Illinois law dictates specific regulations for displaying license plates, registration stickers, and temporary registration permits. License plates for vehicles (excluding motorcycles, motor tricycles, trailers, semitrailers, apportioned buses, or apportioned trucks) must be attached to both the front and rear of the vehicle. Plates for motorcycles, motor tricycles, trailers, or semitrailers must be attached to the rear. Plates for apportioned trucks or apportioned buses must be attached to the front.
Each license plate must be securely fastened to the vehicle horizontally to prevent swinging and positioned no less than five inches (12.7 cm) from the ground, measured from the bottom of the plate. The plate must be displayed in a clearly visible position and maintained free from any materials that obscure it. Motorcycle license plates may be mounted vertically as long as they remain clearly visible.
Registration stickers issued as evidence of annual registration must be affixed to license plates as required by the Secretary of State and must remain clearly visible at all times. For vehicles equipped with a rear-mounted forklift, if the rear license plate is securely fastened horizontally as required, the plate and registration sticker are not required to be visible at all times if obscured by the rear-mounted forklift.
Temporary registration permits must be securely attached to a vehicle in the manner prescribed by the Secretary of State. If a permit is attached to a vehicle in any other manner, it is not valid.
Illinois license plates or registration stickers are only valid for display during the registration period or before the prescribed expiration date. Operating a vehicle with expired plates or stickers is a violation of the law.
The use of license plate covers is illegal in Illinois. Selling or offering for sale license plate covers is also a violation of the law. Advertising intended to promote the sale of license plate covers is also prohibited.
Modifying the original mounting position of a rear license plate to conceal the plate or to intentionally obstruct a law enforcement officer from gathering registration information is a violation of the law. This includes using electronic devices to obscure the plate.
Registration stickers must be affixed to the upper right corner of the rear license plate or in a manner otherwise prescribed by the Secretary of State. However, registration stickers issued for apportioned trucks must be attached to the upper right corner of the front license plate.
No emblems, insignias, stickers or other objects not issued or approved by the Secretary of State may be attached to a license plate. Altering, manipulating or modifying any evidence of registration issued by the Secretary of State in any way from its original condition as issued is illegal. Operating a vehicle with altered evidence of registration or displaying any unauthorized emblems, insignias, stickers or objects is a violation of the law.
