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The first phase of the program
generated $7.7 million for the state from scofflaws. According to
White, 99,347 Illinois motorists applied for the new designed plates
who had not renewed their registration the previous year.
"The first phase of the process was a
success," White said. "No other state in the nation has completed
this large of a re-plating project in a one-year period."
The first phase took place from August
2001 through July 2002. Of the 7.15 million license plates sold, 71
percent of the drivers retained their previous letter-number
combination, which is allowed under Illinois law.
"At this point, everyone who renewed
their regular passenger plate by the deadline should have received
newly designed plates and should now have those plates displayed,"
White said. "If drivers have the old passenger plates, they should
notify our office immediately."
White is urging motorists who are still
displaying an old design license plate to call (217) 558-0515.
Drivers with expired registrations can be cited for "no valid
registration," resulting in a $75 fine.
Starting in mid-November, the office
began mailing motorists with certain specialty plates their newly
designed plates.
These plates have been redesigned using
larger alphanumeric characters to make them easier for law
enforcement to identify. The new design also accommodates the new,
smaller sticker.
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second column in this article]
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Those specialty plates include
mammogram, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Congressional Medal of Honor,
Gold Star, Silver Star, Master Mason, hearing impaired, disabled
veteran, retired Armed Forces, Illinois National Guard, Peoria
Wildlife Prairie Park, ham radio, Armed Forces Reserve, Korean War
veteran, Vietnam veteran, ex-POW's, World War II, Pearl Harbor
survivor, Illinois/Michigan Canal, POW/MIA, and all sporting series
and collegiate plates
Most Illinois motorists with one of
these plate categories will be receiving the new plate within the
next couple of weeks. These new plates will carry the same
expiration date as the old, so motorists will be required to
purchase their sticker during their normal renewal month. Anyone who
has not received his or her plate by mid-December should call the
re-plating number listed above.
Also, phase three began this month,
which includes the re-plating of B truck, environmental, prevent
violence, firefighters, TA trailers, motorcycles and RV/RT as they
expire in calendar year 2003.
Phase three differs from phase two
because motorists will receive their renewal notices in the mail
instead of the actual plates. After that, those drivers will be able
to renew their plates through the mail, by phone on the Internet or
at a facility.
Drivers with disability plates will be
receiving specific instructions soon for the April re-plating.
Motorists
with any questions or problems about their plates are again reminded
to call (217) 558-0515.
[Illinois secretary of
state press release] |
