Article VI - Special Plates and Special License Plate Stickers


 
    (625 ILCS 5/Ch. 3 Art. VI heading)
ARTICLE VI. SPECIAL PLATES AND SPECIAL LICENSE PLATE STICKERS
(Source: P.A. 94‑564, eff. 8‑12‑05.)

    (625 ILCS 5/3‑600)(from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3‑600)
    Sec. 3‑600. Requirements for issuance of special plates.
    (a) The Secretary of State shall issue only special plates that have been authorized by the General Assembly. The Secretary of State shall not issue a series of special plates unless applications, as prescribed by the Secretary, have been received for 10,000 plates of that series; except that the Secretary of State may prescribe some other required number of applications if that number is sufficient to pay for the total cost of designing, manufacturing and issuing the special license plate.
    (b) The Secretary of State, upon issuing a new series of special license plates, shall notify all law enforcement officials of the design, color and other special features of the special license plate series.
    (c) This Section shall not apply to special license plate categories in existence on the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1990, or to the Secretary of State's discretion as established in Section 3‑611.
(Source: P.A. 95‑359, eff. 1‑1‑08.)

    (625 ILCS 5/3‑601) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3‑601)
    Sec. 3‑601. Operation of vehicles under special plates.
    (a) A manufacturer owning any unregistered vehicle of a type otherwise required to be registered under this Act may operate or move such upon the highways without registering each such vehicle upon condition that any such vehicle display thereon, a special plate or plates issued to such owner as provided in this Article.
    (b) A dealer owning any unregistered vehicle of a type otherwise required to be registered under this Act and held by him for sale or resale, may operate or move such upon the highways without registering each such vehicle upon condition that any such vehicle display thereon a special plate or plates issued to such owner as provided in this Article.
    (c) A transporter may operate or move any vehicle not owned by him upon the highways by the driveaway or towaway methods solely for the purpose of delivery upon likewise displaying thereon like plates issued to him as provided in this Article.
    (d) A boat dealer owning any boat trailer of a type otherwise required to be registered under this Act may operate or move such upon the highways and haul a boat customarily sold with such boat trailer, without registering each such boat trailer upon condition that any such boat trailer display thereon, in the manner prescribed in Section 3‑413, a special plate or plates issued to such owner as provided in this Article.
    (e) Any person owning unregistered vehicles of a type required to be registered and which are exclusively operated off the highways and upon private property, may move such vehicles from one plant location to another upon the highways without registering each such vehicle upon conditions that any such vehicle display thereon a special plate or plates issued to such persons as provided in this Article. Such vehicles must be unladen and may not be operated upon any highways with such special plates except for the interplant movement.
    (f) Any person owning a vehicle of a type required to be registered which when purchased is not yet equipped for work or service, may move such vehicle from the point of original manufacture or sale to a body shop or other place where the vehicle is to be equipped for work or service and from such point to the owner's place of business without first registering each such vehicle upon condition that any such vehicle display thereon a special plate or plates issued to such person as provided in this Article. Upon completion of such movement, any such vehicle subject to registration must be properly registered.
    (g) Special plates issued under this Article must be displayed in the manner provided for in Section 3‑413.
    (h) Any such vehicle bearing such special plate or plates may be operated without registration for any purpose, except that no such special plate or plates shall be used on any vehicle which is rented by the manufacturer or dealer to another person or which is used to transport passengers or property for hire, nor, except as provided in paragraph (i) of this Section, shall any such special plate or plates be used on a second division vehicle which is carrying cargo or merchandise except in demonstrating such second division vehicle for the purposes of sale, or for the purpose of testing engine and driveline components.
    (i) The provisions of this Article authorizing special plates shall not apply to work or service vehicles owned by a manufacturer, transporter or dealer except a truck up to 8,000 pounds gross weight owned by a dealer and used for hauling parts incidental to the operation of the dealer's business.
    (j) The Secretary of State may limit the number of special plates issued to any applicant.
(Source: P.A. 78‑753; 78‑1297.)

