Post edited 12:33 pm – April 19, 2011 by Ggg

There has been a little discussion on license plates and what is required. I am no expert on the subject but have some first hand knowledge on it. For many years, going back to when all truck plates had to be safety inspected 3/4 and 1 ton pick up trucks drove around with B-truck plates and nobody cared or minded. About two years ago the police (usually state) increased enforcement of license plate class, and safety inspection laws and the amount of tickets written seemed to increase. This is not based on hard numbers but rather a increase in web activity on camping, off road, and boating web sites. On these sites there was a notable increase in threads about getting tickets in IL for trucks with out of class plates, and no safety inspection, even if they were from out of state. Most of the people had 3/4 or 1 ton trucks or SUV's running B-truck plates. I am not going to venture a guess as to why this increase happened. Some claim economic reasons but who knows for sure. I live out in a rural area and see a lot of trucks most of which still run B-truck plates. But after talking to some people at bars, restaurants, fuel stations, drivers license facility, etc. (very scientific research I know) there seems to be an increase in people getting D-truck plates. About 4 years ago the state passed a law that states any trailer with a TC or heavier plate must be towed by a vehicle having a current safety inspection sticker as well as the trailer must have a current safety sticker. 

I didn't think too much about getting new plates until last summer when a friend called me in need of some help with the law. He was on his way to the Dells when he was pulled over on I90 and had a lot of tickets being issued to him. His family was taken to the Belvidere oasis to await someone to pick them up while my friend was taken to jail and his vehicle was impounded. Very long story short most tickets were dismissed, but the out of class and no safety inspection tickets were upheld.

After doing a lot of looking on state websites and talking with Secretary of State officers it was clear as mud. There is a lot of conflicting terminology on the rule books and state brochures. But the term that seems to stick the best is "weight class". Some literature states vehicle weight but most say weight class as far as determining what plates you need. Since Mfg. do not have well defined weight classes for light duty vehicles the courts have gone to GVWR as defining what the Mfg. intended the max vehicle's weight to be. Another benefit is the police do not have to weigh every vehicle at scales for weight class infractions, it's printed right on your door jamb. The Sec of State was rather clear that they go by the GVWR and the law has been that way for a long time. So this means all 3/4 ton and heavier vehicles are subject to D- truck plates, including all Ford Excursions and 3/4 ton Chevy Suburbans. (they like to look for those I was told) Vanity plates such as Peace, Fire fighter, cancer survivor, etc are considered to fall into the max weight class of 8000#.

So it seemed I needed to upgrade my plates. I didn't like it one bit, the cost is double, I can't park on the streets in some suburbs, certainly I must abide by truck route road limitations (I can't drive on some streets and boulevards), and I must deal with getting safety inspections twice a year. 

Here is a link to some license plate info from the state.

http://www.sos.state.il.us/pub….._guide.pdf

Trailer plate info;

http://www.cyberdriveillinois

http://www.cyberdriveillinois……ailer.html

Post edited 12:45 pm – April 19, 2011 by Ggg

I wish it were just that simple to be able to live there. Considering the political volatility in WI, I wouldn't hold my breath that anything will remain the same as usual.

As far as the plate requirements go in WI that is how it used to be enforced here in IL.