Indiana Title and Registration

[levitayelor]

Hello Hoosiers!! Just thought i would help everyone access the form for us Indianians to get the title changed from "Bus" or "Van" to "RV" there are a couple reasons why this would be beneficial to you.

1. Most likely cheaper insurance. Might want to call and check first with your insurance company.

2. Seat belt tickets.

3. Opened alcohol (open container)

4. Um. How awesome would it be to tell people you own an RV?! haha

The form you want is at the following link.

https://forms.in.gov/Download.aspx?id=5002

You need to print it off and have the police officer sign the affidavit

Send it off and in about 2 to 4 weeks you will get your new title.


I'm trying to help people find some cut and dried answers that i couldn't find when i tried.
After some annoying research, calling, emailing, contacting, etc. i thought id comprise it in one spot for some simplicity.
I'm jus tryin to help some people out cause i use to be in your shoes, let me know if this helps anyone that was searching for some answers.

[chev49]

I checked all the seat belts on the bus, and only found gum wrappers under them... no tickets.

[hunterstella]

I love benefit number 4. Telling your friends you have an RV would definitely make their jaws drop.

Thanks for sharing the form, by the way.

[levitayelor]

haha wow i had to read the "checked seatbelts and only found gum wrappers. no tickets" like 2 or 3 times before i got the joke. lol and yeah. sayin you have an RV is awesome but i like the look on peoples faces when i say "short bus" too! Our is a 1995 GMC Vandura 3500 (Van Front End) and it is Titled as a van currently because thats how we bought it. We are gonna transfer them to RV within the next couple weeks. but Liability on this bad boy as it titled as a van, is only $287 bucks a year!!!!! AKA $24 a month!!

[LtBattleBadger]

Originally Posted by levitayelor

Hello Hoosiers!! Just thought i would help everyone access the form for us Indianians to get the title changed from "Bus" or "Van" to "RV" there are a couple reasons why this would be beneficial to you.

1. Most likely cheaper insurance. Might want to call and check first with your insurance company.

2. Seat belt tickets.

3. Opened alcohol (open container)

4. Um. How awesome would it be to tell people you own an RV?! haha

The form you want is at the following link.

https://forms.in.gov/Download.aspx?id=5002

You need to print it off and have the police officer sign the affidavit

Send it off and in about 2 to 4 weeks you will get your new title.


I'm trying to help people find some cut and dried answers that i couldn't find when i tried.
After some annoying research, calling, emailing, contacting, etc. i thought id comprise it in one spot for some simplicity.
I'm jus tryin to help some people out cause i use to be in your shoes, let me know if this helps anyone that was searching for some answers.

Hey there!

Thank you for the form! What criteria does the bus have to meet to be eligible to transfer the title to RV?

Thanks!!

[Fancierdoughnut]

Originally Posted by LtBattleBadger

Hey there!

Thank you for the form! What criteria does the bus have to meet to be eligible to transfer the title to RV?

Thanks!!

I also want to know this, doesn't seem to have been answered

[rensch26]

All my family did was paint the bus a different color, remove the stop sign, and remove the flashing lights. We then had to have a police officer come out and fill out a "Body Change" form (#39771 from Indiana BMV) saying we were changing it from a school bus to an RV. I believe we also needed to have the police officer fill out a "Physical Inspection" form (#39530). After that we went to the BMV and that was all it took. We also had to take out enough seats that it seats 15 or fewer people, the cutoff for having a CDL.

[Fancierdoughnut]

Originally Posted by rensch26

All my family did was paint the bus a different color, remove the stop sign, and remove the flashing lights. We then had to have a police officer come out and fill out a "Body Change" form (#39771 from Indiana BMV) saying we were changing it from a school bus to an RV. I believe we also needed to have the police officer fill out a "Physical Inspection" form (#39530). After that we went to the BMV and that was all it took. We also had to take out enough seats that it seats 15 or fewer people, the cutoff for having a CDL.

The red and yellow up top? Did you have to disable then or did you physically removed them and put plates over the holes?

[rensch26]

Disabled them. But my family ended up purchasing more brake lights and turn signals (all red) and mounting them up there instead. Just tied their wires in with the brake lights and turn signals below.

[Sehnsucht]

That was always my plan on the rear, swap reds and yellows, tie them into their corresponding functions below. Probably just cap the front ones though, there seems to be more than enough indicators on the front.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Fancierdoughnut

I also want to know this, doesn't seem to have been answered

It's actually been answered here a 100 times. Here is the list for Illinois. Every state that I know of uses basically the same list. All of them require 4 of the list of 6 to be installed to make it eligible as an RV/MH. The items vary slightly by state, like the toilet can be compost and not ex.evac.

Cooking appliance with onboard fuel source
Gas or electric fridge
Toilet with exterior evac
Heat/AC with power other than engine
Potable (drinkable) water supply
110v power supply


Your insurance company will require proof of these more than DMV will.

[Fancierdoughnut]

The front indicators would be a great spot for recessed LED off-road lights, eh?

[Hyperion0000]

Originally Posted by LtBattleBadger

Hey there!

Thank you for the form! What criteria does the bus have to meet to be eligible to transfer the title to RV?

Thanks!!

*I'm from Indiana - and just had the BMV convert the body style to RV.



1)I was not able to find any criteria that Indiana requires to be able to convert, but my bus already had the stop sign removed, was painted gray and the emergency lights were disabled. Other than that, my bus was essentially a school bus...all the seats were present, no toilet, stove, etc.
2)I can confirm that you will need to complete the "Change of Body" form - which only takes a few minutes. I had the local Sheriff come out and sign (small town, so he was literally onsite within 15 minutes of me calling )....which was extremely simple and straight forward....they even said on the phone - "we will come out and help you will all the forms"

3)Since the bus was purchased out of state, the Sheriff also completed a VIN inspection - which took about 10 minutes (to confirm the bus isn't stolen, etc). He also mentioned that you can call the Sheriff office beforehand to conform the VIN is clean (before you buy).

[Ourversionoflife3]

I just got off the phone with the BMV call center in Indiana, after a 32 minute wait time. There are 3 requirements according to the lady I spoke with:

1) “Sleeping Quarters”

2) Bathroom

3) Kitchen

I didn’t get any specifics on what constitutes any of these 3 things, but at least I got an answer.

I also specifically asked about if the body color had to be changed from the typical school bus yellow. She said no.

So there you have the official Indiana answer, but it sounds like it’s all luck about what sheriff or police officer comes to inspect your rig.

Cheers

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Ourversionoflife3

I just got off the phone with the BMV call center in Indiana, after a 32 minute wait time. There are 3 requirements according to the lady I spoke with:

1) “Sleeping Quarters”

2) Bathroom

3) Kitchen

I didn’t get any specifics on what constitutes any of these 3 things, but at least I got an answer.

I also specifically asked about if the body color had to be changed from the typical school bus yellow. She said no.

So there you have the official Indiana answer, but it sounds like it’s all luck about what sheriff or police officer comes to inspect your rig.

Cheers

Is there a police or sheriff inspection requirement there? Not one here.

[Ourversionoflife3]

The body change form has to have a police officer or sheriff sign that the body type is accurate. I’ve spoken to both types of law enforcement here locally and neither one knew the requirements, so you can probably press your luck to just see if they’ll sign it. It costs $5 to have them do the inspection, and you have to pay at the enforcement office before calling dispatch to send an officer out for the inspection.

[GHONTHEGO]

Thank you for the information. I just bought a 1995 Blue Bird, 40' long, 8.3 Cummins pusher. I'm stoked to get started.