Illinois General Assembly - Illinois Compiled Statutes

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625 ILCS 5/3-413

    (625 ILCS 5/3-413) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-413)
    (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 103-706)
    Sec. 3-413.

Display of registration plates or digital registration plates, registration stickers or digital registration stickers,
and drive-away permits; registration plate or digital registration plate covers.

(a) Registration plates or digital registration plates issued for a
motor vehicle other than a motorcycle, autocycle, trailer, semitrailer,
truck-tractor, apportioned bus, or apportioned truck shall be attached
thereto, one in the front and one in the
rear.  The registration plate or digital registration plate issued for a motorcycle, autocycle, trailer or
semitrailer required to be registered hereunder and any apportionment
plate issued to a bus under the provisions of this Code shall be attached
to the rear thereof. The registration plate or digital registration plate issued for a truck-tractor or
an apportioned truck required to be registered hereunder shall be
attached to the front thereof.

(b) Except for vehicles with rear loaded motorized forklifts, every registration plate or digital registration plate shall at all times be securely fastened
in a horizontal position to the vehicle for which it is issued so as to
prevent the plate from swinging and at a height of not less than 5
inches from the ground, measuring from the bottom of such plate, in a
place and position to be clearly visible and shall be maintained in a
condition to be clearly legible, free
from any materials that would obstruct the visibility of the plate. A registration plate or digital registration plate on a motorcycle may be mounted vertically as long as it is otherwise clearly visible. Registration stickers or digital registration stickers issued as
evidence of renewed annual registration shall be attached to registration
plates or displayed on digital registration plates as required by the Secretary of State, and be clearly visible at
all times. For those vehicles with rear loaded motorized forklifts, if the rear plate is securely fastened in a horizontal position as prescribed, the plate and registration sticker shall not be required to be clearly visible at all times as a result of the rear mounted motorized forklift obstructing the view.

(c) Every drive-away permit issued pursuant to this
Code shall
be firmly attached to the motor vehicle in the manner prescribed by the Secretary of State.  If a drive-away permit is affixed to a motor vehicle in any other manner the
permit shall be void and of no effect.

(d) The Illinois prorate decal issued to a foreign registered
vehicle part of a fleet prorated or apportioned with Illinois, shall be
displayed on a registration plate or digital registration plate and displayed on the front of such
vehicle in the same manner as an Illinois registration plate or digital registration plate.

(e) The registration plate or digital registration plate issued for a camper body mounted on a
truck displaying registration plates or digital registration plates shall be attached to the rear of
the camper body.

(f) No person shall operate a vehicle, nor permit the operation of a
vehicle, upon which is displayed an Illinois registration plate or plates or digital registration plate or plates
or registration stickers or digital registration stickers, except as provided for in subsection (b) of Section 3-701 of this Code, after the termination of the registration
period for which issued or after the expiration date set pursuant to
Sections 3-414 and 3-414.1 of this Code.

(g) A person may not operate any motor vehicle that is equipped with registration plate or digital registration plate covers. A violation of this subsection (g) or a similar provision of a local ordinance is an offense against laws and ordinances regulating the movement of traffic.

(h) A person may not sell or offer for sale a registration plate or digital registration plate cover. A violation of this subsection (h) is a business offense.

(i) A person may not advertise for the purpose of promoting the sale of registration plate or digital registration plate covers. A violation of this subsection (i) is a business offense.

(j) A person may not modify the original manufacturer's mounting location of the rear registration plate or digital registration plate on any vehicle so as to conceal the registration or to knowingly cause it to be obstructed in an effort to hinder a peace officer from obtaining the registration for the enforcement of a violation of this Code, Section 27.1 of the Toll Highway Act concerning toll evasion, or any municipal ordinance. Modifications prohibited by this subsection (j) include  but are not limited to the use of an electronic device. A violation of this subsection (j) is a Class A misdemeanor.

(Source: P.A. 101-395, eff. 8-16-19.)

(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 103-706)
Sec. 3-413.

Display of registration plates or digital registration plates, registration stickers or digital registration stickers, and drive-away permits; registration plate or digital registration plate covers.

