Indiana Hoosier Veteran, Purple Heart, POW, Medal of Honor, Guard and Gold Star Plates

Hoosier Veteran plate. IC 9-18.5-29-3: anyone registering a vehicle may have one on presenting a retiree ID card, "proof of discharge", discharge papers, a current armed forces ID card or a driver licence with the veteran designation, and paying fifteen dollars, which goes to the Military Family Relief Fund. The Department of Veterans Affairs says the discharge must be honorable or under honorable conditions and that Merchant Marine service does not count. The statute names no character of discharge. Purple Heart. IC 9-18.5-6-2: an Indiana resident who received the Purple Heart, or the recipient's surviving spouse "who has not remarried", may have one or more plates. The vehicle parks free at meters (IC 9-18.5-6-3). Apply through the Department of Veterans Affairs with proof of the award. Former POW and Medal of Honor. IC 9-18.5-4-1 issues these plates to recipients and, since 2025, to their surviving spouses. Metered parking is free (IC 9-18.5-4-4), and a former POW gets a free state park pass. The Department of Veterans Affairs describes the POW plate as limited to captivity in World War I, World War II, Korea or Vietnam with an honorable discharge; the statute's definition in IC 9-13-2-132 reaches captivity in any armed conflict and any discharge other than dishonorable. National Guard. IC 9-18.5-7-3 opens a plate to current Army or Air Guard members and to former members with a discharge not on the relief fund list or a retirement form. Gold Star family. IC 9-18.5-33 gives a free plate (no additional fee, IC 9-18.5-33-4) to fourteen kinds of relative, from parents and stepparents to great-grandparents and siblings by adoption, of someone who died on active duty or of injuries sustained there, in the armed forces or the National Guard. Displaying it, or holding the free annual pass, admits the family free to Department of Natural Resources properties (IC 14-19-3-1). Other plates. A Pearl Harbor survivor plate (IC 9-18.5-24), an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal plate (IC 9-18.5-35) and a Support Our Troops plate open to anyone (IC 9-18.5-30) also exist. None of these plates waives registration fees or excise tax.