Section 1010.430  Registration Plates for Motor Vehicles Used for Transportation of Persons for Compensation and Tow Trucks

a)         For purposes of this Section, the following definitions shall apply:

            "Ambulance" – any publicly or privately owned vehicle which is specifically designed, constructed or modified and equipped, and is intended to be used for, and is maintained or operated for the emergency transportation of persons who are sick, injured, wounded or otherwise incapacitated or helpless as provided in Section 1-102.01 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

            "Bus" – every motor vehicle, other than a commuter van, designed for carrying more than 10 persons as provided in Section 1-107 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

            "Commercial Vehicle" – any vehicle operated for the transportation of persons or property in the furtherance of any commercial or industrial enterprise, For-Hire or Not-For-Hire, but not including a commuter van, a vehicle used in a ridesharing arrangement when being used for that purpose, or a recreational vehicle not being used commercially as provided in Section 1-114 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

            "Commuter Van" – a motor vehicle designed for the transportation of not less than 7 nor more than 16 passengers, which is:  used in a ridesharing arrangement; or owned or leased by or on behalf of a company or an employee organization and operated on a non-profit basis with the primary purpose of transporting employees of the company between the employees' homes and the company's place of business or a public transportation station and in which the operating, administrative, maintenance and reasonable depreciation costs are paid principally by the persons utilizing the commuter van as provided in Section 1-114.1 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

            "Compensation" – remuneration or payment of any kind which is received or owed for use of the motor vehicle or the service provided by the use of the motor vehicle.

            "Funeral Home Vehicle" – any privately owned first or second division vehicle weighing 8,000 pounds or less which is owned or leased by a funeral home.

            "Livery Vehicle" – any privately owned first division vehicle which is intended to be used for the transportation of persons when the payment is not based on a meter charge but is prearranged for a designated destination.

            "Medical Carrier" – any publicly or privately owned motor vehicle which is specifically designed, constructed or modified and equipped, and is intended to be used for, and is maintained or operated for the nonemergency transportation of persons for compensation for the purpose of obtaining medical services as provided in Section 1-142.1 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

            "Medical Transport Vehicle" – includes ambulances, medical carriers, and rescue vehicles as provided in Section 1-142.2 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

            "Motor Vehicle" – every vehicle which is self-propelled and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated upon rails, except for vehicles moved solely by human power and motorized wheelchairs. For this Act, motor vehicles are divided into two divisions:   

            First Division:  Those motor vehicles which are designed for the carrying of not more than 10 persons.

            Second Division:  Those motor vehicles which are designed for carrying more than 10 persons, those designed or used for living quarters and those motor vehicles which are designed for pulling or carrying property, freight or cargo, and those motor vehicles of the first division remodelled for use and used as motor vehicles of the second division as provided in Section 1-146 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

            A second division vehicle also includes a motor vehicle of the first division used and registered as a school bus as provided in Section 1-217 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

            "Public Transportation Vehicle" – any privately owned first or second division motor vehicle which is intended to be used for and is maintained or operated for the nonemergency transportation of persons for compensation, excluding motor vehicles regulated by the Illinois Commerce Commission.

            "Rescue Vehicle" – any publicly or privately owned vehicle which is specifically designed, configured, and equipped for the performance of access and extrication of persons from hazardous or life-endangering situations, as well as for the emergency transportation of persons who are sick, injured, wounded or otherwise incapacitated  or helpless as defined in Section 1-224 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

            "School Bus" – every motor vehicle, except as provided for in this definition, owned or operated by or for any of the following entities for the transportation of persons regularly enrolled as students in grade 12 or below in connection with any activity of such entity:

            Any public or private primary or secondary school;

            Any primary or secondary school operated by a religious institution; or

                        Any public, private or religious nursery school.

This definition shall not include the following:

            A bus operated by a public utility, municipal corporation or common carrier authorized to conduct local or interurban transportation of passengers when such bus is not traveling a specific school bus route but is:

            on a regularly scheduled route for the transportation of other fare paying passengers;

            furnishing charter service for the transportation of groups on field trips or other special trips or in connection with other special events; or

            being used for shuttle service between attendance centers or other educational facilities.

