Illinois
Vehicle Resource Center
Illinois prides itself on being a leading vegetable producer, and most of the country knows about Illinois because of its rich heritage in Chicago, but the state is also home to more than 4 million licensed drivers, and that number is growing. As a state with millions of licensed vehicles moving around the roads, there's a huge number of Illinois drivers who need to know about local laws, insurance requirements, and so much more.
Ownership and Maintenance
Owning a vehicle in Illinois requires regular maintenance and updated paperwork. There are annual tasks to complete that drivers should know about. Find out essentials such as emission check requirements, license renewal, insurance requirements, and plate registration renewal steps below.
While safety inspections are not mandatory for vehicles licensed in Illinois, most locations throughout the state demand residents have emissions tests performed every other year. These tests must be completed at an Illinois Smog Check Station to get the approval to legally drive for another two years.
Vehicle Owners in the Following Counties Must Get Smog Checks
Some Vehicles are Exempt from Smog Testing
Any vehicles newer than four years old aren't required to have smog testing done, and the same is true for vehicles older than 1967. Everything in between those two extremes must be smog tested to verify it isn't producing too many harmful emissions.
Drivers in Illinois must have valid insurance if they are going to operate their vehicles. This insurance is to cover the costs of any injuries or property damage that occurs during an accident. The state legally enforces these insurance requirements through license suspensions, tickets, and other consequences.
Minimum Insurance Coverage Amounts
In Illinois, there are minimum liability insurance coverage values that must be maintained to drive legally.
The minimum insurance values listed above must be maintained to drive legally in the state, but many drivers opt for greater coverage values. Car owners with an active vehicle loan will be required to maintain collision insurance that covers repairs to their own vehicles in an accident. It's important to note that the damage costs of some accidents will exceed the minimum coverage requirements. The driver who is determined to be at fault for the accident can be sued for any overages that go beyond their insurance coverage, which is why it's beneficial to have greater coverage values. Illinois provides this insurance facts page for more information about the rules and requirements.
Every Illinois citizen must renew their license plate registration sticker once per year if they drive a standard vehicle. The renewal process is simple, but vehicles without an active renewal aren't legal to drive on the road and could cause the owner to get a ticket or even a license suspension.
Renew Plate Registration Online
Most Illinois residents renew their plate registration sticker online. Any resident with a Registration ID that includes an ID number and PIN can complete the renewal process online using an eCheck or credit card. The process only takes a few minutes and is simple to complete at the link above.
Without a registration card, individuals must call 800-252-8980 to get a Registration ID and PIN. Anyone located outside of Illinois should contact 217-785-3000 instead to receive the ID and PIN.
Renew Plate Registration In Person
Residents can visit the closest Secretary of State location and get help renewing their plate registration in person.
Get a Renewal Via Mail
Any Illinois residents who would prefer to renew their plate registration via the mail can do so by sending in their renewal notice to the Illinois Secretary of State and a check that's payable to the Illinois Secretary of State for the cost listed on the renewal notice document.
Multi-Year Specialty License Plate Renewals
Commercial and other specialty vehicles can often attain a multi-year plate registration. For more information about these special plate renewal costs and the process, see this Guide to Calendar Registration Fees from the Illinois Government.
Illinois residents are required to renew their driver's licenses on their birth date every one to four years, depending on their age. While between 21 and 80 each license renewal is valid for four years. Between 81 and 86 licenses must be renewed every 2 years, and after 87 years old, licenses must be renewed annually.
To renew a driver's license, residents must take their license renewal notice to a Secretary of State location or go through the online renewal process.
Residents Must Take the Written Exam Every 8 Years or Sooner
Any resident with a traffic violation is required to retake the written examination to renew their license at least once every eight years. Only individuals without any violations can skip this requirement.
Residents May Be Required to Take a Driving Exam Again
Some individuals who are involved in road accidents may be required to retake the written or driving exams before renewing their license.
More specifics about driver's license renewal procedures, documentation, and fees can be found on the State's Driver's License guide page.
Buying & Selling
When buying or selling a vehicle in the state of Illinois there are some serious considerations that must be made. Knowing how to properly research a vehicle is one thing every buyer should know, but both parties need to understand the title transfer process, too. All those things are explained within this Illinois Buying and Selling section.
Before buying any vehicle, it's important to have as much information about the car as possible. That's why every Illinois buyer is encouraged to obtain a Vehicle History Search or a License Plate Lookup from GoodCar. These reports come at a small cost while providing extensive information about the chosen vehicle. With a report, it's easy to see any title brands, previous owners, odometer readings, and open recalls and to see a full list of all the features as well as the possible options available for that vehicle. This information makes it easy to avoid troublesome Illinois cars before making a purchase.
During an Illinois vehicle sale, the seller must provide the buyer with all the information needed to fill out VSD 190, which is the state's Application for Vehicle Transactions form. This form can be used to transfer titles, license plates, and vehicle registrations.
The form requires the seller's information, the buyer's information, the sale price, odometer readings, lienholder information, the buyer's vehicle insurance information, and more to complete the transaction.
An Illinois title transfer comes with $95 in fees, as well as sales taxes and registration fees. Every vehicle purchase demands a title and registration transfer, though.
A buyer should bring this form with them when purchasing a vehicle and have the seller fill it out properly.
Registering and titling a vehicle comes with a variety of fees. Here is an overview of the most common fees that should be expected.
