Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB4109

LRB104 14829 LNS 27973 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB4109

Introduced 10/15/2025, by Rep. Travis Weaver

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

625 ILCS 5/1-171	from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1-171
625 ILCS 5/3-412	from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-412
625 ILCS 5/3-413	from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-413

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that, beginning with the next registration year after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Secretary of State, upon registering a vehicle subject to annual registration for the first time, shall issue or shall cause to be issued to the owner one registration plate for a motorcycle, trailer, semitrailer, motorized pedalcycle, or truck-tractor, one registration plate for other motor vehicles, and, when applicable, current registration stickers for motor vehicles of the first division. Provides that the registration plate issued for a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle, trailer, semitrailer, truck-tractor, apportioned bus, or apportioned truck shall be attached to the rear of the vehicle. Makes conforming changes.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning transportation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by changing Sections 1-171, 3-412, and 3-413 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/1-171) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1-171)

Sec. 1-171. Registration - Registration Sticker. Registration. The registration certificate or certificates, registration plates and registration stickers issued under the laws of this State pertaining to the registration of vehicles.

Registration Sticker or Stickers. A device or devices to be attached to a rear registration plate that will renew the registration and registration plate or plates for a pre-determined period not to exceed one registration year except as provided in subsection (1) of Section 3-414 of this Code. Should the Secretary of State determine it is advisable to require a registration sticker to be attached to a front registration plate, he may require such action and provide the necessary additional sticker. Such determination shall be publicly announced at least 30 days in advance of a new annual registration year.

"Registration" and "registration sticker or stickers" includes digital registration plates and digital registration stickers issued by the Secretary of State under Section 3-401.5.

Beginning with the next registration year after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly, any reference to "plates" in the plural number in any law or rule shall be deemed to be a reference to the single registration plate required to be furnished and displayed in accordance with this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly.

(Source: P.A. 101-395, eff. 8-16-19.)

(625 ILCS 5/3-412) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-412)

Sec. 3-412. Registration plates or digital registration plates and registration stickers or digital registration stickers to be furnished by the Secretary of State.

(a) The Secretary of State upon registering a vehicle subject to annual registration for the first time shall issue or shall cause to be issued to the owner one registration plate or digital registration plate for a motorcycle, trailer, semitrailer, moped, autocycle, or truck-tractor, 2 registration plates, or a digital registration plate and metal plate as set forth in Section 3-401.5, for other motor vehicles and, where applicable, current registration stickers or digital registration stickers for motor vehicles of the first division. Beginning with the next registration year after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly, the Secretary of State, upon registering a vehicle subject to annual registration for the first time, shall issue or shall cause to be issued to the owner one registration plate for a motorcycle, trailer, semitrailer, motorized pedalcycle, or truck-tractor, one registration plate for other motor vehicles, and, when applicable, current registration stickers for motor vehicles of the first division.

The provisions of this Section may be made applicable to such vehicles of the second division, as the Secretary of State may, from time to time, in his discretion designate. On subsequent annual registrations during the term of the registration plate or digital registration plate as provided in Section 3-414.1, the Secretary shall issue or cause to be issued registration stickers or digital registration stickers as evidence of current registration. However, the issuance of annual registration stickers or digital registration stickers to vehicles registered under the provisions of Sections 3-402.1 and 3-405.3 of this Code may not be required if the Secretary deems the issuance unnecessary.

(b) Every registration plate or digital registration plate shall have displayed upon it the registration number assigned to the vehicle for which it is issued, the name of this State, which may be abbreviated, the year number for which it was issued, which may be abbreviated, the phrase "Land of Lincoln" (except as otherwise provided in this Code), and such other letters or numbers as the Secretary may prescribe. However, for apportionment plates issued to vehicles registered under Section 3-402.1 and fleet plates issued to vehicles registered under Section 3-405.3, the phrase "Land of Lincoln" may be omitted to allow for the word "apportioned", the word "fleet", or other similar language to be displayed. Registration plates or digital registration plates issued to a vehicle registered as a fleet vehicle may display a designation determined by the Secretary.

