Illinois Vehicle Registration

Registering a Vehicle in Illinois

You must register your vehicle through the Illinois Secretary of State facility

Read below to learn how to register a car in Illinois and what to expect. The process depends on whether you bought the vehicle from an Illinois car dealer or a private-party seller, and whether you are a current resident or new to Illinois.

What to bring to the IL SOS:

• A valid driver’s license.
• A completed Application for Vehicle Transaction(s) (Form VSD 190). Available for download through the Electronic Registration and Title system.
• Proof of car insurance.
• Proof of vehicle ownership (vehicle title).
• Completed Odometer Disclosure Statement for Title Transfers form
  (Form VSD 333)
• Acceptable form of payment for IL car registration fees and taxes.

Continue reading below for more details about how to register a vehicle in Illinois.

Illinois Vehicle Registration for New Residents

New to Illinois?

Illinois law requires you to apply for a title and Illinois vehicle registration within 30 days of establishing residency.

To register your vehicle, you’ll need to visit your local IL DMV facility and present the following:

• Completed Application for Vehicle Transaction(s) (Form VSD 190).
  • If you’ve completed this application online through the Electronic Registration and Title system, it is only valid for 7 days.
• Proof of Illinois residency.
• Proof of ownership via the original title and registration or a copy of the Title and Certificate of Origin.
  • If an out-of-state lienholder owns the vehicle, you’ll need a copy of the loan agreement and the bill of sale.
• A description of the vehicle including:
  • Year, make, and model.
  • VIN (Vehicle Identification Number).
  • Date of purchase.
  • Whether the vehicle was purchased new or preowned.
• If purchased from a private party, a completed Odometer Disclosure Statement for Title Transfers form (Form VSD 333) , signed by you and previous owner.
• If purchased from a private party, a completed Private Party Vehicle Tax Transaction form (Form RUT-50).
• If purchased from a dealer, a completed Vehicle Use Tax Transaction Return (Form RUT-25).
• Payment for IL car applicable fees, and taxes. Current registration for passenger vehicles is $151.

NOTE: If you ordered specialty license plates, delivery from the IL DMV can take up to 60 days. You will receive a Temporary Registration Permit (TRP). A TRP is valid for 90 days from the date of registration.

Registering Vehicles Purchased from an IL Dealer

When you purchase a vehicle from a licensed Illinois car dealership, they will take care of the Illinois vehicle registration process for you. The dealer will submit all necessary documents to the IL SOS on your behalf. Most Illinois car dealers have the authority to issue temporary IL registration and plates until your permanent decals arrive by mail.

The dealer must submit the following for you:

• Sales Tax Transaction Return (Form ST-556). Vehicles purchased from a dealer are subject to vehicle sales tax.
• A check for taxes made payable to the Illinois Dept. of Revenue.
• Application for Vehicle Transaction(s) (Form VSD 190).
• The surrender document.
• Title and registration fees.

Vehicles Purchased from a Private Party

In Illinois, if you purchase a vehicle from an individual you can register it within 20 days from the date of purchase.

To register your vehicle, visit your local IL SOS office and present:

• A completed Application for Vehicle Transaction(s) (Form VSD 190).
  • If you completed it online through the Electronic Registration and Title system, your application is only valid for 7 days.
• Proof of vehicle insurance.
• The vehicle title, properly assigned from the seller to the buyer.
• Lien holder information (if applicable).
• A completed Odometer Disclosure Statement for Title Transfers (Form VSD 333), signed by you and the previous owner.
• A completed Private Party Vehicle Tax Transaction form (Form RUT-50).
• Payment for IL car registration fees, and any applicable fees.

Registration for Military Drivers

In Illinois, military personnel who need to register a vehicle will follow the same process as civilian drivers. You can learn how to register a car in Illinois above.

If you are an Illinois resident, please refer to the Illinois Vehicle Registration section above about Registering Vehicles Purchased from an IL Dealer or Vehicles Purchased from a Private Party.

Registration for Non-Residents

The IL DMV does NOT require service members who are stationed in Illinois (but reside in another state) to register their vehicles in IL. IL military personnel must maintain current registration and car insurance from their home state. If they become a resident of the state, they’ll need IL car registration and should refer to the section above, Vehicle Registration for New Residents.

Renewing Your Illinois Vehicle Registration

In Illinois, you can renew your vehicle registration with the IL DMV online, in person, by phone or by mail.

To renew online, you will need the Illinois registration ID and PIN located on your renewal notice or on your current registration card. If you have neither of these numbers, you can call the Illinois Public Inquiry Division and they will provide your registration ID and PIN.

The IL SOS recommends you sign up to receive email notices about your upcoming vehicle expiration via its online portal. To sign up, you’ll need your registration ID and PIN.

You cannot renew Illinois vehicle registration if:

• Your vehicle information is not correct or current.
• You need to receive your renewal sticker at an out-of-state address.
• You want to switch out your license plates.

Online Registration Renewals in IL

To renew your IL vehicle registration online, visit the IL SOS’s online registration renewal portal.
Before you begin your renewal, you must have the following:

• An IL registration renewal notice.
• IL registration ID and PIN.
  • If you do not have an IL registration renewal notice, you can contact the Public Inquiry Division to obtain your registration ID and PIN.
• Your insurance company name, policy number and expiration date for the vehicle of the license plate you are renewing.
• Payment information for IL registration renewal fees.