For a closer look at the Illinois vehicle service fees, see this Service Fees Page.
Be Aware of Sales Taxes
Buyers purchasing used or new vehicles must factor in the cost of sales tax for the state and local county. For most of Illinois, the tax is 7.5% of the vehicle's purchase price if stated or the fair market value of the vehicle if the price is not stated. There may be a small additional 0.75% added on for some counties or flat fees of as little as $10 and as much as $225, depending on the county. Use this Vehicle Use Tax Chart from the state government to try and estimate tax liabilities.
Buying or selling a vehicle in Illinois is a simple process with access to form VSD 190 as well as the necessary documentation and money for the associated fees. Understanding these requirements simplifies the buying process, and understanding how to get an Illinois vehicle history report helps buyers make an informed decision.
Laws and Regulations
Illinois drivers are governed by a variety of different laws, some of which many drivers don't understand well. Learning about these laws and what they mean is the first step toward being a safe driver.
Everyone riding in a vehicle is required to wear a legal seatbelt under Illinois state law. Failing to do so can result in fines for the passenger or the driver of the vehicle. Children under the age of 16 are the driver's responsibility to be buckled, and the driver will be ticketed if they are not. For all older passengers, they can be ticketed directly for failing to wear a seat belt.
Car Seat Laws
These Illinois vehicle laws are essential to know as a driver in Illinois. Learn the laws well and avoid the most common legal issues. Drivers can consult the Rules of the Road Workbook for more specific legal information.
Vehicle owners are allowed to tint their windows to help protect their eyes, and the vehicle interior and to give themselves more privacy. There are restrictions on the tint that can be used, though. Those restrictions are detailed below.
Qualified Medical Patients Can Have Tinted Windows
Some medical patients, such as those suffering from Lupus, can qualify to have tinted front windows in Illinois to protect their eyes. These vehicle owners must present a medical diagnosis from an accredited doctor and then go through the process to attain a specialty Window Tint license plate. There are new plate fees associated with this process, and then the special WT license plate must be installed on the vehicle. Get more specifics about this process on the Illinois Window Tint License Plate page.
New vehicles purchased within the last 12 months in Illinois may qualify for replacement through the Lemon law if they suffer from major issues that are not adequately repaired. According to state law, the vehicle must have fewer than 12,000 miles when a serious issue occurs with it that must be repaired by the manufacturer. The vehicle becomes a lemon if the same issue is improperly repaired four separate times or if the vehicle is in a garage having its issues repaired for at least 30 days during the first 12 months. If either condition is met, the vehicle may be considered a lemon and qualify for replacement. There is a legal process to have a vehicle replaced via the lemon law, and a legal professional should be consulted.
Every driver residing in Illinois must have a valid driver's license to avoid legal trouble. Obtaining a driver's license is a straightforward process once interested drivers understand the steps involved.
Drivers must first go through an online driver education course that takes several hours to complete. Once they finish the course, they can begin studying the Illinois Rules of the Road Workbook to prepare for the written examination to receive their Learner's Permit.
Once the individuals have an official Learner's Permit, they can begin practicing with a licensed adult until they are confident they can pass the Behind-The-Wheel Driving Test. They then schedule to take the test at a nearby location, bring their own vehicle, and pass the test in front of an instructor to gain the ability to get their full Illinois Driver's license.
Teens Must Take Driver's Ed as Well
Any teens between the ages of 15 and 17 are required to go through driver's ed courses that take approximately 30 hours to complete. The teen must provide proof of completing these courses before they are allowed to take their Behind-The-Wheel Driving test.
Transferring in an Out-Of-State License
Anyone who holds an out-of-state driver's license has a straightforward process to go through to convert that license into an Illinois license.
New residents must provide their out-of-state license to be cut up, along with the required identity documents, residency documents, and more at a Secretary of State facility.
Some new residents will be required to take a vision test or a written test. Some will also be required to take the driving test, though most are not. There is no definite information explaining who must take either the written or driving exams, so new residents must schedule an appointment and visit a local facility to find out whether either is required. Any drivers who wish to prepare for the written exam should read through the Illinois Rules of the Road Workbook to learn the information covered in the test.
Useful Things to Know
Maintaining, buying, and selling vehicles, as well as following state laws, are all important tasks to carry out as an Illinois resident, but there are other details to know as well. Find out useful extras such as crash trends, DMV facility locations, EV charge locations, and more.
Illinois Secretary of State and DMV Facilities
See where the nearest DMV location is and get in-person help for plate registration renewal, driver's license issues, and much more. Illinois DMV Facility Locator
Illinois EV Charge Locator
Find the nearest charging locations for electric vehicles in Illinois using this charge point locator. Illinois EV Charge Locator
Illinois Crash Statistics Illinois is an average state when it comes to safety, having the same number of traffic-related fatalities as the national average in 2021, according to the IIHS. There were 1,334 accident-related deaths that occurred from 1,210 accidents in 2021, which is a significant number that cannot be ignored. Get a fuller picture with car crash statistics from GoodCar.
Illinois Resources
Get the Latest Illinois Vehicle Information with GoodCar
Illinois vehicle owners owe it to themselves to have the most up-to-date information about state laws, maintenance requirements, recalls, and more. Refer to this useful resource for residents looking for help and GoodCar's VIN Check and license plate lookup tools for help getting additional information about specific vehicles.