    (625 ILCS 5/3‑602) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3‑602)
    Sec. 3‑602. Certificate and special plates for dealers, manufacturers, and transporters.
    (a) Any dealer, manufacturer, or transporter may make application to the Secretary of State upon the appropriate form for a certificate containing a general distinguishing number and for one or more sets of special plates as appropriate to various types of vehicles subject to registration hereunder. The applicant shall submit such proof of his or her status as a bona fide dealer, manufacturer, or transporter as may be reasonably required by the Secretary of State.
    (b) The Secretary of State, upon granting any such application, shall issue to the applicant a certificate containing the applicant's name and address and special plates as applied for. Both the certificates and special plates shall display the general distinguishing number assigned to the applicant.
    (c) The Secretary of State shall issue special plates to dealers and manufacturers in accordance with the following formula:
number vehiclesmaximum number setsmaximum number
sold in previousof special platesadditional sets
calendar yearissued at fee setissued at fee
by Sec. 3‑810set by Sec. 3‑806
0 0 0
1‑10 1 1
11‑25 2 2
26‑100 8 8
101‑2501212
251‑5002020
501‑7503030
751‑10004040
1001‑15005050
1501‑20006060
2001‑25007070
2501+9090
    For those Dealers with annual sales over 2501, special plates will be allocated based on 10 sets of plates under each section for each additional 500 vehicles sold.
    The limit on the maximum number of additional sets issued to manufacturers at the fee set by Section 3‑806 may be lifted at the discretion of the Secretary of State.
    The Secretary shall issue to a new dealer or manufacturer not more than 8 sets of special plates at each fee. If the new dealer or manufacturer has acquired his or her business from a previous dealer or manufacturer, he or she may be issued a number of sets based upon the number of vehicles sold in the previous calendar year by the previous dealer or manufacturer. If the new dealer or manufacturer was in business for only a part of the previous calendar year, the number of special plates to which he or she is entitled may be extrapolated from the number of vehicles he or she sold during that part of the year.
    (d) Any manufacturer of engine and driveline components may apply to the Secretary of State for a license to operate vehicles in which such components are installed on the public highways of the State for the purpose of testing such components. The application shall describe the components and the vehicles in which they are installed, and shall contain such additional information as the Secretary shall prescribe. Upon receipt of an application and an accompanying fee of $1000, the Secretary shall issue to the applicant a license for the entire test period of the components described in the application.
    Every licensee shall keep a record of each vehicle operated under such license which shall be open to inspection by the Secretary or his authorized representative for inspection at any reasonable time during the day or night.
    The license of a manufacturer of engine and driveline components may be denied, revoked or suspended if the Secretary finds that the manufacturer has:
        (1) violated this Code;
        (2) made any material misrepresentation to the
     Secretary of State in connection with an application for a license; or
        (3) failed to produce for the Secretary of State any
     record required to be produced by this Code.
    This amendatory Act of 1983 shall be applicable to the 1984 registration year and thereafter.
(Source: P.A. 91‑357, eff. 7‑29‑99.)

    (625 ILCS 5/3‑603)(from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3‑603)
    Sec. 3‑603. Application for drive‑away permits.
    (a) A dealer who has sold a vehicle of a type otherwise required to be registered under this Act to a nonresident of this State who does not have currently valid registration in his home state, may provide for the operation of such vehicle without registration from the place of sale to the place of destination outside of the State of Illinois, by issuing a drive‑away permit in the manner prescribed by the Secretary of State and by affixing the permit to such vehicle in the manner prescribed by the Secretary of State. Any vehicle being operated pursuant to a drive‑away permit may not be used for any other purpose and such permits shall be effective only for a period of 30 days from the date of sale.
    (b) Any dealer may make application to the Secretary of State upon the appropriate form for drive‑away permits for motor vehicles sold by such dealer. Along with such application each applicant shall submit proof of his status as a bona fide dealer and any other information as may be required by the Secretary of State. A non‑resident who has purchased a motor vehicle from a person who is not a dealer, may likewise apply to the Secretary of State for a drive‑away permit for display upon such vehicle while being driven from Illinois to the State of residence of the applicant. Along with such application, the applicant shall submit proof of his non‑residence and eligibility for a reciprocal exemption from registration in Illinois.
    All drive‑away permits issued under such application shall bear a distinguishing number and such other features as may be required by the Secretary of State.
(Source: P.A. 96‑1035, eff. 7‑14‑10.)

    (625 ILCS 5/3‑604)(from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3‑604)
    Sec. 3‑604. Expiration of special plates. Every special plate issued, except those issued for dealers, manufacturers and transporters under Section 3‑602 and persons with disabilities under Section 3‑609 or 3‑616, or deaf or hard of hearing under Section 3‑616 of this Code, may be issued for a 2 year period beginning January 1st of each odd‑numbered year and ending December 31st of the subsequent even‑numbered year. The special plates issued to a person with disabilities or a person who is deaf or hard of hearing shall expire according to the multi‑year procedure as established by Section 3‑414 of this Code.
    Special plates issued to members of the General Assembly under Section 3‑606 shall expire at midnight on the 31st day of January in odd‑numbered years.
(Source: P.A. 95‑167, eff. 1‑1‑08; 96‑79, eff. 1‑1‑10.)