The Secretary may in his discretion prescribe that letters be used as prefixes only on registration plates or digital registration plates issued to vehicles of the first division which are registered under this Code and only as suffixes on registration plates or digital registration plates issued to other vehicles. Every registration sticker or digital registration sticker issued as evidence of current registration shall designate the year number for which it is issued and such other letters or numbers as the Secretary may prescribe and shall be of a contrasting color with the registration plates or digital registration plates and registration stickers or digital registration stickers of the previous year.

(c) Each registration plate or digital registration plate and the required letters and numerals thereon, except the year number for which issued, shall be of sufficient size to be plainly readable from a distance of 100 feet during daylight, and shall be coated with reflectorizing material. The dimensions of the plate issued to vehicles of the first division shall be 6 by 12 inches.

(d) The Secretary of State shall issue for every passenger motor vehicle rented without a driver the same type of registration plates or digital registration plates as the type of plates issued for a private passenger vehicle.

(e) The Secretary of State shall issue for every passenger car used as a taxicab or livery, distinctive registration plates or digital registration plates.

(f) The Secretary of State shall issue for every motorcycle distinctive registration plates or digital registration plates distinguishing between motorcycles having 150 or more cubic centimeters piston displacement, or having less than 150 cubic centimeter piston displacement.

(g) Registration plates or digital registration plates issued to vehicles for-hire may display a designation as determined by the Secretary that such vehicles are for-hire.

(h) (Blank).

(i) The Secretary of State shall issue for every public and private ambulance registration plates or digital registration plates identifying the vehicle as an ambulance. The Secretary shall forward to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services registration information for the purpose of verification of claims filed with the Department by ambulance owners for payment for services to public assistance recipients.

(j) The Secretary of State shall issue for every public and private medical carrier or rescue vehicle livery registration plates or digital registration plates displaying numbers within ranges of numbers reserved respectively for medical carriers and rescue vehicles. The Secretary shall forward to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services registration information for the purpose of verification of claims filed with the Department by owners of medical carriers or rescue vehicles for payment for services to public assistance recipients.

(k) The Secretary of State shall issue distinctive license plates or digital registration plates or distinctive license plate stickers or digital registration stickers for every vehicle exempted from subsections (a) and (a-5) of Section 12-503 by subsection (g) of that Section, and by subsection (g-5) of that Section before its deletion by this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly. The Secretary shall issue these plates or stickers immediately upon receiving the physician's certification required under subsection (g) of Section 12-503. New plates or stickers shall also be issued when the certification is renewed as provided in that subsection.

(l) The Secretary of State shall issue distinctive registration plates or digital registration plates for low-speed vehicles.

(m) The Secretary of State shall issue distinctive registration plates or digital registration plates for autocycles. The dimensions of the plate issued to autocycles shall be 4 by 7 inches.

(Source: P.A. 101-395, eff. 8-16-19.)

(625 ILCS 5/3-413) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-413)

Sec. 3-413. Display of registration plates or digital registration plates, registration stickers or digital registration stickers, and drive-away permits; registration plate or digital registration plate covers.

(a) Registration plates or digital registration plates issued for a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle, autocycle, trailer, semitrailer, truck-tractor, apportioned bus, or apportioned truck shall be attached thereto, one in the frontmost and one in the rearmost. The registration plate or digital registration plate issued for a motorcycle, autocycle, trailer or semitrailer required to be registered hereunder and any apportionment plate issued to a bus under the provisions of this Code shall be attached to the rearmost thereof. The registration plate or digital registration plate issued for a truck-tractor or an apportioned truck required to be registered hereunder shall be attached to the frontmost thereof. Beginning with the next registration year after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly, the registration plate issued for a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle, trailer, semitrailer, truck-tractor, apportioned bus, or apportioned truck shall be attached to the rear of the vehicle.

