(625 ILCS 5/3-209) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-209)
    Sec. 3-209. Powers of Secretary of State.
    (a) The Secretary of State shall prescribe and provide suitable forms of applications, certificates of title, notices of security interests, and all other notices and forms necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter.
    (b) The Secretary of State may:
        1. Make necessary investigations to procure information required to carry out the
    
provisions of this Act.
        2. Assign a new identifying number to a vehicle if it has none, or its identifying
    
number is destroyed or obliterated, or its motor is changed, and shall either issue a new certificate of title showing the new identifying number or make an appropriate endorsement on the original certificate.
        3. Remove a franchise affiliate's lien so that the franchise affiliate may pursue the
    
balance of the lien with the defunct dealership instead of the constituent. This item applies if a franchise dealer neglects to pay off a trade-in vehicle's lien, and that lien is held by the franchise affiliate. The Secretary shall make this determination pursuant to an investigation by the Secretary of State Department of Police.
(Source: P.A. 102-154, eff. 1-1-22.)