    (625 ILCS 5/3‑605) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3‑605)
    Sec. 3‑605. Manufacturers, engine and driveline component manufacturers, transporters, repossessors and dealers to maintain records. Every manufacturer, engine and driveline component manufacturer, repossessor, transporter or dealer shall keep a written record of the persons to whom such drive‑away permits or special plates are assigned, which record shall be open to inspection by any public officer or any employee of the Secretary of State.
(Source: P.A. 92‑680, eff. 7‑16‑02.)

    (625 ILCS 5/3‑606) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3‑606)
    Sec. 3‑606. Members of General Assembly. Upon receipt of a request of a member of the General Assembly, accompanied by the appropriate application and fee, the Secretary of State shall issue to the member 2 plates as described in this Section. If the member so requests, the Secretary shall issue 2 identical sets of such registration plates for use on 2 different motor vehicles. A member may request that the Secretary of State issue registration plates in the name of a corporation when the corporation owns or leases the vehicle to be registered and the member is an officer or director of that corporation. Such registration plates shall be issued for a 2‑year period beginning January 1 of each odd‑numbered year and ending December 31 of the subsequent even‑numbered year. If the application is from a member of the Senate, there shall appear on the rear plate, in addition to the designation of the State and the year for which the license was issued, the word "official" and appropriate wording or abbreviation indicating that the holder is a member of the Senate, followed by the number of the senatorial district of the member. On the front plate, there shall appear appropriate wording or abbreviation indicating that the holder is a member of the Senate. If the application is from a member of the House of Representatives, there shall appear on the rear plate, in addition to the designation of the State and the year for which the license was issued, the word "official" and appropriate wording or abbreviation indicating that the holder is a member of the House of Representatives, followed by the number assigned to the member. On the front plate, there shall appear appropriate wording or abbreviation indicating that the holder is a member of the House of Representatives. Numbers 1 through 118 shall be assigned and members with the longest length of service as members of the legislature shall be given the lower numbers.
    When members have an equal length of service, the lower numbers shall be given in alphabetical order based on surnames.
(Source: P.A. 88‑661, eff. 9‑16‑94.)

    (625 ILCS 5/3‑606.1) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3‑606.1)
    Sec. 3‑606.1. Retired members of the General Assembly. Upon receipt of a request from a retired member of the General Assembly, accompanied by the appropriate application and fee, the Secretary of State shall issue to such retired member plates bearing appropriate wording or abbreviations indicating that the holder is a retired member of the General Assembly. Such plates may be issued for a 2 year period beginning January 1st of each odd‑numbered year and ending December 31st of the subsequent even‑numbered year.
    "Retired member" means any individual who (a) has served as a member of the General Assembly for a minimum of 6 years, or (b) is 62 or older, has served as a member of the General Assembly for a minimum of 4 years, and retired prior to the convening of the 83rd General Assembly.
    The fees and procedures relating to such plates for retired members of the General Assembly shall be the same as the fees and procedures applicable to personalized plates issued under this Code.
(Source: P.A. 85‑413.)

    (625 ILCS 5/3‑607) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3‑607)
    Sec. 3‑607. Amateur Radio Operators. Amateur radio operators may obtain the issuance of registration plates for motor vehicles of the first division, and second division motor vehicles under 8,000 pounds, corresponding to their call letters, provided they make application therefor, which is subject to the staggered registration system, prior to October 1st of the final year of the current registration plate term and pay an additional fee of $4.
(Source: P.A. 91‑37, eff. 7‑1‑99.)

