(625 ILCS 5/5-401.2) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 5-401.2)

Sec. 5-401.2. Licensees required to keep records and make inspections.

(a) Every person licensed or required to be licensed under Section 5-101, 5-101.1, 5-101.2, 5-102, 5-102.8, 5-301, or 5-302 of this Code, shall, with the exception of scrap processors, maintain for 3 years, in a form as the Secretary of State may by rule or regulation prescribe, at his established place of business, additional place of business, or principal place of business if licensed under Section 5-302, the following records relating to the acquisition or disposition of vehicles and their essential parts possessed in this State, brought into this State from another state, territory or country, or sold or transferred to another person in this State or in another state, territory, or country.

(1) The following records pertaining to new or used vehicles shall be kept:

(A) the year, make, model, style and color of the vehicle;

(B) the vehicle's manufacturer's identification number or, if applicable, the Secretary of State or Illinois State Police identification number;

(C) the date of acquisition of the vehicle;

(D) the name and address of the person from whom the vehicle was acquired and, if that person is a dealer, the Illinois or out-of-state dealer license number of such person;

(E) the signature of the person making the inspection of a used vehicle as required under subsection (d) of this Section, if applicable;

(F) the purchase price of the vehicle, if applicable;

(G) the date of the disposition of the vehicle;

(H) the name and address of the person to whom any vehicle was disposed, and if that person is a dealer, the Illinois or out-of-State dealer's license number of that dealer;

(I) the uniform invoice number reflecting the disposition of the vehicle, if applicable; and

(J) The sale price of the vehicle, if applicable.

(2) (A) The following records pertaining to used essential parts other than quarter panels and transmissions of vehicles of the first division shall be kept:

(i) the year, make, model, color and type of such part;

(ii) the vehicle's manufacturer's identification number, derivative number, or, if applicable, the Secretary of State or Illinois State Police identification number of such part;

(iii) the date of the acquisition of each part;

(iv) the name and address of the person from whom the part was acquired and, if that person is a dealer, the Illinois or out-of-state dealer license number of such person; if the essential part being acquired is from a person other than a dealer, the licensee shall verify and record that person's identity by recording the identification numbers from at least two sources of identification, one of which shall be a drivers license or State identification card;

(v) the uniform invoice number or out-of-state bill of sale number reflecting the acquisition of such part;

(vi) the stock number assigned to the essential part by the licensee, if applicable;

(vii) the date of the disposition of such part;

(viii) the name and address of the person to whom such part was disposed of and, if that person is a dealer, the Illinois or out-of-state dealer license number of that person;

(ix) the uniform invoice number reflecting the disposition of such part.

(B) Inspections of all essential parts shall be conducted in accordance with Section 5-402.1.

(C) A separate entry containing all of the information required to be recorded in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of this Section shall be made for each separate essential part. Separate entries shall be made regardless of whether the part was a large purchase acquisition. In addition, a separate entry shall be made for each part acquired for immediate sale or transfer, or for placement into the overall inventory or stock to be disposed of at a later time, or for use on a vehicle to be materially altered by the licensee, or acquired for any other purpose or reason. Failure to make a separate entry for each essential part acquired or disposed of, or a failure to record any of the specific information required to be recorded concerning the acquisition or disposition of each essential part as set forth in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subsection (a) shall constitute a failure to keep records.

(D) The vehicle's manufacturer's identification number or Secretary of State or Illinois State Police identification number for the essential part shall be ascertained and recorded even if such part is acquired from a person or dealer located in a State, territory, or country which does not require that such information be recorded. If the vehicle's manufacturer's identification number or Secretary of State or Illinois State Police identification number for an essential part cannot be obtained, that part shall not be acquired by the licensee or any of his agents or employees. If such part or parts were physically acquired by the licensee or any of his agents or employees while the licensee or agent or employee was outside this State, that licensee or agent or employee was outside the State, that licensee, agent or employee shall not bring such essential part into this State or cause it to be brought into this State. The acquisition or disposition of an essential part by a licensee without the recording of the vehicle identification number or Secretary of State identification number for such part or the transportation into the State by the licensee or his agent or employee of such part or parts shall constitute a failure to keep records.

(E) The records of essential parts required to be kept by this Section shall apply to all hulks, chassis, frames or cowls, regardless of the age of those essential parts. The records required to be kept by this Section for essential parts other than hulks, chassis, frames or cowls, shall apply only to those essential parts which are 6 model years of age or newer. In determining the model year of such an essential part it may be presumed that the identification number of the vehicle from which the essential part came or the identification number affixed to the essential part itself acquired by the licensee denotes the model year of that essential part. This presumption, however, shall not apply if the gross appearance of the essential part does not correspond to the year, make or model of either the identification number of the vehicle from which the essential part is alleged to have come or the identification number which is affixed to the essential part itself. To determine whether an essential part is 6 years of age or newer within this paragraph, the model year of the essential part shall be subtracted from the calendar year in which the essential part is acquired or disposed of by the licensee. If the remainder is 6 or less, the record of the acquisition or disposition of that essential part shall be kept as required by this Section.

(F) The requirements of paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of this Section shall not apply to the disposition of an essential part other than a cowl which has been damaged or altered to a state in which it can no longer be returned to a usable condition and which is being sold or transferred to a scrap processor or for delivery to a scrap processor.

