Moving to Indiana

The cost case is mostly a housing case.

• Indiana came in sixth cheapest in the MERIC first quarter 2026 series at an index of 88.3, and housing carried it at 73.0 against a national average of 100, with every other component between 91 and 98.
• The Tax Foundation puts the effective property tax rate on owner-occupied housing at 0.76 percent.
• One caveat for anyone buying: the homestead standard deduction is being phased out on a legislated schedule, from $48,000 in 2025 down to $0 from the 2030 assessment date onward, with the supplemental deduction rising partway to compensate.

The income tax needs reading in two parts.

• The state rate is a flat 2.95 percent for 2026, dropping to 2.90 percent in 2027, which is among the lowest flat rates anywhere.
• On top of that every one of the 92 counties levies its own income tax, from 0.5 percent in Porter County to 3.0 percent in Randolph County as of October 2026.
• Sales tax is 7 percent statewide with no local add-ons, so the combined rate is also 7 percent wherever you land.
• Winters are the real adjustment for anyone arriving from the south: the climate is humid continental with cold winters and warm, humid summers, and the average monthly residential electric bill of about $133 reflects heavy usage at 901 kWh a month rather than a high price.

Get a license within 60 days, at a branch

You have 60 days from the move to trade a valid out-of-state license for an Indiana one, and it has to be done in person at a BMV branch. New residents are required to get a Real ID, so the document list is the strict one: one proof of identity, one proof of lawful status, one document showing your full Social Security number, and two proofs of Indiana residency. The residency documents are where people get sent home. A utility, credit card, doctor, or hospital bill works only if it was issued within the last 60 days, and if you cannot produce two of them you can ask to sign an Indiana Residency Affidavit instead. You surrender every valid credential you hold from your old state, pass a vision screening, and leave with a temporary license good for 30 days while the documents are verified. An expired out-of-state license means a knowledge exam, and one expired more than five years also means a skills test.

Title and register the vehicle within 60 days or pay a penalty

The same 60 days covers the car, and missing it carries an administrative penalty rather than just a late fee. Bring the most recently issued title, proof of your Social Security number, and two proofs of address dated within the last 60 days. Two things catch people out. The first is the VIN inspection: you have to drive the vehicle to the branch, or have a police officer complete a Physical Inspection of a Vehicle or Watercraft (State Form 39530) for you. The second is that if your old state issues electronic titles, you must request a printed copy from that state before the branch can do anything. Give the clerk the date you actually moved, because tax is prorated from it. If a lienholder holds your title, the branch will request it on your behalf and you can buy a 30-day permit to stay legal while you wait.

Emissions testing applies in two counties only

Only vehicles registered in Lake and Porter counties need an emissions test, and there it is every two years rather than annually. The test covers vehicles built after 1975 with a gross vehicle weight rating of 9,000 pounds or less, which the manufacturer usually prints on the driver-side door jamb. The schedule follows the model year: cars built in odd-numbered years are tested in odd-numbered years, even in even. The four most recent model years are exempt, as are antique vehicles under 326 IAC 13-1.1-1. Bring your registration or renewal notice to the station, and keep the test number, because renewing online asks for it. Everywhere else in the state there is no periodic safety or emissions inspection at all.

Liability minimums are 25/50/25

You need at least $25,000 of coverage for bodily injury to or the death of one person, $50,000 where two or more people are hurt or killed in one accident, and $25,000 for damage to or destruction of property in one accident. Proof of insurance is part of buying the plate, so the policy has to be in place before the registration transaction. The enforcement mechanism is worth knowing in advance: after an accident or certain violations the BMV mails you a request for verification, and your insurer then has to file a Certificate of Compliance electronically within 90 days of that mailing or your driving privileges are suspended. What you showed the officer at the roadside does not reach the BMV.

The homestead deduction is being phased out, so file early

Buying a home here means filing for the homestead standard deduction with the auditor in the county where the property sits, on or before January 15 of the year the taxes are first due and payable. Approved deductions show up on the following year's bill, and you do not reapply annually unless the property is sold or the title changes. The reason to file promptly is that the benefit is shrinking on a fixed schedule under IC 6-1.1-12-37: for assessment dates after December 31, 2024 the deduction is $48,000 in 2025, $40,000 in 2026, $30,000 in 2027, $20,000 in 2028, $10,000 in 2029, and $0 from the 2030 assessment date onward. The supplemental homestead deduction under IC 6-1.1-12-37.5 moves the other way, rising from 40 percent of post-deduction assessed value for taxes due in 2026 to 46 percent in 2027 and 52 percent in 2028, capped at 75 percent of gross assessed value.

Register to vote, and watch the precinct clock

Registering online at indianavoters.in.gov works once you hold an Indiana driver's license or state ID card, and the same site handles address updates for an existing registration. By mail or in person you file the state form VRG-7 with your county voter registration office. Only the current version of that form is accepted; counties reject older printings, though the federal form stays valid. There is a residency requirement separate from the registration deadline: you have to have lived in the precinct where you vote for at least 30 days before the election. For 2026 the registration deadline was April 6 for the primary and is October 5 for the general election.