Indiana License Plates

The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles issues standard automobile license plates bearing a one- or two-digit number identifying the county in which the vehicle is registered. These prefixes proceed alphabetically, with prefixes greater than 92 reserved as overflow for the state's historically most-populous counties. Individual license plate numbers are assigned sequentially in each licensing office. The numbers are usually in the format #A1234 or ##A1234, depending on whether the prefix is one or two digits. Special overflow consideration was given for Allen and St. Joseph Counties and, more recently, Hamilton, Elkhart, and Vanderburgh Counties, which issue plates of the formats 2AB123, 71AB123, 29AB123, 20AB123, and 82AB123, respectively.^[1]

In 2008, new white-on-blue license plates with white county name decals will replace this county number system, used for about 40 years, with a new system of license plates bearing a format 123ABC with the stars and torch that adorn the state flag on the left quarter of the plate. The county's name and number will appear on a white sticker on the top with "INDIANA" on the bottom.

In January 2007, Indiana started to issue plates bearing the words "IN GOD WE TRUST" on the left third. Like Indiana's other specialty plates it has two vertical letters and one to four numbers and a county number on a sticker at the bottom right corner, and, like the other specialty plates, it too also appears on trucks. From the start, this plate, made using Indiana's specialty plate format, was especially controversial. ^{[citation needed]} The Indiana Civil Liberties Union (ICLU) claims that it is a symbol of endorsement of a religion. ^{[citation needed]} Supporters claim that it merely states a trust in a higher being ^{[citation needed]} and point out that since 1956, "In God We Trust" has been the motto of the United States, as well as appearing on US currency since 1864.