Section 1010.452  Special Event License Plates

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

            "License Plate Contractor" – a business currently under contract with the Secretary of State which manufacturers the license plates for the Secretary of State.

            "Special Event Plates" – license plates issued for commemorative purposes which can be displayed on motor vehicles in accordance with Section 3-808(f) of the Illinois Vehicle Title & Registration Law of the Illinois Vehicle Code (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 95½, par. 3-808(f)).

b)         Applications for Special Event plates may be sent in care of the Plate Control Division of the Department, to have plates issued for display on Illinois registered vehicles in order to promote or recognize an event in Illinois.  In order to apply for the Special Event plates, the applicant shall do the following:

1)         Submit a written request for approval of Special Event plates, addressed to the Secretary, on letterhead of the requesting organization or activity.

2)         Submit the application at least one hundred fifty (150) days before the event.

c)         The Secretary may establish limits upon the total number of Special Event plates that may be approved in single calendar year.  Applications may be rejected on the basis of past non-compliance with Special Event plate rules.  In determining whether to reject an application grounded on past non-compliance, the Department will evaluate the performance of the organization or activity in remedying such non-compliance.

d)         Upon approval of the Special Event plate request, the organization shall submit plate design artwork to the Plate Control Division, preferably in camera-ready form.  The Department shall have the right to use any plate designs or pictures of finished plates without prior notice for any purpose related to the administration of the special event license plate program, including but not limited to the promotion of the program by the Department.  The design for the Special Event plates shall meet the following criteria:

1)         To meet statutory requirements, the design of the plates shall contain the word "ILLINOIS," the plate year, the date of the event, and the phrase "LAND OF LINCOLN," pursuant to Section 3-412 of the Illinois Vehicle Code (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 95½, par. 3-412).  During even-numbered years, "LAND OF LINCOLN" shall appear on the top of the plate and the year and "ILLINOIS" on the bottom.  The order is reversed in odd-numbered years.  If submitted as camera-ready art, none of these four required elements of the design, nor the colored outline around the edge of the plate, shall be included in the actual art.

2)         The design shall, in the opinion of the Department, be in good taste and exhibit decency.

3)         The design shall differ in such matters as:  design, color, or position of logo from the design of a Special Event plate used by the same organization in the immediately preceding year.

e)         Pursuant to Section 3-808(f) of the Illinois Vehicle Title & Registration Law of the Illinois Vehicle Code (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1987, ch. 95½, par. 3-808(f)), the total number of plates issued for a special event shall not exceed 200 pairs.  The amount of charges for the manufacture of Special Event plates is determined by the license plate contractor.  The organization shall be responsible for the payment of manufacturing and, if necessary, shipping charges.  Billing and payment for the plates is directly between the license plate contractor and the organization.

f)         The sponsoring organization is responsible for registering with the Plate Control Division of the Department all vehicles issued Special Event plates, and for monitoring plate recipient compliance with rules regarding their display.  The organization shall observe the following guidelines for registration of vehicles:

1)         The Special Event plates shall only be displayed on passenger cars or trucks or vans with an RV or "B" registration as set out in 92 Ill. Adm. Code 1030.30.  The plates shall not be displayed more than sixty (60) days prior to the event, including the days during which the event is in progress, nor shall the plates be displayed after the last day of the event.

2)         The sponsoring organization shall furnish the Department a completed registration assignment listing of the Special Event plates issued four (4) business days prior to the date that the plates are to be displayed.  The listing shall include:

A)        the Special Event plate number issued,

B)        the vehicle's Illinois license plate number,

C)        the name of the vehicle's registered owner,

D)        the registered owner's address,

E)        the year, make and vehicle identification number.

3)         While the Special Event plate is being displayed, the regularly assigned license plate and the Registration Identification Card shall remain in the vehicle and be made available for inspection upon demand of a law enforcement officer.

4)         A Special Event plate shall not be transferred to another vehicle once it has been assigned and registered with the Plate Control Division of the Department.

5)         The Department reserves the right to revoke authorization for Special Event plates if the organization has failed to comply with the regulations in this Part.  The Secretary will inform any organization in writing of non-compliance with the Rules in this Part.

g)         Any person denied a Special Event Plate may, upon written request within 20 days of such denial, seek a hearing governed by 92 Ill. Adm. Code 1001.

(Source:  Added at 13 Ill. Reg. 5173, effective April 1, 1989)