MERRILLVILLE | With a new Bureau of Motor Vehicles branch as his backdrop, BMV Commissioner Ron Stiver said Thursday Hoosiers now can complete many driving transactions online.

Stiver said the new online service, called myBMV, was created to improve customer service and reduce the number of customers visiting BMV branches.

To get started, customers need to create an account at mybmv.in.gov, and will need the last four digits of their Social Security number and their driver's license or identification number.

Once the account is created, customers can use several new online services, such as selecting and reserving personalized license plates, checking the status of registration renewals and registering for driver's license renewal reminders sent to e-mail accounts.

"That's been a sought-after service," Stiver said of the e-mail reminders.

Stiver said customers will receive a $5 discount when they renew their registration online. Nearly 700,000 Hoosiers already have done so, Stiver said, which amounts to approximately $3.5 million customers have saved.

Although many new services are available online, customers still aren't able to renew their driver's licenses through myBMV, Stiver said.

Stiver said 25 other states allow their residents to renew licenses online, and he is hopeful legislation will pass in the 2009 legislative session allowing Hoosiers to do the same.

Stiver demonstrated myBMV Thursday after cutting the ribbon at Lake County's newest BMV branch at 5117 E. 81st Ave., which replaces the branch located at 405 W. 80th Place in Merrillville.

The new branch includes more terminals, a dealer's service desk, so that dealer transactions won't interfere with those of regular customers, and public restrooms, which the previous location didn't have.

Although called the Merrillville branch, the facility actually is just outside of the town boundary, in Hobart.

Stiver said the state attempted to keep the branch at its previous location, but couldn't work out an agreement with the owner of the adjacent building to expand the previous BMV branch.