When your commercial vehicle’s license plate goes missing or gets damaged beyond recognition, you can’t just drive without it—you need a formal way to declare the loss and request a replacement. The Indiana Form INIRP-L (State Form 51290), also known as “Schedule L,” is the mandatory affidavit used by motor carriers under the International Registration Plan (IRP) to report lost, stolen, or mutilated license plates and to certify the destruction or return of the associated cab cards. This document serves as a legal statement to the Indiana Department of Revenue, protecting your company from liability if the missing plates are later used illegally by someone else. Whether a plate fell off during a long haul or was stolen at a truck stop, filing this form accurately is the first step to getting new credentials and keeping your fleet compliant. This guide walks you through the specific data points required for each vehicle, ensuring your request for replacement plates is processed without delay.
What Is Indiana Form INIRP-L
The Indiana Form INIRP-L is a dual-purpose legal document used by trucking companies registered in Indiana. First, it acts as an “Affidavit for Replacement,” where you formally swear that specific license plates are no longer in your possession due to loss, theft, or damage. This allows the state to invalidate the old plate numbers in their system and issue new ones. Second, it serves as a “Cab Card Destruction Notice,” where you confirm that the original registration paperwork (cab card) for those plates has either been destroyed by you or is being attached to the form for return. The form warns carriers that filing a police report is their responsibility and that the state only considers the plates “contraband” (invalid) after such a report is filed. By signing this form, you are affirming under penalty of perjury that the information is correct, which clears your record of the old credentials.
How To File Indiana Form INIRP-L
You must submit the Indiana Form INIRP-L directly to the Indiana Department of Revenue’s Motor Carrier Services Division. It is typically filed whenever you are requesting replacement plates for one or more vehicles in your fleet. The form should be accompanied by any original cab cards you still possess (if you haven’t destroyed them) and, if applicable, the mutilated plates you are replacing. While the form itself doesn’t explicitly state a mailing address, it is standard practice to submit it to the IRP office where you handle your fleet registration, often located in Indianapolis. Keep a copy of the signed form and any police reports you file regarding stolen plates for your own business records.
How To Complete Indiana Form INIRP-L
Registrant Information
The top section requires you to identify your business.
- Name of Registrant: Enter the full legal name of the trucking company or individual under which the IRP account is registered.
- Account Number: Fill in your specific IRP account number assigned by the Indiana Department of Revenue.
- Address: Provide the complete Street Address, City, State, and ZIP Code associated with the registrant’s account.
Replacement Plate Transactions
The central table is where you list the specific vehicles needing replacement credentials. You must provide the following details for each affected truck:
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): Enter the full VIN of the vehicle.
- Vehicle Make: Enter the manufacturer of the vehicle (e.g., Peterbilt, Volvo, Freightliner).
- Vehicle Year: Enter the model year of the vehicle.
- Original License Plate Number: List the alphanumeric code of the plate that is being replaced.
- Lost, Stolen, or Mutilated: In this column, write the specific reason why the plate is being replaced. Be precise—”Lost” implies it is missing, “Stolen” implies theft (which should have a police report), and “Mutilated” means it is damaged but you might still have the pieces.
- Did you destroy the original cab card?: You must answer this question. If you destroyed the card yourself, indicate “Yes.” If you still have the card, you must check “No” and physically attach the original cab card to this form when you submit it.
Certification And Signature
The bottom section is a sworn statement. By signing, you are declaring under penalty of perjury that the information provided is true.
- Authorized Signature: An authorized representative of the carrier must sign here.
- Date: Enter the date the form is signed.
- Printed Name: Clearly print the name of the person signing.
- Title: Enter the job title of the signer (e.g., Safety Director, Owner).
- Telephone Number: Provide a contact phone number where the state can reach you if they have questions about the request.