What is a certificate of authority in Indiana?
A certificate of authority is a BMV document that lets a person who cannot produce a title dispose of an old vehicle to a recycler. It is not a title and does not prove who owns the car forever. It exists so that a car at least 15 model years old without a title can still reach a recycler lawfully.
By Gary Cash For Junk Cars Inc, published November 15, 2026, updated November 15, 2026.
Where it comes from
The certificate is created by Indiana Code and issued through the BMV. IC 9-22-5-18 makes it one of two papers a recycler can accept; the other is the certificate of title. SEA 65, passed in 2024, changed the process so that a recycler may also apply on the seller’s behalf.
When it is useful
It matters in one scenario: the car is at least 15 model years old, no title can be found, and the owner wants to sell it as junk. In that case the certificate stands in for the title. For a newer car it does not help; the title or a duplicate is needed.
What to bring to the BMV
Expect to bring proof of who you are and some evidence connecting you to the car, such as an old registration. The BMV sets the list and the fee, so confirm both before you go. We do not state a fee amount here because we could not check one on a BMV page.
After you have it
Keep it with your ID and the car’s details. When you call us, mention that you hold the certificate. See the no-title guide for the age rule and the felony for buyers, then request your offer.
Sources
Questions people ask
- Is it the same as a title?
- No. A title proves ownership. The certificate is permission to sell the vehicle to a recycler when no title exists.
- Does it cost anything?
- There is a BMV fee. We have not confirmed the current amount on an Indiana BMV page, so check the BMV before you apply.
- Can anyone apply?
- The BMV decides who qualifies and what proof it wants. Ask the BMV directly.
Related guides
- Selling a junk car in Indiana with no titleThe certificate of authority, the 15-year rule and the cases that cannot be sold.
- Selling a junk car with an out-of-state titleA title from Illinois, Michigan or another state is still a title.
- Selling a car with a salvage or rebuilt titleA branded title is still a title, and it does not stop a junk sale.