License Plate Covers - New Law

From Reader:
clear you are doing protecting yourself and keeping your plate clean and untarnished from weather. they are not illigal. only tinted dont listen to this guy.
Visibility of Plates” statute (31-3-12, RIGL), which reads…
Each registration plate and the required letters and numerals thereon, except the year number for which issued, shall be of sufficient size to be plainly readable from a distance of one hundred feet (100’) during daylight.
thats proof

From M/Sgt. Randy Ness:
The Trooper Talk blog is meant to cover ILLINOIS laws. I believe the regulations you are quoting are Rhode Island laws. As I have mentioned previously, laws among states may vary. I assure you that current ILLINOS law - which applies to residents and motorists in Illinois, prohibits either clear or tinted covers. The law previously allowed clear covers only, but was changed January 1st, 2006 to prohibit ANY covers, clear or tinted. (see below - 625ILCS, 5/12-610.5)
Sec. 12‑610.5. Registration plate covers.
(a) In this Section, "registration plate cover" means any tinted, colored, painted, marked, clear, or illuminated object that is designed to:
(1) cover any of the characters of a motor vehicle's

registration plate; or
(2) distort a recorded image of any of the characters
of a motor vehicle's registration plate recorded by an automated red light enforcement system as defined in Section 1‑105.5 of this Code or recorded by an automated traffic control system as defined in Section 15 of the Automated Traffic Control Systems in Highway Construction or Maintenance Zones Act.
(b) It shall be unlawful to operate any motor vehicle that is equipped with registration plate covers.
(c) A person may not sell or offer for sale a registration plate cover.
(d) A person may not advertise for the purpose of promoting the sale of registration plate covers.
(e) A violation of this Section or a similar provision of a local ordinance shall be an offense against laws and ordinances regulating the movement of traffic.
(Source: P.A. 94‑304, eff. 1‑1‑06.)

I just received a warning ticket for my clear plate cover.
While the ticket reads "tinted", the law states it is indeed for any cover as of 1-1-06. The Crystal Lake (IL) officer was nice about it, but be careful, many towns are investing money in the traffic cameras and the crackdown on plate covers will continue.
Also, it is in the publics best interest to be able to easily read all tags. There are many instances where eye witnesses could help nab the bad guy(s) quickly if they could read the tags.
Driving is a privilege not a right.
Rick Schultz
Wheeling, IL

From Nick M:
this has got to be the most stupid law ive ever heard of, Illinois is the worst state to live in when it comes to these little ticky tack laws, i mean anything i guess to help the police fill there quotas

From M/Sgt. Ness:
I'm sorry you feel that way, Nick. License plates are meant to be clear and easily read. Even the "clear" covers yellow, scratch, or get cloudy over time and generally make plates hard to read. Their built in reflectivity is also diminished by the covers. There is really no good reason for a plate cover. License plates are durable and if you want to keep them clean, just use a cleaning rag. Illinois is only one of a number of states that are no longer allowing them. I can assure you it has nothing to do with "quotas", only with proper vehicle identification. Thanks for writing.

I was wondering if you are allowed to spray paint your license plate if your tags are still showing
thanks

From M/Sgt. Ness:
Illinois Law requires that your plate be kept free of foreign materials and clearly visible. 625 ILCS 5/12-610.5 specifies that any "tinted, colored, painted, marked, clear or illuminated" object is prohibited. Hope that information is helpful.

I live in Missouri and there is a very good reason to have clear plate covers. If you don't have them thieves will steal your registration stickers. Then you have to file a police report and go back to the DMV and wait 4 hours to get new stickers. It wastes huge amounts of time for me, the police and the DMV. Good quality clear covers, made from plexiglass or high grade acrylic do not fade or yellow.

From M/Sgt. Ness:
Missouri law may allow you to have plastic covers, Illinois Law does not. I can understand your desire to prevent the theft of your license plate sticker, however current Illinois Law does not allow for covers of any kind over license plates. Theft deterrants are in place, however. The newer license plate stickers have registration numbers on them that trace them to the plate they were issued for. Also, when properly applied, the stickers can't easily be removed without damaging them. (if at all) Unfortunately, a determined thief can easily remove plastic covers to get at a sticker, so no method is foolproof. Thanks for writing.

License plate covers, whether clear or tinted, are illegal in Missouri as well. They reduce the reflective quality of the plate, making it particularly difficult to read at night.

I live in Missouri, and I can attest to the rampant problem of registration sticker theft. The current style plate was first issued in 1997 with month/year stickers in the bottom corners of the plate. Thieves would simply cut off the lower RH corner of the plate to obtain the year stickers, so Missouri leaders, in their infinite wisdom, decided to move the month/year stickers to the center of the plate in 2002.

