Is it OK to drive with expired plates in Illinois? Here’s how much it could cost you
Have you noticed cars with expired license plates in Illinois, or have you been putting off that trip to the Illinois Department of Motor Vehicles to renew yours?
If your registration has expired in Illinois, you may want to take care of it as soon as possible to avoid potentially paying for a ticket and a fine for late registration.
The Illinois Vehicle Code says it is unlawful for any person to drive or knowingly allow someone else to drive their vehicle that is not appropriately registered with fees paid. Vehicles may be lawfully operated with a temporary permit for a 90-day period.
You can renew your registration online or at a DMV office. Some banks and currency exchange companies in Illinois also sell registration stickers. You will need your registration ID and PIN from your current registration card to renew. If you don’t have these, you can call 800-252-8980.
It costs $151 for a set of two standard license plates and registration in Illinois. The renewal sticker is also $151 for a standard plate, while the fee for renewing a vanity plate costs $164. When initially registering a vehicle, there’s also a title fee of $165.
Authorities across the state write tickets for expired tags, though some officers may issue warnings for first-time offenses or recently expired tags. The Belleville Police Department issued nine tickets for driving with expired registration from Jan. 1, 2022, to May 17, 2024, a spokesperson wrote in an email to the News-Democrat.
How much can expired plates cost?
The late fee for re-registering an expired plate is typically $20, and driving with an expired registration can lead to a $90 ticket, Fox 2 reported in January 2023.
Illinois law also prohibits the public parking of vehicles with expired registrations. Fines and fees may vary by municipality.
In some cases, you may have to replace your license plates if they’ve been expired for a while.
The Office of the Illinois Secretary of State’s website has an online tool you can use to find out how to register your vehicle in the Land of Lincoln, whether you just moved to Illinois, purchased a new vehicle, inherited a car or paid off a car loan.
This story was inspired by an email from a reader. If you have a question about the law in Illinois, we’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Metro-east Matters form below.
