Check Out Illinois' New License Plate Design

By Stephen Gossett in News on Nov 16, 2016 3:33PM

Illinois Secretary of State

When the new year arrives, it'll bring with it a rollout of a snazzy Illinois license plate redesign, Secretary of State Jesse White announced on Tuesday.

The plate's new look, which White said will bring no additional cost for motorists, should stand up better to weather and use. Plates haven't been replaced on a large scale in some 15 years, and the old ones are getting rusty and losing reflectivity, which poses problems for law enforcement, according to White.

“This is a forward-thinking, long-term solution that does not require a complete replating overhaul, which would cost around $60 million,” White said in a statement. “This plan removes older plates and replaces them with newly designed plates within our current budget. This will ensure that plates are appropriately replaced with the ultimate goal being no license plate on the road will be more than 10- years-old.”

But enough about function; how 'bout that form? With Lincoln posed on the left, foregrounded by the Chicago skyline, which fades into the state capitol building, it's... not bad. Perhaps a bit on the nose and a little busy, but not bad.

The staggered rollout begins next year, with replacement plates first going to motorists with the oldest plates, which were manufactured in 2000 and 2001; then plates from 2002 and 2003 will be replaced in 2018, etc. Vehicle owners will be contacted by mail when they qualify.

And if you just can't wait, you can get a new plate ahead of schedule, starting in January, for $29.