The plates then had month/year stickers stacked in the center, usually with the month sticker over the year sticker, but sometimes vice versa depending on where the plate was issued. In 2004 plates were modified with a depression in the center to hold the stickers. Meanwhile, thieves simply cut up the center of the plates to obtain stickers (and I'm not sure why Missouri didn't see that coming).

I've used clear covers for almost a year after replacing multiple sets of plates. Not only have my stickers not been stolen, but the plates look much nicer. Missouri plates are low quality, as the paint came off the numbers and letters on previous sets I had before I used covers. Fortunately the law was cleared up earlier this year, and transparent covers are now allowed. It isn't like I'm trying to hide anything from the police, as my plate is fully legible, and I periodically remove the covers to ensure they're clean inside and out. Next year we're getting new plates with stickers that are supposedly harder to steal. I guess we'll see about that, since the sticker box is still supposed to be in the center of the plate. :-)

Officer Ness--

I obtained the following excerpt from the link provided above where it clearly states that the "registration plate cover" appliclable to the law must be specifically be DESIGNED to destort and/or reduce visibility of the plate. Most covers are designed not to cover characters, but to protect the entire plate from projectiles and the elements. If this isn't the latest law, please do correct me, however I have been unable to find ANY other statute or law dealing with registration plate covers.

(625 ILCS 5/12‑610.5)
Sec. 12‑610.5. Registration plate covers.
(a) In this Section, "registration plate cover" means any tinted, colored, painted, marked, clear, or illuminated object that is designed to:
(1) cover any of the characters of a motor vehicle's
registration plate; or

(2) distort a recorded image of any of the characters
of a motor vehicle's registration plate recorded by an automated red light enforcement system as defined in Section 1‑105.5 of this Code or recorded by an automated traffic control system as defined in Section 15 of the Automated Traffic Control Systems in Highway Construction or Maintenance Zones Act.

(b) It shall be unlawful to operate any motor vehicle that is equipped with registration plate covers.
(c) A person may not sell or offer for sale a registration plate cover.
(d) A person may not advertise for the purpose of promoting the sale of registration plate covers.
(e) A violation of this Section or a similar provision of a local ordinance shall be an offense against laws and ordinances regulating the movement of traffic.
(Source: P.A. 94‑304, eff. 1‑1‑06.)

******************************************************************

I will admit to being a consumer of the clear high-impact registration plate covers for both my front and rear license plates. In the third quarter of 2006, I was involved in a front-end collision, and though my vehicle required over $3K in repairs with the other vehicle being considered a total loss, my license plate incurred no damage.

I know that it may not be significant to you, but saving the $48 in plate replacement fees that I would have incurred without the plate cover (I had an IL DL, but my car was still registered in Ohio as I had just relocated) is pretty significant to a fresh-out-of-college girl in her first brand new car after dishing out a $500 collision deductible and nearly doubled insurance rates. The state trooper who was on the scene of the accident even commented on the durability of the cover, as it had sustained only a minor scratch and a spider crack, and continued to suggest I replace it to prevent getting a license plate obstruction ticket. He helped me remove it temporarily and I went on my merry way.

Since then, the plate cover has been replaced by the auto shop in Ohio and I've not heard a peep from an officer since.

As a side note, have you ever tried to just wipe off the fused-on bug guts from your license plate after a road trip as short as Columbus, Ohio to Chicago? Ohio plates are slightly textured, as are the Abe-Head Illinois plates, so it takes more than just wiping. My first plates got scotch brited because of bug guts and I ended up needing to buy new plates because the paint came off. The plates are also not exactly high quality and oxidize quickly thanks to the salt used on the local and state roads and highway/tollway systems.

Also, though the stickers now have your License plate # and the expiration date/year, how many police officers are going around looking at it? If it says '08, why bother? The itty bitty 10-pt font numbers don't really do any good until a stolen-sticker car is pulled over for another reason or the plates are run on car-boot patrol. My license plate bolts are weird, too...sort of like locking lugs, so you need a special key to remove them. To get to my sticker, you need to break the plate cover, and as described above, that's not an easy task.

(625 ILCS 5/12‑610.5)
Sec. 12‑610.5. Registration plate covers.
(a) In this Section, "registration plate cover" means any tinted, colored, painted, marked, clear, or illuminated object that is designed to:
(1) cover any of the characters of a motor vehicle's
registration plate; or

(2) distort a recorded image of any of the characters
of a motor vehicle's registration plate recorded by an automated red light enforcement system as defined in Section 1‑105.5 of this Code or recorded by an automated traffic control system as defined in Section 15 of the Automated Traffic Control Systems in Highway Construction or Maintenance Zones Act.