(a) Registration plates or digital registration plates issued for a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle, autocycle, trailer, semitrailer, truck-tractor, apportioned bus, or apportioned truck shall be attached thereto, one in the frontmost and one in the rearmost. The registration plate or digital registration plate issued for a motorcycle, autocycle, trailer or semitrailer required to be registered hereunder and any apportionment plate issued to a bus under the provisions of this Code shall be attached to the rearmost thereof. The registration plate or digital registration plate issued for a truck-tractor or an apportioned truck required to be registered hereunder shall be attached to the frontmost thereof.

(b) Except for vehicles with rear loaded motorized forklifts, every registration plate or digital registration plate shall at all times be securely fastened in a horizontal position to the vehicle for which it is issued so as to prevent the plate from swinging and at a height of not less than 5 inches from the ground, measuring from the bottom of such plate, in a place and position to be clearly visible and shall be maintained in a condition to be clearly legible, free from any materials that would obstruct the visibility of the plate. A registration plate or digital registration plate on a motorcycle may be mounted vertically as long as it is otherwise clearly visible. Registration stickers or digital registration stickers issued as evidence of renewed annual registration shall be attached to registration plates or displayed on digital registration plates as required by the Secretary of State, and be clearly visible at all times and displayed as prescribed in subsection (k). For those vehicles with rear loaded motorized forklifts, if the rear plate is securely fastened in a horizontal position as prescribed, the plate and registration sticker shall not be required to be clearly visible at all times as a result of the rear mounted motorized forklift obstructing the view.

(c) Every drive-away permit issued pursuant to this Code shall be firmly attached to the motor vehicle in the manner prescribed by the Secretary of State. If a drive-away permit is affixed to a motor vehicle in any other manner the permit shall be void and of no effect.

(d) The Illinois prorate decal issued to a foreign registered vehicle part of a fleet prorated or apportioned with Illinois, shall be displayed on a registration plate or digital registration plate and displayed on the frontmost of such vehicle in the same manner as an Illinois registration plate or digital registration plate.

(e) The registration plate or digital registration plate issued for a camper body mounted on a truck displaying registration plates or digital registration plates shall be attached to the rearmost of the camper body.

(f) No person shall operate a vehicle, nor permit the operation of a vehicle, upon which is displayed an Illinois registration plate or plates or digital registration plate or plates or registration stickers or digital registration stickers, except as provided for in subsection (b) of Section 3-701 of this Code, after the termination of the registration period for which issued or after the expiration date set pursuant to Sections 3-414 and 3-414.1 of this Code.

(g) A person may not operate any motor vehicle that is equipped with registration plate or digital registration plate covers. A violation of this subsection (g) or a similar provision of a local ordinance is an offense against laws and ordinances regulating the movement of traffic.

(h) A person may not sell or offer for sale a registration plate or digital registration plate cover. A violation of this subsection (h) is a business offense.

(i) A person may not advertise for the purpose of promoting the sale of registration plate or digital registration plate covers. A violation of this subsection (i) is a business offense.

(j) A person may not modify the original manufacturer's mounting location of the rear registration plate or digital registration plate on any vehicle so as to conceal the registration or to knowingly cause it to be obstructed in an effort to hinder a peace officer from obtaining the registration for the enforcement of a violation of this Code, Section 27.1 of the Toll Highway Act concerning toll evasion, or any municipal ordinance. Modifications prohibited by this subsection (j) include but are not limited to the use of an electronic device. A violation of this subsection (j) is a Class A misdemeanor.

(k) Registration stickers issued as evidence of renewed registration by the Secretary shall be displayed on the upper right corner of the rear registration plate or in a manner otherwise provided by the Secretary. However, registration stickers issued to truck-tractors shall be displayed on the upper right corner of the front registration plate or in a manner otherwise provided by the Secretary.

(l) No person shall affix to any registration plate, temporary registration plate, digital registration plate, registration sticker, or other evidence of registration issued by the Secretary any medallion, insignia, sticker, or other object not issued or approved by the Secretary. No person shall alter, manipulate, apply, or otherwise manipulate any evidence of registration issued by the Secretary in any manner from the original condition as was received when issued by the Secretary. It is unlawful to operate any vehicle that displays evidence of registration altered in any manner or displaying any medallion, insignia, sticker, or other object as prescribed in this subsection.

(Source: P.A. 103-706, eff. 1-1-25.)