625 ILCS 5/3-629

(625 ILCS 5/3-629)

(Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 103-843)

Sec. 3-629. Collegiate license plates; scholarship fund.

(a) In addition to any other special license plate, the Secretary, upon receipt of all applicable fees and applications made in the form prescribed by the Secretary of State, may issue collegiate license plates. The collegiate plates issued under this Section shall be affixed only to passenger vehicles of the first division and motor vehicles of the second division weighing not more than 8,000 pounds and subject to the staggered registration system. Plates issued under this Section shall expire according to the staggered multi-year procedure established under Section 3-414.1 of this Code.

(b) The design, color, and format of the plates shall be wholly within the discretion of the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State may, at his or her discretion, issue the plates for any public college or university located in this State or for any degree-granting, not-for-profit private college or university located in this State or a contiguous state. If the college or university is located in a contiguous state, there must be not less than 10,000 alumni of the college or university residing in this State. The Secretary may, in his or her discretion, allow the plates to be issued as vanity plates or personalized in accordance with Section 3-405.1 of this Code. The plates are not required to designate "Land Of Lincoln", as prescribed in subsection (b) of Section 3-412 of this Code. The Secretary shall prescribe the eligibility requirements including a minimum level of specialized license plates requests and, in his or her discretion, shall approve and prescribe stickers or decals as provided under Section 3-412.

(c) An applicant shall be charged a $40 fee for original issuance in addition to the applicable registration fee. Of the original issuance fee in the case of a public university or college, $25 shall be deposited into the State College and University Trust Fund and $15 shall be deposited into the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund to be used by the Secretary of State, subject to appropriation, to help defray the administrative costs of issuing the plate. Of the original issuance fee in the case of a degree-granting, not-for-profit private college or university, $25 shall be deposited into the University Grant Fund and $15 shall be deposited into the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund to be used by the Secretary of State, subject to appropriation, to help defray the administrative cost of issuing the plate. In addition to the regular renewal fee, an applicant shall be charged $27 for the renewal of each set of license plates issued under this Section; $25 shall be deposited into the State College and University Trust Fund in the case of a public university or college or into the University Grant Fund in the case of a degree-granting, not-for-profit private college or university, and $2 shall be deposited into the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund plates for all collegiate plates.

(d) The State College and University Trust Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. The State Treasurer shall create separate accounts within the State College and University Trust Fund for each public university or college for which collegiate license plates have been issued. Moneys in the State College and University Trust Fund shall be allocated to each account in proportion to the number of plates sold in regard to each public university or college. Moneys deposited into the State College and University Trust Fund during the preceding calendar year shall be distributed, subject to appropriation, to each participating public university or college. This revenue shall be used for the sole purpose of scholarship grant awards to Illinois residents.

(e) The University Grant Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. The State Treasurer shall create separate accounts within the University Grant Fund for each university or college for which collegiate license plates have been issued. Moneys in the University Grant Fund shall be allocated to each account in proportion to the number of plates sold in regard to each university or college. Moneys deposited into these accounts during the preceding calendar year shall, subject to appropriation, be distributed through the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to participating private colleges and universities. This revenue shall be used for the sole purpose of scholarship grant awards to Illinois residents.

(Source: P.A. 95-444, eff. 8-27-07.)

(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 103-843)

Sec. 3-629. Collegiate license plates; scholarship fund.

(a) In addition to any other special license plate, the Secretary, upon receipt of all applicable fees and applications made in the form prescribed by the Secretary of State, may issue collegiate license plates. The collegiate plates issued under this Section shall be affixed only to passenger vehicles of the first division, motorcycles, autocycles, and motor vehicles of the second division weighing not more than 8,000 pounds and subject to the staggered registration system. Plates issued under this Section shall expire according to the staggered multi-year procedure established under Section 3-414.1 of this Code.

(b) The design, color, and format of the plates shall be wholly within the discretion of the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State may, at his or her discretion, issue the plates for any public college or university located in this State or for any degree-granting, not-for-profit private college or university located in this State or a contiguous state. If the college or university is located in a contiguous state, there must be not less than 10,000 alumni of the college or university residing in this State. The Secretary may, in his or her discretion, allow the plates to be issued as vanity plates or personalized in accordance with Section 3-405.1 of this Code. The plates are not required to designate "Land Of Lincoln", as prescribed in subsection (b) of Section 3-412 of this Code. The Secretary shall prescribe the eligibility requirements including a minimum level of specialized license plates requests and, in his or her discretion, shall approve and prescribe stickers or decals as provided under Section 3-412.

(c) An applicant shall be charged a $40 fee for original issuance in addition to the applicable registration fee. Of the original issuance fee in the case of a public university or college, $25 shall be deposited into the State College and University Trust Fund and $15 shall be deposited into the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund to be used by the Secretary of State, subject to appropriation, to help defray the administrative costs of issuing the plate. Of the original issuance fee in the case of a degree-granting, not-for-profit private college or university, $25 shall be deposited into the University Grant Fund and $15 shall be deposited into the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund to be used by the Secretary of State, subject to appropriation, to help defray the administrative cost of issuing the plate. In addition to the regular renewal fee, an applicant shall be charged $27 for the renewal of each set of license plates issued under this Section; $25 shall be deposited into the State College and University Trust Fund in the case of a public university or college or into the University Grant Fund in the case of a degree-granting, not-for-profit private college or university, and $2 shall be deposited into the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund plates for all collegiate plates.

(d) The State College and University Trust Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. The State Treasurer shall create separate accounts within the State College and University Trust Fund for each public university or college for which collegiate license plates have been issued. Moneys in the State College and University Trust Fund shall be allocated to each account in proportion to the number of plates sold in regard to each public university or college. Moneys deposited into the State College and University Trust Fund during the preceding calendar year shall be distributed, subject to appropriation, to each participating public university or college. This revenue shall be used for the sole purpose of scholarship grant awards to Illinois residents.

(e) The University Grant Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. The State Treasurer shall create separate accounts within the University Grant Fund for each university or college for which collegiate license plates have been issued. Moneys in the University Grant Fund shall be allocated to each account in proportion to the number of plates sold in regard to each university or college. Moneys deposited into these accounts during the preceding calendar year shall, subject to appropriation, be distributed through the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to participating private colleges and universities. This revenue shall be used for the sole purpose of scholarship grant awards to Illinois residents.

(Source: P.A. 103-843, eff. 1-1-25.)