Check License Plate Status in Illinois

Do you hesitate whether to buy that perfectly good-looking van or not? Have you any doubts about its basic features? We are very well aware that purchasing a new car (even if it is a used one) is a huge expenditure.

Therefore, we have prepared this piece of writing to assist you to make a better and more conscious decision. This article is going to be a major guide for you in this process of research and preparation.

Here you can know how to check license plate status in Illinois and perform a lookup. The latter is helpful when you want to be informed about theft and accident history, special-purpose designation, and so on. Also, you will know how to register and title your automobile and obtain a placard.

Table of Contents

Check license plate status: Illinois

Read this article if you recently moved to Illinois or purchased a car. As a van owner, you have a responsibility to keep up with the proper paperwork.

Running lookup

Let’s say you like a machine. But you are aware of its basic characteristics only externally. Run a search if you are willing to obtain a detailed report and be informed about its past owners, accident and robbery history, odometer reading, and many more details.

With this in mind, go to the lookup websites and enter your VIN (vehicle identification number). If you like the product anyway there is paperwork followed by this stage.

Registration

Once you enter IL or buy an auto you have thirty day-period to register it. After doing that you will acquire a permit. At this point, that is a temporary registration but it allows you to legally drive. The drivers may drive with those placards for only a maximum of ninety days. Then the real ones will arrive if they apply for it.

The institution which is responsible for issuing tags is the Secretary of State Office.

Titling

The next thing is titling the machine which costs $150. After this step, you get a document that serves as proof that you own the automobile. It takes 3-4 weeks to complete this after your application. Just make the payment to the Department of Revenue and complete 1 of these docs:

Tax Form RUT-50 (If you would like to transfer ownership from one individual to another.)
Tax Form RUT-25 (If you are new in IL and have bought the means of transport from an out-of-state dealer.)

Obtaining a License plate

Last but not least, you can receive your tag when you complete the above-mentioned two steps. Then order it by following these procedures:

Fill in and submit Application for Vehicle Transaction(s) (VSD 190).
Submit a copy of your machine’s certificate of ownership.
Pay the fee (Its amount is determined by sticker’s category or van’s weight.).

Bring the docs to the State of Secretary (501S. Second St., Rm. 055, Springfield, IL 62756) or go to its local facility in person. Alternatively, you may mail them the required documents. After all these, it would take 60-90 days to process your petition (unlike its neighbor Indiana where you would need a 21 business days period to receive your tags).

In the meantime, if you have not received your sticker within this period visit your local facility and reapply so that they would order another set. No additional payment is necessary for it.

In addition, for replacing the damaged or lost sticker you have to apply online. At this stage, besides the application, you need your registration ID and PIN. The latter is located on the registry card.

Types

Very importantly, there are different kinds of placards: disability, passenger, specialty, collegiate, and panhellenic series, antique, first responders, recreational trailer, military, sporting series, and professional sports. You can order any of them if you are eligible for that particular type.

Checking status and requesting information

To follow up your license plate state in Illinois visit the official website and write your PIN and registering ID. If you don’t have those just call at 800-252-8980 and get them from the Public Inquiry Division.

If you are willing to attain vehicle info you have 2 options: either visit in person (501S. Second St., Rm. 408, Springfield, 62756) or fill in the Secretary of State Information Request Form. Be sure to sign and date it. In addition, enclose the payment.

As for price, title/registration search costs $10 together ($5 each). Analogous to that, certified for court info is $10. Regarding the time frame, the record might be released within ten days.

To reveal whether your car is registered in IL or not you need to request through the Status Inquiry Service. Just enter the VIN and see the results.