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Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles: Translation Requirements for Documents in Another Language
Yes: Indiana BMV accepts certified translations from professional services such as eVerbary.
Who may translate: Translation agency, school or government entity
- $24.95 per page
- Usually 24 h for 1–3 pages
- Signed certificate of accuracy, PDF
- See the price before you pay
How we know · policy checked on October 21, 2026
The Indiana BMV asks for an English translation of any document without English subheadings, typed on a separate page on the letterhead of a government entity, an accredited educational institution or a translation agency, with a signed statement from the translator.
A certified translation from a professional service such as eVerbary meets that rule, for a foreign driver's license or for identity and name-change documents.
Applicants under the Japan and Taiwan exchange agreements are a separate case: the BMV's letters for them name the consulate or a government office, which we are not.
Indiana BMV at a glance
Does it accept eVerbary? Yes
The Indiana BMV accepts a translation typed on the letterhead of a translation agency, signed by the translator with a statement of completeness, accuracy and competence (Driver's license: translated document requirements), so a certified translation from a professional service such as eVerbary meets it. Policy checked on October 21, 2026.
- Translation
- Required; typed on letterhead, signed statement
- Who may translate
- Translation agency, school or government entity
- Foreign license
- Accepted with translation or IDP; three tests
- Price
- $24.95 per pageUp to 250 words, certification included
- Delivery
- 24 hoursStandard for one to three pages
- Certificate
- SignedCertificate of translation accuracy, PDF
Checked on October 21, 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page. Policies change: confirm on Indiana BMV's own page before you submit.
Worth knowing about Indiana BMV
Agency letterhead
A translation agency is one of three accepted sources.
Not for family
The translator states it was not done for a relative, friend or associate.
Not ID by itself
A foreign license never proves identity at the BMV.
Indiana BMV requirements in detail
Translation
Required for any document in another language that has no English subheadings (Driver's license: translated document requirements).
Who may translate
A government entity, an accredited educational institution or a translation agency; the translation is typed on a separate page on its letterhead (Driver's license: translated document requirements).
Translator statement
Signed by the translator: the translation is complete and accurate, the translator is competent, and the document was not translated for a family member, friend or business associate (Driver's license: translated document requirements).
Foreign driver's license
To apply for an Indiana license you bring the out-of-country license in English, with a verifiably accurate English translation, or with your International Driving Permit. It cannot be used as identification (Residents with out-of-country licenses).
Tests
Vision screening, knowledge exam and driving skills exam. The skills exam is waived for applicants 18 or older with a Japan or Taiwan license that is active or expired less than three years (Residents with out-of-country licenses).
Identity and lawful status
A foreign passport counts only "with English subtitles or translation," a US visa and an approved I-94, or when DHS can verify status without a visa (BMV documentation list).
Name changes
If your name differs from your identity document, bring the government-issued documents that link the names, such as a marriage certificate (BMV documentation list (REAL ID checklist)).
Japan and Taiwan
The reciprocity letters ask for a certification letter from the Consulate-General of Japan or from TECO, which also serves as the translation of the license; other documents may be translated by those offices or by a government entity of that country (Japan letter, Taiwan letter).
What the translator's statement must say
Indiana spells out the format more than most states.
The translation sits on its own page, typed, on the letterhead of a government entity, an accredited educational institution or a translation agency, and the translator signs a statement with three parts: that the translation is complete and accurate, that he or she is competent to translate, and that the document was not translated for a family member, friend or business associate (Driver's license: translated document requirements).
The third point rules out a relative or a colleague doing it as a favor.
Our signed certificate of translation accuracy covers completeness, accuracy and competence; when you order for the Indiana BMV, say so in the order notes so the certificate also carries the statement about family, friends and business associates.
A foreign license: translation, then three tests
Moving to Indiana with a license from another country does not exempt you from testing.