            A motor vehicle of the first division as provided in Section 1-182 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

            "Taxicab" – any privately owned first division vehicle which is intended to be used for the transportation of persons when the payment is usually based and recorded as a taxi meter charge between a point of origin and a destination.

            "Tow Truck" – every truck designed or altered and equipped for and used to push, tow, or draw vehicles by means of a crane, hoist, towbar, towline or auxiliary axle, or to render assistance to disabled vehicles as defined in Section 1-205.1 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

b)         The Department shall issue for every motor vehicle owned or operated by a person, firm or corporation, and used for transportation of persons or property for compensation, distinctive registration plates displaying a special designation as provided in Sections 3-611, 3-412(e), 3-412(g), and 3-412(j) of the Illinois Vehicle Title & Registration Law of the Illinois Vehicle Code (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 95½, pars. 3-611, 3-412(e), 3-412(g), and 3-412(j)).  The statutory registration fee required shall be determined based on Sections 3-806 and 3-808 of the Illinois Vehicle Title & Registration Law of the Illinois Vehicle Code (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 95½, pars. 3-806 and 3-808) for vehicles of the first division and based on gross vehicle weight as provided in Section 3-815 of the Illinois Vehicle Title & Registration Law of the Illinois Vehicle Code (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 95½, par. 3-815) for vehicles of the second division.

c)         Motor vehicles privately owned by a person, firm or corporation and used for transportation of persons or property for compensation shall be issued the following distinctive registration plates:

1)         Ambulances as defined in subsection (a) shall be issued ambulance plates.  These distinctive plates shall be numbered to denote the following:

A)        First digit – the emergency medical service region.

B)        Next three digits – the number of the company providing the service as registered with the Illinois Department of Public Aid.

C)        Last two digits – the vehicle's number in the company's fleet.

2)         Commuter vans as defined in subsection (a) shall be issued registration plates with a "CM" suffix.

3)         Funeral home vehicles as defined in subsection (a) shall be issued registration plates with an "FH" suffix.

4)         Livery vehicles as defined in subsection (a) shall be issued registration plates with an "LY" suffix.

5)         Medical carrier vehicles and rescue vehicles as defined in subsection (a) shall be issued distinctive livery plates with an "MC" suffix.  These plates shall be issued to first division and second division vehicles.

6)         Public transportation vehicles as defined in subsection (a) shall be issued registration plates with a "PT" suffix.

7)         School buses as defined in subsection (a) shall be issued registration plates with an "SB" suffix.

8)         Taxicabs as defined in subsection (a) shall be issued registration plates with a "TX" suffix.

9)         Tow trucks as defined in subsection (a) shall be issued registration plates with a "TW" suffix.  The display of plates is defined in Section 5-202 of the Illinois Vehicle Title & Registration Law of the Illinois Vehicle Code (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 95½, par. 5-202).

d)         Motor vehicles, not exempted from coverage in Chapter 8 of the Illinois Vehicle Code (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 95½, par. 8-101 et seq.), and which are used for the transportation of persons for compensation must file proof of financial responsibility at the time of registration as provided in Chapter 8 of the Illinois Vehicle Code. Additionally, medical transport vehicles and tow trucks must file proof of compliance with the safety inspection requirements of Section 13-101 of the Illinois Vehicle Inspection Law of the Illinois Vehicle Code (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 95½, par. 13-101).  Additionally, tow trucks must file proof of insurance compliance with Section 12-606(d) of the Illinois Vehicle Equipment Law of the Illinois Vehicle Code (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 95½, par. 12-606(d)).  This requirement does not apply to motor vehicles covered under the liability insurance provision under Section 12-707.01 of the Illinois Vehicle Equipment Law of the Illinois Vehicle Code (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 95½, par. 12-707.01).

(Source:  Added at 13 Ill. Reg. 15102, effective September 15, 1989)