The legislation authorizing the state issuance of license plates also provided for the registration and plating of motorcycles, and issued special licenses and plates to mechanics and chauffeurs. Front and rear plates were required each year, along with an aluminum dashboard disc whose number matched the serial on the plate. The state began to issue license plates in 1911. Registrants were issued a numbered aluminum disc to place on their dashboard, but they had to provide their own license plates. Plates belong to vehicle owners, so they can be transferred from one vehicle to another.Īutomobile owners in Illinois were first required to register their vehicles with the Secretary of State's office in 1907, paying a one-time registration fee of $2. Plates were issued annually until 1979 multi-year plates have been issued ever since. As of 2023, plates are issued by the Illinois Secretary of State.įront and rear plates are required on most vehicle types, with the exception of motorcycles, motor-driven cycles, and trailers. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1911, when the state began to issue plates. state of Illinois first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1907.
