires a salvage title for wrecked or damaged vehicles from the last seven model years; older cars are branded only on request. Know where that line sits, then check the VIN’s history and auction records before you pay.

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Indiana

Official vehicle-registry authority: Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV)

Why Indiana is different

The Indiana BMV states the core rule plainly: a salvage title is required for vehicles manufactured within the last seven model years that have been wrecked or damaged, and a salvage title may be issued for an older vehicle when requested. Salvage applications are not handled at a local branch; they go by mail to BMV Central Office in Indianapolis with an Application for Certificate of Title (State Form 205) and a Salvage Title Affidavit (State Form 49891).

To put a salvage vehicle back on the road, the owner applies for a salvage restoration title, which gives the vehicle a "Rebuilt" brand. The BMV checklist asks for the salvage certificate, an Affidavit of Restoration for a Salvage Motor Vehicle (State Form 44606), and proof of ownership or purchase for every major component part used in the repair; parts already on hand are listed on a General Affidavit (State Form 37964).

For buyers, the seven-model-year line is the main gap. A wrecked car that is older than that window is not required to carry a salvage title, so its Indiana title can look ordinary. The Indiana Attorney General also advises checking titles for "salvage," "rebuild" or "reconstructed" and researching the VIN with a history service. Read CARFAX or AutoCheck history alongside any Copart or IAAI sale records and photos before you commit.

Title rules in Indiana at a glance

Title agency
Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles; salvage and restoration titles handled by BMV Central Office.
Salvage trigger
Wrecked or damaged vehicle manufactured within the last seven model years.
Title brands
Salvage; "Rebuilt" after a salvage restoration title.
Rebuilt inspection
BMV restoration checklist: State Form 44606 affidavit plus proof of ownership for each major component part; out-of-state salvage conversions need State Form 39530.
Older-vehicle exemption
Vehicles older than seven model years are not required to get a salvage title; one may be issued on request.
Seller disclosure
Dealers and anyone selling five or more vehicles a year must disclose prior salvage or rebuilt condition in writing (Indiana Attorney General).

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Title brands in Indiana

Salvage
Required for wrecked or damaged vehicles manufactured within the last seven model years; available on request for older vehicles. Applications are processed by BMV Central Office.
Rebuilt
The brand the BMV applies when a salvage vehicle is restored and the owner obtains a salvage restoration title, supported by State Form 44606 and proof of ownership for major component parts.
Out-of-state title on a salvage application
When the title being converted was issued by another state, the BMV salvage checklist requires a completed Physical Inspection of a Vehicle or Watercraft (State Form 39530).

Red flags specific to Indiana

⚠ Wrecked, but older than seven model years
Indiana only requires a salvage title inside the seven-model-year window. A heavily damaged older car may carry a plain title, so the title alone tells you little about its past.
⚠ Owner-retained total losses
An owner who keeps a salvage vehicle after an insurance settlement must apply for a salvage title within 45 days of that settlement, according to the BMV checklist. A seller offering a recently totaled car without salvage paperwork may not have done so.
⚠ Rebuilt car with no parts receipts
The salvage restoration packet requires proof of ownership or purchase for each major component part. If a seller of a Rebuilt-branded car cannot show where the parts came from, ask why before buying.
⚠ Cross-border purchases
Indiana buyers often shop in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Kentucky. A branded title from another state still needs scrutiny when it is converted, so review the full history of any car with an out-of-state title.

Frequently asked questions

The Indiana BMV says a salvage title is required for vehicles manufactured within the last seven model years that have been wrecked or damaged. For a vehicle more than seven model years old, a salvage title may be issued when the owner requests one.

Apply to BMV Central Office for a salvage restoration title. The BMV checklist lists State Form 205, the certificate of salvage title, an Affidavit of Restoration for a Salvage Motor Vehicle (State Form 44606), proof of ownership or purchase for each major component part, and proof of address. The title then carries a "Rebuilt" brand.

The BMV says salvage and salvage restoration title applications are processed by BMV Central Office, and its checklists direct applicants to mail the paperwork to Central Office Title Processing in Indianapolis.

Yes. If the owner keeps the vehicle after an insurance settlement, the BMV checklist says the salvage title application is due no later than 45 days after the settlement, and a late-filing administrative penalty applies to packets received after 45 days.

According to the Indiana Attorney General, a car dealer or anyone who sells at least five vehicles a year must tell you in writing, before the purchase, about a vehicle’s previous salvage or rebuilt condition. The Attorney General notes buyers may sue for damages if that disclosure is missing.

The Indiana Attorney General says dealers and individual sellers must deliver the title at the time of sale or delivery or within 21 days of the sale, and a licensed dealer who cannot deliver it at the sale must give you a 21-day affidavit.

No. Older vehicles fall outside the mandatory salvage rule, and not every loss reaches a title. History reports and auction records help, but no report can prove a vehicle has a clean history.

Sources

Legal facts on this page were checked against these official sources in November 2026.

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