Illinois License Plates

JR Wald print-to-emboss style began in January 2024 around EN 76001, low EN 76074.

Vehicles displaying these plates may only be driven to and from an antique auto show, exhibition, service station, or demonstration. Black on tan, validated for 5 years at a time.

B Truck plates are for weights of 8,000 lbs. or less. Seven-digit all numeric format started in 2011 at 1000000 after 99 999 Z, low 1000751.

Original series #96 reported as a low by Keith Foreman.

This updated B truck series for GVW 8,000 lbs. or less appeared in 2020, low 2875731.

Previous base high 2873731

JR Wald print-to-emboss style appeared in 2024, low 3900000B.

Original font high 3895200B.

GVW 8,001 - 10,000 lbs. JR Wald square dies appeared in 2024 at 210001 C.

51 273C/V reported by Ace on 2009-10-17, but this was for a Trailer, so different blocks of numbers may be used for different classes.

Illinois EV plates debuted in 2008 for a reduced cost and renewed every 2 years, low 1 EL.

JR Wald print-to-emboss style appeared in 2023, low 80897 EL.

Previous type high: 80730 EL

Vehicles displaying these plates during the months of January-March and November-December may only be driven to and from an antique auto show or exhibition, service station or demonstration. Vehicles displaying these plates during the months of April-October may be driven on the highways without being subject to the restrictions of a standard antique vehicle plate.

Common black on green graphic plate with embossed numbers and rim. Found on rental cars, fleet telecom vans, UPS vehicles and others.

At what point (date and plate #) did NC dies appear on this series?

Keith Foreman reported a low of F/P4955.

New designer style

Illinois Commerce Commission. C 2 reported as a low by Ace. Now identical to State Police plates, but with C prefix.

Annual plates; different color scheme every year.

Annual plates.

This a new 2015 issue and is dark blue on bright green. Also has LIVERY spelled vertically on the left side of plate then a space between that & the serial.

1L/Y reported as the low by Mike Macik. 26L/Y was reported by Keith Foreman.

Mini Abe graphic, low AA 693 in this format.

Green on white

M 4 and M 5 observed as lows in use by the Venice Police Dept.

M 301 observed as Municipal Wheelchair by Jeff Glenn on 2008-03-06.

Keith Foreman reports Municipal Trailer M 098509. The leading zero apparently is only on Trailer plates. In addition to the usual small P (for Permanent) in the upper left corner, Trailer has a small T in the upper right.

Normal spacing for this type is M 123 456, but M192083 and several others used variable spacing.

M/P10 reported as a low by Keith Foreman.

"Print-to-emboss" style appears to have started in 2024 by P1229815.

Kev reports P 5 as a low, owned by Ernie's Wrecker Service.

Public Transportation license plates are issued to any privately owned First or Second Division motor vehicle used, maintained or operated for the non-emergency transportation of persons for compensation.

At what # did JR Wald "Print to Emboss" style begin?

Green cursive and Abe format.

1R/V reported as a low by Keith Foreman.

1333 SB reported as a low by Jeff Glenn.

Stacked S/T along right side. Dies changed from original high 977033 to JR Wald print-to-emboss low 986103.

Kev reported 1 S/T as a low, Lindahl Construction has 1-100 on semi trailers.

This baseplate may replace the S green small P perm plates used on Sheriff vehicles. Numbering format is S 1-23. with the first number being the county number, and the second number being the unit number. County numbers (1-102) are determined alphabetically by county name.

Ace reports just plain 2 on the State Police format with no S or county number.

State-operated vehicles, low U 3, odd U 66A with A suffix smaller than the numbers.

This is not the annual baseplate used for City of Chicago taxis. Ace reports it appears that most, if not all numbers below 10000 in this series are dedicated to the City of Chicago.

Keith Foreman reports 2 TX as a low.

See History tab for numbering format evolution.

Smaller Motorcycle Temporary plates also exist with 5 digits instead of 6, high 95K 103 2015-05-23 Keith Foreman.

1 17T/W reported as a low by Ace.

There is a Motorcycle Trailer plate that is the same size as Motorcycle plates, but it resembles standard T/A plates.

Motorcycle Trailer high: 2013A T/A 2014-07-19 David Wilson

Blue on white

A low of 28 was observed by Joey Hurd.

Keith Foreman reports B 803 on a Motorcycle plate, same format as Pass. plates, but in the smaller Motorcycle size.

This special series on Lincoln fade base signifies authorized tint. Front vehicle windows are not allowed to be tinted in Illinois without approval from a doctor.

Joey Hurd reported 1013A/G as a general issue low.

37 P/A reported as a low by Joey Hurd. 1001 P/A was also spotted by Joey Hurd. It was the first regular over-the-counter issue of this type.

21 A/R reported as a low by Joey Hurd.

Debuted 2011

Eric Bryden spotted 8996C/P in March 2025 but suspects it may represent a badge number that was issued out of sequence by request.

1001E/D spotted by Joey Hurd. That is the lowest available for a regular issue, however, Joey also reports 1E/D that belongs to a politically well-connected person. 3E/D has also been seen by Joey.