    (625 ILCS 5/3‑609)(from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3‑609)
    Sec. 3‑609. Disabled Veterans' Plates. Any veteran may make application for the registration of one motor vehicle of the first division or one motor vehicle of the second division weighing not more than 8,000 pounds to the Secretary of State without the payment of any registration fee if (i) the veteran holds proof of a service‑connected disability from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and (ii) a licensed physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice nurse has certified in accordance with Section 3‑616 that because of the service‑connected disability the veteran qualifies for issuance of registration plates or decals to a person with disabilities. The Secretary may, in his or her discretion, allow the plates to be issued as vanity or personalized plates in accordance with Section 3‑405.1 of this Code. Registration shall be for a multi‑year period and may be issued staggered registration.
    Renewal of such registration must be accompanied with documentation for eligibility of registration without fee unless the applicant has a permanent qualifying disability, and such registration plates may not be issued to any person not eligible therefor.
    The Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs may assist in providing the documentation of disability.
    Commencing with the 2009 registration year, any person eligible to receive license plates under this Section who has been approved for benefits under the Senior Citizens and Disabled Persons Property Tax Relief and Pharmaceutical Assistance Act, or who has claimed and received a grant under that Act, shall pay a fee of $24 instead of the fee otherwise provided in this Code for passenger cars displaying standard multi‑year registration plates issued under Section 3‑414.1, for motor vehicles registered at 8,000 pounds or less under Section 3‑815(a), or for recreational vehicles registered at 8,000 pounds or less under Section 3‑815(b), for a second set of plates under this Section.
(Source: P.A. 95‑157, eff. 1‑1‑08; 95‑167, eff. 1‑1‑08; 95‑353, eff. 1‑1‑08; 95‑876, eff. 8‑21‑08; 96‑79, eff. 1‑1‑10.)

    (625 ILCS 5/3‑609.01)
    Sec. 3‑609.01. (Repealed).
(Source: P.A. 95‑167, eff. 1‑1‑08. Repealed by P.A. 96‑79, eff. 1‑1‑10.)

    (625 ILCS 5/3‑609.1)(from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3‑609.1)
    Sec. 3‑609.1. Congressional Medal of Honor plates. Any resident of the State of Illinois who has been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, or an Illinois resident who is the surviving spouse of a person who was awarded the Medal of Honor, may make application for the registration of a motor vehicle owned solely or in part by such recipient, to the Secretary of State without the payment of any registration fee. Registration shall be for a multi‑year period effective from issuance. The Secretary of State shall furnish at his office at no cost to such Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, plates bearing up to 3 letters designating the recipient's initials followed by the letters C M H signifying the Congressional Medal of Honor. The plate shall be suitable for attachment to a motor vehicle or motorcycle registered under this Code.
(Source: P.A. 94‑343, eff. 1‑1‑06.)

    (625 ILCS 5/3‑610) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3‑610)
    Sec. 3‑610. Members of Congress. Upon receiving an application for a certificate of registration for a motor vehicle from a member of the Congress of the United States from Illinois, accompanied with payments of the registration fees and taxes required under this Act, the Secretary of State instead of issuing to such member number plates as hereinabove provided, shall, if such member so requests, issue to him two number plates as described in this Section. Two duplicate sets of these number plates may be issued if requested and may be used on 2 different motor vehicles. There shall appear, in addition to the designation of the State and the year for which such license was issued, if he is a member of the House of Representatives, the number of the congressional district of such member in the center of the plate followed in the next line by the words "U. S. Congressman"; if he is the senior Senator from Illinois, the number 1 shall be in the center of the plate followed in the next line by the word "Senator"; and if he is the junior Senator, the number 2 shall be in the center of the plate followed in the next line by the word "Senator".
    Such plates may be issued for a 2 year period beginning January 1st of each odd‑numbered year and ending December 31st of the subsequent even‑numbered years.
(Source: P.A. 85‑413.)

    (625 ILCS 5/3‑610.1)
    Sec. 3‑610.1. Retired members of the Illinois congressional delegation. Upon receipt of a request from a retired member of the Illinois congressional delegation, accompanied by the appropriate application and fee, the Secretary of State shall issue to the retired member special registration plates bearing appropriate wording or abbreviations indicating that the holder is a retired member of the Illinois congressional delegation. The plates may be issued for a 2 year period beginning January 1st of each odd‑numbered year and ending December 31st of the subsequent even‑numbered year.
    An applicant shall be charged a $15 fee for original issuance in addition to the applicable registration fee. This additional fee shall be deposited into the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund. For each registration renewal period, a $2 fee, in addition to the appropriate registration fee, shall be charged and shall be deposited into the Retired Members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation Fund.
    "Retired member of the Illinois congressional delegation" means any individual who has served as a member of the U.S. Senate or U.S. House of Representatives representing the State of Illinois. The term does not include an individual who is serving in the U.S. Senate or U.S. House of Representatives.
(Source: P.A. 88‑685, eff. 1‑24‑95; 89‑282, eff. 8‑10‑95.)

