Jesse White reminds motorists to report defective license plates

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White is reminding vehicle owners to report license plates to the Secretary of State’s office that are peeling, chipping or rusting in order to receive replacement plates at no charge.
A registration identification number and pin, found on the vehicle’s registration card, are required to report the degraded license plates. Owners are encouraged to recycle their old plates by taking them to a Secretary of State facility and disposing of them in the tamper-proof bin. White also reminds vehicle owners that Illinois law requires a readable front and back plate be displayed and failure to display both plates can result in a $164 fine.
“There are nearly 9 million passenger vehicle owners in Illinois,” said White. “When the license plates are unreadable, it poses a safety concern for the vehicle owner, other drivers and law enforcement.”
Under the program, the oldest license plates are replaced first. In 2020, plates manufactured in 2006 and 2007 were replaced. License plates manufactured in 2008 and 2009 are being replaced this year. The process will start again in 2027, replacing the plates first issued in 2017.