Section 1030.150  Veteran Designation on Driver's License or Identification Card

a)         Definitions. For the purposes of this Section, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth in this subsection (a):

"Active duty" – means active duty under an executive order of the President of the United States, an Act of the Congress of the United States, or an order of the governor of any U.S. state or territory.

"Armed Forces" – means any of the Armed Forces of the United States, including a member of any reserve component or National Guard unit called to active duty.

"DVA" – means the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs.

"Veteran" – means a person who has served on active duty in the Armed Forces and was discharged or separated under honorable conditions. [15 ILCS 335/5(b)]

b)         Effective July 1, 2015, for each original or renewal driver's license or identification card (ID) application, the Secretary shall inquire as to whether the applicant is an honorably discharged veteran.  If the applicant is an honorably discharged veteran, the applicant shall be informed that he or she is entitled to have the designation "Veteran" on the face of his or her driver's license or ID card.

c)         The Secretary shall issue an original, renewal, corrected or duplicate driver's license or ID with the "Veteran" designation to applicants who present a DD214, Certification of Military Service (NA Form 13038), Department of Defense Form DD-2 (retired), an identification card issued under the federal Veterans Identification Card Act of 2015, or U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs summary of benefits letter or other official Department of Defense discharge document that indicates the applicant was honorably discharged.  The applicant shall pay the statutory fee required by IVC Section 6-118, to have a "Veteran" designation added to a duplicate or corrected driver's license, and by Section 12 of the Illinois Identification Card Act [15 ILCS 335] to have the designation added to a duplicate or corrected ID.

d)         On a nightly basis, the Secretary shall provide DVA with an electronic file of the applicants who were issued a driver's license or ID card with the "Veteran" designation during that business day.  The file shall contain the full name, address, driver's license or ID card number, date of birth, gender and full social security number of the applicant.  DVA shall compare that file to its records to determine if the applicant is a honorably discharged veteran.  DVA shall notify the Secretary if it determines, after due diligence, that it cannot verify an applicant's veteran status.

e)         Upon being notified by DVA that it cannot verify the applicant is an honorably discharged veteran, the Secretary shall notify the applicant in writing that he or she has 30 days to appear in person at a DVA office and provide proof of his or her status as an honorably discharged veteran to DVA.  If, within that 30 day period, DVA notifies the Secretary that, upon further review, it has determined that the applicant is an honorably discharged veteran, the Secretary will take no further action regarding the matter.

f)         If the Secretary does not receive notification from DVA within the 30 day period specified in subsection (e) confirming the applicant's status as an honorably discharged veteran, the Secretary shall cite the applicant to appear at a Secretary of State facility within 15 days after the date of the citation to surrender the driver's license or ID card with the "Veteran" designation and be issued a new card without the "Veteran" designation.  If the applicant does not appear pursuant to the citation, the applicant's driver's license or ID card shall be canceled.

g)         An applicant whose driver's license or ID has been cancelled pursuant to this Section may apply for a driver's license or ID without the "Veteran" designation.

(Source:  Amended at 44 Ill. Reg. 2041, effective December 31, 2019)