(3) the following records for vehicles on which junking certificates are obtained shall be kept:

(A) the year, make, model, style and color of the vehicle;

(B) the vehicle's manufacturer's identification number or, if applicable, the Secretary of State or Illinois State Police identification number;

(C) the date the vehicle was acquired;

(D) the name and address of the person from whom the vehicle was acquired and, if that person is a dealer, the Illinois or out-of-state dealer license number of that person;

(E) the certificate of title number or salvage certificate number for the vehicle, if applicable;

(F) the junking certificate number obtained by the licensee; this entry shall be recorded at the close of business of the fifth business day after receiving the junking certificate;

(G) the name and address of the person to whom the junking certificate has been assigned, if applicable, and if that person is a dealer, the Illinois or out-of-state dealer license number of that dealer;

(H) if the vehicle or any part of the vehicle is dismantled for its parts to be disposed of in any way, or if such parts are to be used by the licensee to materially alter a vehicle, those essential parts shall be recorded and the entries required by paragraph (2) of subsection (a) shall be made.

(4) The following records for rebuilt vehicles shall be kept:

(A) the year, make, model, style and color of the vehicle;

(B) the vehicle's manufacturer's identification number of the vehicle or, if applicable, the Secretary of State or Illinois State Police identification number;

(C) the date the vehicle was acquired;

(D) the name and address of the person from whom the vehicle was acquired, and if that person is a dealer, the Illinois or out-of-state dealer license number of that person;

(E) the salvage certificate number for the vehicle;

(F) the newly issued certificate of title number for the vehicle;

(G) the date of disposition of the vehicle;

(H) the name and address of the person to whom the vehicle was disposed, and if a dealer, the Illinois or out-of-state dealer license number of that dealer;

(I) The sale price of the vehicle.

(a-1) A person licensed or required to be licensed under Section 5-101 or Section 5-102 of this Code who issues temporary registration permits as permitted by this Code and by rule must electronically file the registration with the Secretary and must maintain records of the registration in the manner prescribed by the Secretary.

(b) A failure to make separate entries for each vehicle acquired, disposed of, or assigned, or a failure to record any of the specific information required to be recorded concerning the acquisition or disposition of each vehicle as set forth in paragraphs (1), (3) and (4) of subsection (a) shall constitute a failure to keep records.

(c) All entries relating to the acquisition of a vehicle or essential part required by subsection (a) of this Section shall be recorded no later than the close of business on the seventh calendar day following such acquisition. All entries relating to the disposition of a vehicle or an essential part shall be made at the time of such disposition. If the vehicle or essential part was disposed of on the same day as its acquisition or the day thereafter, the entries relating to the acquisition of the vehicle or essential part shall be made at the time of the disposition of the vehicle or essential part. Failure to make the entries required in or at the times prescribed by this subsection following the acquisition or disposition of such vehicle or essential part shall constitute a failure to keep records.

(d) Every person licensed or required to be licensed shall, before accepting delivery of a used vehicle, inspect the vehicle to determine whether the manufacturer's public vehicle identification number has been defaced, destroyed, falsified, removed, altered, or tampered with in any way. If the person making the inspection determines that the manufacturer's public vehicle identification number has been altered, removed, defaced, destroyed, falsified or tampered with he shall not acquire that vehicle but instead shall promptly notify law enforcement authorities of his finding.

(e) The information required to be kept in subsection (a) of this Section shall be kept in a manner prescribed by rule or regulation of the Secretary of State.

(f) Every person licensed or required to be licensed shall have in his possession a separate certificate of title, salvage certificate, junking certificate, certificate of purchase, uniform invoice, out-of-state bill of sale or other acceptable documentary evidence of his right to the possession of every vehicle or essential part.

(g) Every person licensed or required to be licensed as a transporter under Section 5-201 shall maintain for 3 years, in such form as the Secretary of State may by rule or regulation prescribe, at his principal place of business a record of every vehicle transported by him, including numbers of or other marks of identification thereof, the names and addresses of persons from whom and to whom the vehicle was delivered and the dates of delivery.

(h) No later than 15 days prior to going out of business, selling the business, or transferring the ownership of the business, the licensee shall notify the Secretary of State that he is going out of business or that he is transferring the ownership of the business. Failure to notify under this paragraph shall constitute a failure to keep records.

(i) (Blank).

(j) A person who knowingly fails to comply with the provisions of this Section or knowingly fails to obey, observe, or comply with any order of the Secretary or any law enforcement agency issued in accordance with this Section is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor for the first violation and a Class A misdemeanor for the second and subsequent violations. Each violation constitutes a separate and distinct offense and a separate count may be brought in the same indictment or information for each vehicle or each essential part of a vehicle for which a record was not kept as required by this Section.

(k) Any person convicted of failing to keep the records required by this Section with intent to conceal the identity or origin of a vehicle or its essential parts or with intent to defraud the public in the transfer or sale of vehicles or their essential parts is guilty of a Class 2 felony. Each violation constitutes a separate and distinct offense and a separate count may be brought in the same indictment or information for each vehicle or essential part of a vehicle for which a record was not kept as required by this Section.

(l) A person may not be criminally charged with or convicted of both a knowing failure to comply with this Section and a knowing failure to comply with any order, if both offenses involve the same record keeping violation.

(m) The Secretary shall adopt rules necessary for implementation of this Section, which may include the imposition of administrative fines.

(Source: P.A. 101-505, eff. 1-1-20; 102-538, eff. 8-20-21.)