if you are a person who is engaged in the business of manufacturing or assembling new motor vehicles or major component parts of motor vehicles, or both, and sells new motor vehicles to dealers, wholesale dealers, distributors, or the general public*. The term includes the following:
(1) A factory branch office of the manufacturer.
(2) A partnership, a firm, an association, a joint venture, a limited liability company, a corporation, or a trust, resident or nonresident, that is controlled by the manufacturer.
*Sales to the general public are only permissible in certain instances. Please refer to Ind. Code 9-32-11-20 for additional details.
You need a manufacturer representative certificate if you are an agent that can act on behalf of a manufacturer licensed in Indiana. The manufacturer must apply for the representative certificate on your behalf.
The following are not considered manufacturers for the purposes of dealer statutes (Ind. Code 9-32) and are not required to be licensed:
- RV manufacturers
- Manufactured home manufacturers
We encourage those wanting to obtain their manufacturer license in the State of Indiana to review the applicable state statutes (Indiana Code 9-32) and administrative rules (Indiana Administrative Code Title 75) regarding dealer licensing. Indiana statutes and rules can be found on the General Assembly’s website at iga.in.gov.
Please be sure to fill the application out completely and submit all required documents with the application. Failure to include required information or documents can delay the processing of your application.
Online application available at dealers.sos.in.gov. Help guide available here.
Required Documents
The following must be submitted with the completed application.
- Background Check*
- Business Entity Documentation (INBiz)
- Certificate of Insurance
- Indiana Vehicle Merchandising Certificate/Bond (SF 53966)
- License Fee
- Photo Identification
- Photos of the Location
- Retail Merchant Certificate (Indiana Dept. of Revenue)
- Zoning Affidavit (SF 55936)**
*Background check results more than 60 days old at the time the application is submitted will not be accepted.
**Zoning Affidavits signed by a zoning official more than 90 days prior to the date the application is submitted will not be accepted.
Location Requirements
If you engage in retail sales to the public at your location, you must meet the same location requirements as new/used dealers. You can review those here.
- Cannot be a residence or temporary location
- Appropriately zoned
- Able to accept mail delivery*
*an exception is available if your location is not serviced by USPS