IL Registration Renewals by Mail

To renew your Illinois vehicle registration by mail, please mail payment (check made payable to the Illinois Secretary of State) with your signed renewal notice.

If you do not have your notice or did not receive one, please gather the following:

• A letter containing your name and address, and license plate number.
• Copy of your current Illinois vehicle registration and vehicle information.

Mail everything to:

Illinois Secretary of State, Vehicle Services Dept.501 S. 2nd St.
Rm. 055
Springfield, IL 62756

NOTE: Allow 30 days for delivery of your new registration sticker.

Registration Renewals In Person

If you cannot renew your Illinois vehicle registration online, you can visit your local IL SOS facility and bring your registration renewal notice.

• If you do not have your notice or did not receive one, you’ll need to present:
  • Your current registration card.
  • Payment for your IL car registration fees.

Registration Renewals by Phone

To renew your IL vehicle registration by phone, please call the Illinois SOS at (866) 545-9609. The SOS office will ask you for:

• Your IL registration ID and PIN (which you can find on your registration renewal).
• Payment for your IL car registration fees.

Replace a Lost or Damaged Registration

If your Illinois vehicle registration card, license plate, or stickers have been lost, stolen, or damaged, you can apply for a replacement by mail or in person at your local IL DMV office.

To replace your IL registration card in person, you’ll need to present the following during your visit:

• A completed Application for Vehicle Transaction(s) (Form VSD 190).
• Payment for replacement registration ID card.

To apply by mail, please send the above to:

Illinois Secretary of State, Vehicle Services Dept. 501 S. 2nd St.
Rm. 055
Springfield, IL 62756

Changes to Your IL Car Registration

Name Changes on IL Registration

You can make changes to your name and/or address on your IL vehicle registration by mail or by visiting the IL SOS in person. To change a name on a registration, you must change the name on your vehicle title first. There is a $15 title correction fee.

To proceed, you’ll present the following at your local IL DMV office location:

• A completed Application for Vehicle Transaction(s) (Form VSD 190).
  • On the application you must indicate “Corrected Title.”
  • Be sure to write in the current vehicle odometer reading.
  • If the name change is due to death or divorce, the person releasing their interest on the vehicle must sign the application for duplicate title.
  • Your signature.
• Provide the legal documents supporting your name change such as:
  • Marriage license if the name change is due to marriage.
  • Divorce decree.
  • Another court-ordered name change document.
• Your original vehicle title (you must surrender your current title in person or include it in your mail correspondence).
• Payment for the $50 title fee.

To makes these changes by mail, send all of the above with your payment to:

Illinois Secretary of State, Vehicle Services Dept. 501 S. 2nd St.
Rm. 055
Springfield, IL 62756

Address Changes on IL Vehicle Registration

You can change your address with the IL DMV office online, by mail, or in person.

Please note, you must notify the DMV of your address change within 10 days of the address change. This will ensure you receive your vehicle registration notices. Once you’re ready, you can read the top part of this page to learn how to register a car in Illinois.

Online Address Change in Illinois

To change your address online, please visit the IL SOS website’s address change portal.

Be sure to select either verified OR non verified change. You can view the differences below.

• Verified address change.
  • A verified address change is an immediate update of the address on the vehicle registration. This option requires your Registration ID code and PIN number. You’ll need to pay $3 plus $1 processing fee.
• Non-verified address change.
  • A non-verified address change on a vehicle registration will not automatically update the address on the vehicle registration. The DMV does not require anyt payment, and there is a delay of 20 days while the SOS issues a verification letter with no response.

The IL SOS will also request your vehicle information (if non-verified) and your new address.

Address Changes By Mail

If you are changing your address at the time of registration renewal, please mark the Address Change box on the front of your IL renewal notice. Then, you can make changes in the Address Change section on the back of your notice.
To change your address any other time by mail, please write a letter to the IL SOS with your:

• Full name.
• License plate number.
• Ols Address.
• New Address.

Mail all of the above to:

Secretary of State, Vehicle Records Processing Division License Correction Section
501 S. 2nd St, Rm 624
Springfield, IL 62756

Address Changes in Person

To change your address in person, please visit any IL SOS office.
When you request an updated registration ID card, there is a $3 replacement fee. Otherwise, there is no fee if you do not require a replacement card.

Illinois Vehicle Registration Fees

In Illinois, Illinois Vehicle Registration fees depend on vehicle type, plate type and weight. Below are some of the applicable fees for your initial vehicle registration.

• License plates transfer fee: $25.
• Original title certificate fee: $155.
• Duplicate/corrected title fee: $50.
• Replacement registration ID card fee: $3.
• Sales tax – Tax must be paid on all vehicle sales between individuals using Private Party Vehicle Tax Transaction (Form RUT-50) .
  • The DMV calculates the amount of tax using:
    • • The model year of the vehicle if the selling price is less than $15,000.

    OR

    • The selling price, if it is more than $15,000.

Illinois registration fees for passenger vehicles will depend on your vehicle weight, type and type of plate.

Below are some of the current registration fees from the IL DMV:

• Passenger vehicles: $151.
• Passenger personalized: $158.
• B Trucks: $151.
• Motorcycles: $41.
• RV’s 8000 pounds or less: $78.
• RT’s (Recreational Trailers)-3001-8000 pounds: $30.