ELKHART — A new system for the way Indiana residents get temporary plates when they buy a new car is designed to cut down on lag time in getting those tags.

Until now, when buying a new car in Indiana, you would get a temporary plate from the dealer. Dealers buy those tags in bulk from the state and have them shipped.

“What we do is usually three times a year — we will order a temporary supply of temporary license plates from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles,” said Greg Fink of Naquin Nissan.

If they run out, a buyer would have to wait while the dealer ordered those tags. Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita is streamlining that process with a new program called “Plates On-Demand.” Dealers can go to a state website and print them off instantly.

“The new system will print off exactly what you need,” Fink said.

Rokita says with Plates On-Demand, “Indiana auto dealers will have access to an innovative service that allows them to more rapidly and efficiently meet the needs of their customers.” He says it is an example of how costs can be lowered through the use of technology.

The state says an additional benefit of the system will be enhanced security. Information on the plate will include the make and model, as well as the VIN number. This helps police when dealing with lost or stolen temporary plates.

“Those dealer plates don’t say what they belong on,” said Lt. Ed Windbigler with Elkhart police. “With this new system, it says the information about the vehicle and the owner will all be on the plate. So if you are involved with a vehicle that has a paper plate, you’re going to know for sure the plate actually belongs on that car.”

“It should be more user-friendly for everybody involved — customer and dealer,” Fink said.

The program goes into effect later this week. Dealers were given a grace period to get up to speed on the new Internet system.

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