(a) Every natural person shall have the right of reassignment of the license number issued to him during the current registration plate or digital registration plate term, for the ensuing registration plate or digital registration plate term, provided his or her application for reassignment is received in the Office of the Secretary of State on or before September 30 of the final year of the registration plate or digital registration plate term as to a vehicle registered on a calendar year, and on or before March 31 as to a vehicle registered on a fiscal year. The right of reassignment shall apply to every natural person under the staggered registration system provided the application for reassignment is received in the Office of the Secretary of State by the 1st day of the month immediately preceding the applicant’s month of expiration.
     In addition, every natural person shall have the right of reassignment of the license number issued to him for a two-year registration, for the ensuing two-year period. Where the two-year period is for two calendar years, the application for reassignment must be received by the Secretary of State on or before September 30th of the year preceding commencement of the two-year period. Where the two-year period is for two fiscal years commencing on July 1, the application for reassignment must be received by the Secretary of State on or before April 30th immediately preceding commencement of the two-year period.

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Terms Used In Illinois Compiled Statutes 625 ILCS 5/3-421

  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • Month: means a calendar month, and the word "year" a calendar year unless otherwise expressed; and the word "year" alone, is equivalent to the expression "year of our Lord. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.10
  • State: when applied to different parts of the United States, may be construed to include the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" may be construed to include the said district and territories. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.14

     (b) Notwithstanding the above provision, the Secretary of State shall, subject to the existing right of reassignment, have the authority to designate new specific combinations of numerical, alpha-numerical, and numerical-alpha licenses for vehicles registered on a calendar year or on a fiscal year, whether the license be issued for one or more years. The new combinations so specified shall not be subject to the right of reassignment, and no right of reassignment thereto may at any future time be acquired.
     (c) If a person has a registration plate in his or her name and seeks to reassign the registration plate to his or her spouse, the Secretary shall waive any transfer fee or vanity or personalized registration plate fee upon both spouses signing a form authorizing the reassignment of registration.
     (c-1) If a person who has a registration plate in his or her name seeks to reassign the registration plate to his or her child, the Secretary shall waive any transfer fee or vanity or personalized registration plate fee.