HB4385eng 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB4385 Engrossed LRB104 17295 LNS 30717 b

AN ACT concerning transportation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by changing Sections 3-609, 3-609.1, 3-609.3, 3-620, 3-623, and 3-806.2 and by adding Section 3-609.4 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/3-609) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-609)

Sec. 3-609. Plates for veterans with disabilities.

(a) Any veteran who holds proof of a service-connected disability from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and who has obtained certification from a licensed physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse that the service-connected disability qualifies the veteran for issuance of registration plates or digital registration plates or decals to a person with disabilities in accordance with Section 3-616, may, without the payment of any registration fee, make application to the Secretary of State for up to 2 sets of license plates for veterans with disabilities displaying the international symbol of access, for the registration of a one motor vehicle of the first division, one motorcycle, or one motor vehicle of the second division weighing not more than 8,000 pounds.

(b) Any veteran who holds proof of a service-connected disability from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, and whose degree of disability has been declared to be 50% or more, but whose disability does not qualify the veteran for a plate or decal for persons with disabilities under Section 3-616, may, without the payment of any registration fee, make application to the Secretary for up to 2 sets of a special registration plates plate or digital registration plates plate without the international symbol of access for the registration of a one motor vehicle of the first division, one motorcycle, or one motor vehicle of the second division weighing not more than 8,000 pounds.

(c) Renewal of such registration must be accompanied with documentation for eligibility of registration without fee unless the applicant has a permanent qualifying disability, and such registration plates or digital registration plates may not be issued to any person not eligible therefor. The Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs may assist in providing the documentation of disability.

(d) The design and color of the plates shall be within the discretion of the Secretary, except that the plates issued under subsection (b) of this Section shall not contain the international symbol of access. The Secretary may, in his or her discretion, allow the plates to be issued as vanity or personalized plates in accordance with Section 3-405.1 of this Code. Registration shall be for a multi-year period and may be issued staggered registration.

(e) Any person eligible to receive license plates under this Section who has been approved for benefits under the Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities Property Tax Relief Act, or who has claimed and received a grant under that Act, shall pay a fee of $24 instead of the fee otherwise provided in this Code for passenger cars displaying standard multi-year registration plates or digital registration plates issued under Section 3-414.1, for motor vehicles registered at 8,000 pounds or less under Section 3-815(a), or for recreational vehicles registered at 8,000 pounds or less under Section 3-815(b), for a second set of plates under this Section.

(f) With respect to the supporting documentation required to obtain a plate under this Section, the Secretary shall allow an applicant to redact information on the documentation that pertains to the nature of the applicant's health issue, unless that information is necessary to confirm that the applicant's disability is service-connected or to establish the degree of the applicant's service-connected disability.

(Source: P.A. 104-234, eff. 8-15-25.)

(625 ILCS 5/3-609.1) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-609.1)

Sec. 3-609.1. Medal of Honor plates. Any resident of the State of Illinois who has been awarded the Medal of Honor, or an Illinois resident who is the surviving spouse of a person who was awarded the Medal of Honor, may make application for the registration for up to 2 motor vehicles of a motor vehicle owned solely or in part by such recipient, to the Secretary of State without the payment of any registration fee. Registration shall be for a multi-year period effective from issuance. The Secretary of State shall furnish at his or her office at no cost to such Medal of Honor recipients, plates bearing up to 3 letters designating the recipient's initials followed by the letters M O H signifying the Medal of Honor. The plate shall be suitable for attachment to a motor vehicle or motorcycle registered under this Code.

(Source: P.A. 101-262, eff. 1-1-20.)

(625 ILCS 5/3-609.3)

Sec. 3-609.3. Military series registration plates for veterans with disabilities. In lieu of receiving registration plates without the payment of a fee under Section 3-609, any veteran who holds proof of a 50% or greater service-connected disability from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs may apply for a military series registration plate in the manner prescribed by the Secretary of State. Upon the veteran showing proof of the disability, up to 2 sets of a military series registration plates plate may be issued to the veteran without fee for the registration of a one motor vehicle of the first division or one motor vehicle of the second division weighing not more than 8,000 pounds. Any additional fee collected for the issuance and renewal of the military series registration plate, as may be specified in the provision authorizing the issuance of that special plate, shall not be included in the fee waiver authorized under this Section.

(Source: P.A. 104-230, eff. 1-1-26.)

(625 ILCS 5/3-609.4 new)

Sec. 3-609.4. Second set of no-fee military plates. A person eligible to receive special plates under Section 3-609, 3-609.1, 3-609.3, 3-620, or 3-623 is entitled to receive, upon application to the Secretary of State, a second set of the special plates under the same terms and conditions as the first set of special plates.

(625 ILCS 5/3-620) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-620)

Sec. 3-620. The Secretary, upon receipt of an application made on the form prescribed by the Secretary of State, may issue special registration plates to United States citizens, who are present or former members of the United States armed forces or any of its allies, and who were prisoners of war of World War I, World War II, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnamese conflict, or to the widowed spouse of a former member of the United States armed forces, providing that widowed spouse was married to the POW at the time of death, and is a single person at the time of application. The special plates issued pursuant to this Section shall be affixed only to passenger vehicles of the first division subject to the staggered registration system, motorcycles, and vehicles of the second division having a gross weight of 8,000 pounds or less and shall be issued without charge. Only 2 sets one set of plates may be issued at no fee.

The design and color of the prisoner of war plates shall be wholly within the discretion of the Secretary of State. The Secretary may, in his or her discretion, allow the plates to be issued as vanity or personalized plates in accordance with Section 3-405.1 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 95-353, eff. 1-1-08.)

(625 ILCS 5/3-623) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-623)

Sec. 3-623. Purple Heart Plates.

(a) The Secretary, upon receipt of an application made in the form prescribed by the Secretary of State, may issue to recipients awarded the Purple Heart by a branch of the armed forces of the United States who reside in Illinois, special registration plates. The Secretary, upon receipt of the proper application, may also issue these special registration plates to an Illinois resident who is the surviving spouse of a person who was awarded the Purple Heart by a branch of the armed forces of the United States. The special plates issued pursuant to this Section should be affixed only to passenger vehicles of the 1st division, including motorcycles, or motor vehicles of the 2nd division weighing not more than 8,000 pounds. The Secretary may, in his or her discretion, allow the plates to be issued as vanity or personalized plates in accordance with Section 3-405.1 of this Code. The Secretary of State must make a version of the special registration plates authorized under this Section in a form appropriate for motorcycles.

(b) The design and color of such plates shall be wholly within the discretion of the Secretary of State. Appropriate documentation, as determined by the Secretary, and the appropriate registration fee shall accompany the application, except:

(1) a person eligible to be issued Purple Heart plates may display the plates on up to 2 vehicles one vehicle without the payment of any registration or registration renewal fee; and

(2) for an individual who has been issued Purple Heart plates for an additional vehicle and who has been approved for benefits under the Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities Property Tax Relief Act, the annual fee for the registration of the vehicle shall be as provided in Section 3-806.3 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 98-902, eff. 1-1-15; 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)

(625 ILCS 5/3-806.2) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-806.2)

Sec. 3-806.2. Limitations on no-fee plates. Except as provided in Section 3-609.4, no No individual shall be issued more than one pair of plates of any category for which no fee is required. The Secretary of State may issue additional pairs of plates of any such category upon receiving the required application and registration fees.

(Source: P.A. 88-517.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2027.