(b) Except for vehicles with rear loaded motorized forklifts, every registration plate or digital registration plate shall at all times be securely fastened in a horizontal position to the vehicle for which it is issued so as to prevent the plate from swinging and at a height of not less than 5 inches from the ground, measuring from the bottom of such plate, in a place and position to be clearly visible and shall be maintained in a condition to be clearly legible, free from any materials that would obstruct the visibility of the plate. A registration plate or digital registration plate on a motorcycle may be mounted vertically as long as it is otherwise clearly visible. Registration stickers or digital registration stickers issued as evidence of renewed annual registration shall be attached to registration plates or displayed on digital registration plates as required by the Secretary of State, and be clearly visible at all times and displayed as prescribed in subsection (k). For those vehicles with rear loaded motorized forklifts, if the rear plate is securely fastened in a horizontal position as prescribed, the plate and registration sticker shall not be required to be clearly visible at all times as a result of the rear mounted motorized forklift obstructing the view.

(c) Every drive-away permit issued pursuant to this Code shall be firmly attached to the motor vehicle in the manner prescribed by the Secretary of State. If a drive-away permit is affixed to a motor vehicle in any other manner the permit shall be void and of no effect.

(d) The Illinois prorate decal issued to a foreign registered vehicle part of a fleet prorated or apportioned with Illinois, shall be displayed on a registration plate or digital registration plate and displayed on the frontmost of such vehicle in the same manner as an Illinois registration plate or digital registration plate.

(e) The registration plate or digital registration plate issued for a camper body mounted on a truck displaying registration plates or digital registration plates shall be attached to the rearmost of the camper body.

(f) No person shall operate a vehicle, nor permit the operation of a vehicle, upon which is displayed an Illinois registration plate or plates or digital registration plate or plates or registration stickers or digital registration stickers, except as provided for in subsection (b) of Section 3-701 of this Code, after the termination of the registration period for which issued or after the expiration date set pursuant to Sections 3-414 and 3-414.1 of this Code.

(g) A person may not operate any motor vehicle that is equipped with registration plate or digital registration plate covers. A violation of this subsection (g) or a similar provision of a local ordinance is an offense against laws and ordinances regulating the movement of traffic.

(h) A person may not sell or offer for sale a registration plate or digital registration plate cover. A violation of this subsection (h) is a business offense.

(i) A person may not advertise for the purpose of promoting the sale of registration plate or digital registration plate covers. A violation of this subsection (i) is a business offense.

(j) A person may not modify the original manufacturer's mounting location of the rear registration plate or digital registration plate on any vehicle so as to conceal the registration or to knowingly cause it to be obstructed in an effort to hinder a peace officer from obtaining the registration for the enforcement of a violation of this Code, Section 27.1 of the Toll Highway Act concerning toll evasion, or any municipal ordinance. Modifications prohibited by this subsection (j) include but are not limited to the use of an electronic device. A violation of this subsection (j) is a Class A misdemeanor.

(k) Registration stickers issued as evidence of renewed registration by the Secretary shall be displayed on the upper right corner of the rear registration plate or in a manner otherwise provided by the Secretary. However, registration stickers issued to truck-tractors shall be displayed on the upper right corner of the front registration plate or in a manner otherwise provided by the Secretary.

(l) No person shall affix to any registration plate, temporary registration plate, digital registration plate, registration sticker, or other evidence of registration issued by the Secretary any medallion, insignia, sticker, or other object not issued or approved by the Secretary. No person shall alter, manipulate, apply, or otherwise manipulate any evidence of registration issued by the Secretary in any manner from the original condition as was received when issued by the Secretary. It is unlawful to operate any vehicle that displays evidence of registration altered in any manner or displaying any medallion, insignia, sticker, or other object as prescribed in this subsection.

(Source: P.A. 103-706, eff. 1-1-25.)