SB3197 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 19066 LNS 32511 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB3197

Introduced 2/2/2026, by Sen. Sue Rezin

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

625 ILCS 5/3-808.1

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that permanent vehicle registration plates shall be issued, at no charge, to municipally owned, fire district owned, or Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) owned vehicles operated by volunteer firefighters for any fire department, fire protection district, or MABAS. Requires the registration plates to display the designation "Volunteer Firefighter" and the specific fire department, fire district, fire unit, or MABAS division number or letter.

A BILL FOR

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 Section 3-808.1 as follows:

(625 ILCS 5/3-808.1)

Sec. 3-808.1. Permanent vehicle registration plate.

(a) Permanent vehicle registration plates shall be issued, at no charge, to the following:

1. Vehicles, other than medical transport vehicles, owned and operated by the State of Illinois or by any State agency financed by funds appropriated by the General Assembly;

2. Special disability plates issued to vehicles owned and operated by the State of Illinois or by any State agency financed by funds appropriated by the General Assembly.

(b) Permanent vehicle registration plates shall be issued, for a one-time fee of $8.00, to the following:

1. Vehicles, other than medical transport vehicles, operated by or for any county, township or municipal corporation.

2. Vehicles owned by counties, townships or municipal corporations for persons with disabilities.

3. Beginning with the 1991 registration year, county-owned vehicles operated by or for any county sheriff and designated deputy sheriffs. These registration plates shall contain the specific county code and unit number.

4. All-terrain vehicles owned by counties, townships, or municipal corporations and used for law enforcement purposes or used as fire department vehicles when the Manufacturer's Statement of Origin is accompanied with a letter from the original manufacturer or a manufacturer's franchised dealer stating that this all-terrain vehicle has been converted to a street worthy vehicle that meets the equipment requirements set forth in Chapter 12 of this Code.

5. Beginning with the 2001 registration year, municipally owned vehicles operated by or for any police department. These registration plates shall contain the designation "municipal police" and shall be numbered and distributed as prescribed by the Secretary of State.

6. Beginning with the 2014 registration year, municipally owned, fire district owned, or Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) owned vehicles operated by or for any fire department, fire protection district, or MABAS. These registration plates shall display the designation "Fire Department" and shall display the specific fire department, fire district, fire unit, or MABAS division number or letter.

6.5. Beginning with the 2027 registration year, municipally owned, fire district owned, or Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) owned vehicles operated by volunteer firefighters for any fire department, fire protection district, or MABAS. These registration plates shall display the designation "Volunteer Firefighter" and shall display the specific fire department, fire district, fire unit, or MABAS division number or letter.

7. Beginning with the 2017 registration year, vehicles that do not require a school bus driver permit under Section 6-104 to operate and are not registered under Section 3-617 of this Code, and are owned by a public school district from grades K-12 or a public community college.

8. Beginning with the 2017 registration year, vehicles of the first division or vehicles of the second division weighing not more than 8,000 pounds that are owned by a medical facility or hospital of a municipality, county, or township.

9. Beginning with the 2020 registration year, 2-axle motor vehicles that (i) are designed and used as buses in a public system for transporting more than 10 passengers; (ii) are used as common carriers in the general transportation of passengers and not devoted to any specialized purpose; (iii) operate entirely within the territorial limits of a single municipality or a single municipality and contiguous municipalities; and (iv) are subject to the regulation of the Illinois Commerce Commission. The owner of a vehicle under this paragraph is exempt from paying a flat weight tax or a mileage weight tax under this Code.

10. Beginning with the 2027 registration year, vehicles owned by a municipality or fire protection district operated by or for the emergency medical services (EMS) chief that are eligible for issuance of EMS chief license plates under Section 3-699.26.

(b-5) Beginning with the 2016 registration year, permanent vehicle registration plates shall be issued for a one-time fee of $8.00 to a county, township, or municipal corporation that owns or operates vehicles used for the purpose of community workplace commuting as defined by the Secretary of State by administrative rule. The design and color of the plates shall be wholly within the discretion of the Secretary. The Secretary of State may adopt rules to implement this subsection (b-5).

(c) Beginning with the 2012 registration year, county-owned vehicles operated by or for any county sheriff and designated deputy sheriffs that have been issued registration plates under subsection (b) of this Section shall be exempt from any fee for the transfer of registration from one vehicle to another vehicle. Each county sheriff shall report to the Secretary of State any transfer of registration plates from one vehicle to another vehicle operated by or for any county sheriff and designated deputy sheriffs. The Secretary of State shall adopt rules to implement this subsection (c).

(c-5) Beginning with the 2014 registration year, municipally owned, fire district owned, or Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) owned vehicles operated by or for any fire department, fire protection district, or MABAS that have been issued registration plates under subsection (b) of this Section shall be exempt from any fee for the transfer of registration from one vehicle to another vehicle. Each fire department, fire protection district, of MABAS shall report to the Secretary of State any transfer of registration plates from one vehicle to another vehicle operated by or for any fire department, fire protection district, or MABAS. The Secretary of State shall adopt rules to implement this subsection.

(d) Beginning with the 2013 registration year, municipally owned vehicles operated by or for any police department that have been issued registration plates under subsection (b) of this Section shall be exempt from any fee for the transfer of registration from one vehicle to another vehicle. Each municipal police department shall report to the Secretary of State any transfer of registration plates from one vehicle to another vehicle operated by or for any municipal police department. The Secretary of State shall adopt rules to implement this subsection (d).

(e) Beginning with the 2016 registration year, any vehicle owned or operated by a county, township, or municipal corporation that has been issued registration plates under this Section is exempt from any fee for the transfer of registration from one vehicle to another vehicle. Each county, township, or municipal corporation shall report to the Secretary of State any transfer of registration plates from one vehicle to another vehicle operated by or for any county, township, or municipal corporation.

(f) Beginning with the 2020 registration year, any vehicle owned or operated by a public school district from grades K-12, a public community college, or a medical facility or hospital of a municipality, county, or township that has been issued registration plates under this Section is exempt from any fee for the transfer of registration from one vehicle to another vehicle. Each school district, public community college, or medical facility or hospital shall report to the Secretary any transfer of registration plates from one vehicle to another vehicle operated by the school district, public community college, or medical facility.

(g) Beginning with the 2025 registration year, vehicles owned or operated by or for a private or public university police department or a private or public college police department, except for motor driven cycles and all-terrain vehicles, may be registered under subsection (b) of this Section. These registration plates shall contain the designation "university police" or "college police" and shall be numbered and distributed as prescribed by the Secretary of State.

(Source: P.A. 103-135, eff. 1-1-24; 104-213, eff. 1-1-26; 104-304, eff. 8-15-25; revised 11-21-25.)