Greetings fellow hams,

Your help is requested to change the design currently offered by the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles for amateur radio license plates. Currently, the State of Indiana offers over 100 distinctive and specialty license plates to its drivers through the Special Group Recognition License Plate Program. From universities and colleges to military, fraternal clubs, sports teams, and many worthy, non-for-profit organizations, these specialty license plates give special distinction to the institutions they represent by the motorists who proudly display them. But what about a specially designed plate for Indiana’s amateur radio operators?

Amateur radio operators are singlehandedly one of the largest societies in our state with a common affiliation. We are a fraternity of hobbyists who embrace technology as well as provide critical communications services in times of disaster, emergencies and volunteer initiatives. From the horrific, sometimes deadly weather that strikes, to manmade disasters, to auxiliary efforts, amateur radio operators are ready and able to provide emergency and fallback communication in times of need. Currently, The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles only allows our FCC callsign on a standard passenger car plate, with no special distinction. Did you know that over 20 other states in the U.S. offer a specially designed plate just for its Amateur Radio Operators? I feel that the Indiana amateur radio operator needs better representation through his or her license plates to convey to the community the recognized importance of our hobby and the services we provide to our great state.

I am asking for your help to petition the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles to redesign and create a new Amateur Radio License Plate pursuant to Indiana Code IC 9-18.5-9, Sec. 2. (a), which states, “The bureau shall design and issue amateur radio operator license plates as needed to administer this chapter. (b) A license plate issued under this chapter shall be imprinted with the official amateur radio call letters assigned to the applicant by the Federal Communications Commission.” Now I certainly do not have a degree in law, but as I interpret the verbiage, the BMV is obligated, as the law states, to “design and issue amateur radio operator license plates”. It doesn’t say that the current design can’t change. And by the way the code is written, I do not believe any special legislation would need to take place to change the current design.

Be advised, the designs you see pictured here that I've created using royalty free artwork or artwork of my own creation are merely for illustrative purposes ONLY and are examples of what a potential redesign could look like. Perhaps there could even be a scenario where us hams could vote on a particular design the BMV offers or perhaps the BMV might ask for submissions from the Indiana amateur radio community that we all could vote on in design contest. Who knows? Let's try and focus more on the initiative to make this change happen more than the design itself at this point. That being said, this redesign initiative has the support of the Indiana ARRL Section Manager, Jimmy Merry KC9RPX, the Indiana ARRL Section Government Liaison Steven Jones W9SMJ, and Indiana Representative Mathew Pierce N9VKU from the 61st district. We also have over 200 fellow ham radio operators in the state giving their full support on this measure. I believe The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles can easily make this change but they need to hear the voices of our legislators and the constituents they represent. Together, we can make this change. Thank you for your time and consideration into looking at this matter and I would greatly appreciate your support.