    (625 ILCS 5/3‑611) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3‑611)
    Sec. 3‑611. Special designations. The Secretary of State, in his discretion, may make special designations of certain designs or combinations of designs, or alphabetical letters or combination of letters, or colors or combination of colors pertaining to registration plates issued to vehicles owned by governmental agencies, vehicles owned and registered by State and federal elected officials, retired Illinois Supreme Court justices, and appointed federal cabinet officials, vehicles operated by taxi or livery businesses, operated in connection with mileage weight registrations, or operated by a dealer, transporter, or manufacturer as the Secretary of State may deem necessary for the proper administration of this Act. In the case of registration plates issued for vehicles operated by or for persons with disabilities, as defined by Section 1‑159.1, under Section 3‑616 of this Act, the Secretary of State, upon request, shall make such special designations so that automobiles bearing such plates are easily recognizable thru use of the international accessibility symbol as automobiles driven by or for such persons. In the case of registration plates issued for vehicles operated by a disabled person with a type four hearing disability, as defined pursuant to Section 4A of The Illinois Identification Card Act, the Secretary of State, upon request, shall make such special designations so that a motor vehicle bearing such plate is easily recognizable by a special symbol indicating that such vehicle is driven by a person with a hearing disability. Registration plates issued to a person who is deaf or hard of hearing under this Section shall not entitle a motor vehicle bearing such plates to those parking privileges established for persons with disabilities under this Code. In the case of registration plates issued for State owned vehicles, they shall be manufactured in compliance with Section 2 of "An Act relating to identification and use of motor vehicles of the State, approved August 9, 1951, as amended". In the case of plates issued for State officials, such plates may be issued for a 2 year period beginning January 1st of each odd‑numbered year and ending December 31st of the subsequent even‑numbered year.
(Source: P.A. 87‑829; 87‑832; 87‑1249; 88‑685, eff. 1‑24‑95.)

    (625 ILCS 5/3‑611.5)
    Sec. 3‑611.5. Fire Chief license plates.
    (a) The Secretary, upon receipt of a request from a municipality or fire protection district that operates a fire department, accompanied by an application and the appropriate fee, may issue, to a fire chief of each municipal fire department or fire protection district, special registration plates designated as Fire Chief license plates. The special plates issued under this Section shall be affixed only to passenger vehicles of the first division or motor vehicles of the second division weighing not more than 8,000 pounds, owned by the fire department or the chief officer of the fire department. Plates issued under this Section shall expire according to the multi‑year procedure established by Section 3‑414.1 of this Code.
    (b) The design and color of the special plates shall be wholly within the discretion of the Secretary. The plates are not required to designate "Land of Lincoln" as prescribed in subsection (b) of Section 3‑412 of this Code. The Secretary may prescribe rules governing the requirements and approval of the special plates. The fee for this plate for a vehicle owned by the fire chief shall be the same as the fee prescribed for first division vehicles in Section 3‑806 of this Code. Permanent license plates for fire chief vehicles owned by a municipal fire department or fire protection district shall be issued at the fee prescribed in Section 3‑808.1(b).
(Source: P.A. 95‑556, eff. 6‑1‑08; 96‑808, eff. 10‑30‑09.)

    (625 ILCS 5/3‑612) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3‑612)
    Sec. 3‑612. Repossessor plates.
    The Secretary, upon receipt of an application, made on the form prescribed by the Secretary of State may issue to financial institutions, to lending institutions and to persons engaged in the business of repossessing motor vehicles for others in situations where the motor vehicle is the security for the funds, special plates which may be used by such financial institutions, lending institutions and repossessors solely for the purpose of operating the motor vehicles which are repossessed by such repossessors upon a default in the contract.
    Said special plates shall, in addition to the legends provided in Section 3‑412 of this Act, contain a phrase "repossessor" and such other letters or numbers as the Secretary of State may prescribe. If an applicant for such plates is engaged in repossessing vehicles for other persons and does not hold a certificate, registration or permit from the Illinois Commerce Commission to conduct such an operation, the application shall be denied.
(Source: P.A. 76‑1586.)

    (625 ILCS 5/3‑613) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3‑613)
    Sec. 3‑613. Special inaugural license plate.
    Any resident of Illinois, being a member of the Official Presidential Inaugural Committee, may, during the period from January through February 15th of any year in which the President of the United States is being inaugurated, display a special inaugural license plate furnished by such person in lieu of the current and valid Illinois license plate issued to a motor vehicle of the first division owned by such person, provided that the official inaugural credentials or a valid certificate thereof acceptable to the Secretary of State and the valid and current Illinois license plates and registration card issued to such motor vehicle are simultaneously carried within such vehicle and available for inspection.
(Source: P.A. 76‑1586.)

    (625 ILCS 5/3‑614) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3‑614)
    Sec. 3‑614. Manufacturers of engine and driveline components.
    The Secretary, upon receipt of an app