The BMV asks for the license in English, with a verifiably accurate English translation or with an International Driving Permit, plus identity documents, a vision screening, the knowledge exam and the driving skills exam (Residents with out-of-country licenses).
The foreign license cannot be used to prove identity; that comes from documents such as a foreign passport with a US visa and I-94 (BMV documentation list (REAL ID checklist)).
Documents are checked through a central verification process.
The branch issues an interim license valid for 30 days, and the card is mailed once the documents are verified; if they cannot be verified, you receive a letter and can request a hearing, and fees are not refunded (Residents with out-of-country licenses).
Where the BMV's pages differ: Japan and Taiwan
Indiana has reciprocal agreements with Japan and Taiwan that waive the driving skills exam (Residents with out-of-country licenses).
The letters the BMV publishes for those applicants set a stricter route: a certification letter from the Consulate-General of Japan (dated within three months) or from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, which serves as the translation of the license, and translations of other documents by those offices or by a government entity of that country (Japan, Taiwan).
If you apply under either agreement, follow the letter; for everyone else the general rule accepts a translation agency.
Need a certified translation for Indiana BMV?
$24.95 per page of up to 250 words, certification included, usually within 24 hours for one to three pages. See the price before you pay.
Documents people usually translate
- Foreign driver's licenses, front and back, for an Indiana license application
- Foreign marriage certificates linking a name change
- Foreign divorce decrees and court orders of name change
- Foreign passports without English subtitles, the data page
What an eVerbary translation includes
- A complete English translation of every page, stamps, seals and handwritten notes included, laid out like the original so each line can be matched.
- A signed certificate of translation accuracy on letterhead, with our contact details, delivered as a PDF you can upload or print.
- $24.95 per page of up to 250 words, certification included; 24 hours for one to three pages as standard. Regular clients who need it can get delivery in as little as 30 minutes, on request.
- Notarization added at checkout ($34.90 per order) when the office asks for a notarized translation.
Submitting the translation to Indiana BMV
You bring the original document and its translation to a BMV branch in person with the rest of your documents; the BMV verifies them centrally and mails the license (Residents with out-of-country licenses).
Bring the translation as a printed page with the translator's signed statement, as the BMV describes it (Driver's license: translated document requirements). Keep the PDF in case the branch asks for another copy.
What we do not do
eVerbary translates documents; it is not the DMV and does not issue licenses, International Driving Permits or REAL ID decisions.
For the Indiana BMV that means we translate your license and documents; the consulate or TECO certification letter for the Japan and Taiwan agreements comes from those offices.
How to order
- Scan or photograph every page of the document, front and back, including any stamps on the reverse.
- Upload it, choose the language and "certified", and see the price before paying.
- Receive the PDF, usually within 24 hours for one to three pages, and submit it with the copy of the original wherever the office asks for it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I translate my own documents for the Indiana BMV?
No. The translation must be on the letterhead of a government entity, an accredited educational institution or a translation agency, and the translator states it was not done for a family member, friend or business associate (Driver's license: translated document requirements).
Does my foreign driver's license need a translation in Indiana?
To apply for an Indiana license, yes, unless it is in English or you bring your International Driving Permit (Residents with out-of-country licenses).
Can I use my foreign license as ID at the BMV?
No. An out-of-country license cannot be used for identification; you prove identity with documents such as a foreign passport with a US visa and I-94 (Residents with out-of-country licenses, BMV documentation list (REAL ID checklist)).
Do I have to take the driving test with a foreign license?
Yes, plus the vision screening and knowledge exam, unless you hold a Japan or Taiwan license covered by the reciprocal agreements, which waive the skills exam (Residents with out-of-country licenses).
Does the translation need to be notarized?
The BMV's rule asks for the letterhead and the translator's signed statement; it does not mention notarization (Driver's license: translated document requirements).
Sources
Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles's own pages, read on October 21, 2026.
Translating documents for Indiana BMV?
Upload a scan of your license or certificate and see the price and delivery time before you pay.