(b) It shall be unlawful to operate any motor vehicle that is equipped with registration plate covers.
(c) A person may not sell or offer for sale a registration plate cover.
(d) A person may not advertise for the purpose of promoting the sale of registration plate covers.
(e) A violation of this Section or a similar provision of a local ordinance shall be an offense against laws and ordinances regulating the movement of traffic.
(Source: P.A. 94‑304, eff. 1‑1‑06.)

FROM M/SGT. RANDY NESS:
Thanks for writing.

While the section in A-2 talks about "OR" distorting characters as you mention, it first says in A-1 that nothing can cover the plates characters, even, as noted, clear covers. The "or" separating subsections 1 & 2 makes either subsection illegal, --merely covering or distorting.

It also states in section B "It shall be unlawful to operate any motor vehicle that is equipped with registration plate covers". The wording again prohibits any sort of covers, as noted, "any tinted, colored, painted, marked, clear, or illuminated".

I understand the points you make in your E-mail, however the effect of this law as written by our lawmakers is to prohibit any sort of License plate covers whatsoever, and even make their sale illegal. I am not being unsympathetic to your opinions, but my purpose here is to help everyone understand the laws as written. I thank you for your E-mail.
Randy

I read an article in one of the Chicago papers a few weeks ago that the restriction on the use of clear license plate covers was going to be lifted in January or February of 2008. Is there any truth to this?

FROM M/SGT NESS:
I know of only the opposite. As of June 2008, a modification to an older section which corrects obsolete wording that appeared to allow clear covers goes into effect. Here is where you can read the section which has been signed by the Governor and is set to go into effect: http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=095-0029

First of all, I don't think it is fair to blame our Police Officers for the new plate law. They are just doing their job.

However, Blagojevich has repeatedly tried to pass stupid redundant laws. He is shameful in his disregard for the opinions of Illinois residents is abhorrent.

Now then, the law is stupid because it is REDUNDANT !!!
Illinois law states that all plates MUST be clearly seen. If you have a filthy plate cover, you deserve a ticket for being too lazy to clean it. Then why should I have to remove mine? I keep mine clean and Police can clearly see mine. When they begin to get old or scratched, I simply replace them.

What? I cant be trusted to keep up on my car maintenance? If I were, I would receive a ticket now wouldn't I !?!? What we DON'T NEED is more stupid/redundant laws.

What is this!?!?! "preemptive crimefighting!????"
What does Blagojevich think !! Now that I have a sun-damaged and cloudy plate cover, I will use this opportunity to rob a bank!?!?!

Typical Blagojevich "nanny state" mentality.

Today I had to spend money on something I didn't need...something that did absolutely nothing to make anyones job easier or protect the public.

Way to go Rod, one step closer to Socialism.

SIGH

I bought my car a little over 3 months ago from Mcgrath Automotive In Chicago. When they put my plates on the also put on clear covers. If the covers are Illegal than why is this company doing this?

Anyway I am glad I came across this web site because that is all I need, another ticket!

The whole issue is a simple one. 95% Money and 5% Safety. If people are allowed to put license plate covers on their cars, they will start buy ones that distort the image of the characters from high angles (i.e. Red Light cameras, I-Pass cameras etc..). To rational and law abiding people, having a cover that does not distort the view of a road level police car (or in some cases enhances it) makes sense, and people support this, the controversial issue comes with distortion of the cameras on poles in the sky (i.e. Big Brother). When the local and state governments cannot simply setup a camera...then send you a bill in the mail that you must pay or go to a court hearing for....well, that will affect revenues. The jury is still out as to whether these camera's actually improve public safety. My personal opinion is they don't, I have seen many people making slamming on their brakes to avoid a ticket...On icy roads in Chicago, this is an absolute nightmare.

Reading through this blog from a few years ago I have a question as to how state statue can be enforced if the vehicle is tagged in another state. I am frequently in Chicago and I am a florida resident where tint on the windshield is allowed, and I have gotten a few tickets for the tint and disputed the tickets and one because there is a statute saying that it is erroneous for an out of state tagged vehicle to get a ticket for that state's laws. Does this apply for tinted license plate covers as well? If you are visiting out of town and have one, do you get a ticket while in Illinois? Because it is obvious that not all officers know the statues of each state, so how can they enforce their laws on out of state residents visiting? Are motorist supposed to take off their plate cover and peel off their factory installed tint because they are driving through another state where it is illegal?

Just curious about this one!