E 11 reported as a low on the original type by Joey Hurd.

31E/N reported as a low by Keith Foreman on the second type.

2L/E reported as a low by Keith Foreman.

17F/F reported as a low by Jeff Glenn

H 19 reported as a low by Mike Macik. These will be replaced by H/I suffix plates so the H series will be available for eventual use in the passenger series. 14H/I reported as a low on the new series by Joey Hurd.

1I/P reported as a low by Jeff Glenn.

Move to A000 I/P format once 9999 I/P was reached. Cristian Ponce estimated this occurred in May 2026.

16C/A reported as a low by Keith Foreman.

1 H/S reported as a low by KE4MAN.

19A/L reported as a low by Joey Hurd. The A/L suffix is screened in red.

2 M/M reported as a low by Keith Foreman.

4C/B reported as a low by Joey Hurd.

6A/N reported as a low by Keith Foreman. 1095A/N reported as a general low by Joey Hurd.

1D/N reported as a low by KE4MAN.

Eric Sivertsen reports 1Y/P as a low.

1P/F reported as a low by Joey Hurd.

7P/V reported as a low by Jeff Glenn.

This is an optional plate, not a special event plate. 6S/S reported as a low by Ace.

65S/F reported as a low by Jeff Glenn.

1S/W reported as a low by Jeff Glenn.

284S/D reported as a low by Joey Hurd.

1S/P reported as a low by Joey Hurd.

160S/Y reported as a low by Ace.

1A/A reported as a low by Noodle.

This series has gone through three designs, the latest of which was adopted in 2019.

2A/C reported as a low by Joey Hurd.

First Ill. college series honoring an out of state college.

Julie reports 3 WS as a low.

98W/P reported as a low by Joey Hurd.

7R/F reported as a low by Joey Hurd.

This type debuted in November 2009.

Joey Hurd observed 8D/V as a low.

70N/G reported as a low by Eric Sivertsen.

Pearl Harbor Survivor plates with a P prefix will be replaced with a P/H suffix so the P series will be available for eventual use in the passenger series.

968P/R reported as a low by Ace.

A 12 reported as a low by Eric Sivertsen on the previous format. A 13112 reported by Joey Hurd as the high.

Purple Heart plates now have a stacked P/R prefix to eliminate the former A prefix plates for eventual use as passenger series.

53 SV reported as a low by Jeff Glenn.

U/S is the universal plate for people in any branch of the armed forces. Joey Hurd reports 35U/S as the low for this type.

635K/W reported as a low by Keith Foreman.

2V/N reported as a low by Joey Hurd.

199W/W reported as a low by Ace.

First available July 15, 2008. Same as other Veteran design, but smaller.

156C/K reported as a low by Ace.

Dustin Schuchard confirmed that all 900 0000 series plates were issued at car dealerships and Secretary of State offices.

Joey Hurd observed the Abe graphic was made lighter and the blue band across the bottom was made thinner somewhere in the 550 0000 series. 554 8454 high thicker band, 555 4864 low newer thinner band.

Series Lows: Joe Hurd saw 100 0032 on 8/25/04. Ace reported 100 0010 on 8/18/07. On 12/7/13, Joe Hurd reported a low of 100 0008 belonging to retired Governor Jim Thompson. Noodle observed 8, the lowest number not reserved for a government official.

This format debuted in 2006 after prior all-numeric 2001-series plates exhausted. This new format was G12 3456 and used letters remaining G, X, A, H, K, L, N, P, R, S, V, E, Y67-99* and Z**.

*fill-ins after previous base left off at Y67.

Highs in order of prefix letter appearance:

G high - G98 0207

X high - X99 9936

A high - A99 7721

H high - H99 9122

K high - K99 8417

L high - L99 8688

N high - N99 9933

P high - P99 9967

R high - R99 9984

S high - S99 8541

V high - V99 7027

E high - E99 9411

Y high - Y99 7101

Illinois does not generally issue a leading zero on any types other than State-Owned Trailer. Keith Foreman spotted an unusual general issue number, 0111. Joey Hurd advised Illinois issues leading "0" for passenger dealer series and for the highly-coveted four-digit plates. They are available through connections to IL State Gov't.

Some older numbers are sometimes found on newer bases:

Gunther Frostyburger spotted C89 7813 even though C-prefix was not otherwise used in this series. He also observed 1983-base numbers T51 9581 and T 60 0169 on the 2001-06 base.

**Keith Foreman spotted what was believed to be the only known Z-prefix plate Z18 1263 in this format on 2014-08-26. Keith also spotted older number Z30 641 remade on a 2001-06 base plate.

Y67 6916 re-made on the 2001 Abe base, observed by Mark O'Neil on 12-31-05.

Y67 7457 re-made on the 2017 Abe base, observed by Cristian Ponce on 09-19-23.

For newer observations see "B Truck" buckets elsewhere on this page.

Joey Hurd reports 1515 P/B/O as mint leftover stock.