Fine for Driving With Suspended Registration in Illinois
Driving a vehicle with a suspended registration in Illinois can result in a serious court penalty, especially when the registration was suspended for failure to maintain required car insurance.
If your Illinois vehicle registration was suspended for noninsurance, driving that vehicle can result in a fine of $1,000 to $2,000 under 625 ILCS 5/3-708.
That court fine is separate from the $100 registration reinstatement fee that may be required to restore your vehicle’s registration through the Illinois Insurance Verification System, commonly called ILIVS.
If your registration was suspended because Illinois could not verify your car insurance, you will generally need to address the insurance requirement, have the required insurance information submitted through ILIVS, pay any applicable reinstatement fee, and confirm that your registration has been restored before driving the vehicle again.
What a Suspended Registration Means in Illinois
A suspended registration means the State of Illinois has temporarily made the vehicle’s registration invalid.
The suspension applies to the vehicle and its license plates. It does not automatically mean that the registered owner’s driver’s license is suspended.
Illinois registrations can be suspended for several reasons, but one increasingly common reason is an insurance verification problem through the Illinois Insurance Verification System.
Illinois requires most registered vehicles that are being driven to maintain liability insurance. The state electronically verifies insurance coverage through ILIVS.
If Illinois cannot verify insurance on a vehicle, the registered owner may receive a notice requesting information or proof of coverage.
If the insurance issue is not successfully resolved, the Secretary of State can suspend the vehicle’s registration.
An expired registration and a suspended registration are not the same thing.
An expired registration generally means the registration renewal period has passed.
A suspended registration means the state has taken action preventing the registration from being valid until the suspension requirements have been satisfied.
If you receive an Illinois registration suspension notice, read it carefully to determine why the registration was suspended and what steps are required to restore it.
What Is the Fine for Driving With Suspended Registration in Illinois?
If the registration was suspended because of noninsurance, Illinois law provides a specific penalty.
Under 625 ILCS 5/3-708, a person may not operate a vehicle whose registration has been suspended under Illinois’ mandatory insurance provisions.
For a first conviction, the violation is a business offense and carries a fine of:
$1,000 to $2,000.
For a second or subsequent conviction, the offense becomes a Class B misdemeanor and still carries a fine of:
$1,000 to $2,000.
This penalty is different from simply receiving a ticket for driving without insurance.
It is also separate from the administrative fee required to reinstate the suspended registration.
Court Fine vs. Registration Reinstatement Fee
There are two different amounts that people sometimes confuse.
Driving while the registration is suspended for noninsurance:
The statutory court fine is $1,000 to $2,000.
Reinstating an insurance-related registration suspension:
The standard reinstatement fee is generally $100, assuming the case falls under the normal mandatory-insurance suspension provisions.
Paying the $100 reinstatement fee does not resolve a traffic citation that has already been issued.
Likewise, paying a court fine does not automatically reinstate the vehicle’s registration.
The court case and the Secretary of State registration suspension are separate matters.
What Happens When ILIVS Cannot Verify Your Insurance?
Illinois uses the Illinois Insurance Verification System (ILIVS) to electronically verify whether registered vehicles have required liability insurance.
If ILIVS cannot verify coverage, the registered owner may receive a notice.
The notice normally includes a reference number that is used to respond through ILIVS.
If you actually had insurance on the verification date, contact your insurance company or licensed insurance agent.
Your insurance company or agent must electronically transmit the required insurance information through ILIVS using the reference number shown on the notice.
Simply showing an insurance identification card does not necessarily correct the state’s electronic insurance record.
The insurer or agent must submit the insurance information through the ILIVS process when required.
What If You Had Insurance on the Date in the ILIVS Notice?
If your vehicle was insured on the date ILIVS is questioning, don’t immediately assume you need to purchase another policy.
First, verify:
- The vehicle identification number, or VIN
- The license plate number
- The named insured
- The policy effective date
- The policy expiration date
- Whether the correct vehicle was listed on the policy
Then contact the insurance company or insurance agent that provided coverage on that date.
Provide them with the ILIVS reference number from your notice.
The insurer or agent can electronically transmit the insurance information to ILIVS.
Keep copies of your insurance documents and any confirmation showing that the insurance information was submitted.
What If You Did Not Have Insurance?
If the vehicle did not have required liability insurance, you will generally need to obtain an active Illinois car insurance policy before the registration can be reinstated.
After coverage is purchased, the insurance company or agent can provide the required insurance information through ILIVS.
You may then need to pay the applicable reinstatement fee.
For a first insurance-related registration suspension, the Secretary of State generally terminates the suspension after:
- Required liability insurance has been obtained.
- Proof of insurance has been submitted as required by the Secretary of State.
- The $100 reinstatement fee has been paid.
Do not assume that purchasing insurance alone immediately makes the registration active again.
What Happens for a Second or Subsequent Insurance Suspension?
Repeat violations can have more serious consequences.
Under Illinois law, if the registered owner has a second or subsequent applicable violation within the preceding four years, the registration suspension generally must remain in effect for four months.
After the required suspension period, the owner must generally:
- Obtain required liability insurance
- Submit proof of insurance as required
- Pay the $100 reinstatement fee
before the suspension can be terminated.
The Illinois Secretary of State also advises that repeat offenders are required to serve a four-month suspension before reinstatement.
That means purchasing insurance immediately does not necessarily allow the vehicle to be driven immediately when a repeat suspension applies.
Can You Drive While Your Illinois Registration Is Suspended?
No.
If the vehicle’s registration or license plates are suspended, the vehicle should not be driven on Illinois roadways until the suspension has been cleared.
Illinois law specifically prohibits operating a vehicle whose registration has been suspended for noninsurance.
The Illinois Secretary of State also states that while the license plates are suspended, no one may operate that vehicle.
That means having another licensed driver operate the vehicle does not solve the problem.
The suspension follows the vehicle registration.
A person whose own driver’s license remains valid may generally drive a different vehicle that is properly registered and insured, but the suspended vehicle itself should not be operated.
Can You Drive as Soon as You Buy Insurance?
Not necessarily.
Buying car insurance is an important step, but it does not automatically prove that the Illinois Secretary of State has restored the registration.
Depending on the circumstances, you may still need to:
- Have the insurance company or agent submit the required insurance information through ILIVS.
- Pay the appropriate reinstatement fee.
- Serve any required suspension period.
- Confirm that the registration has actually been reinstated.
Do not rely only on a new insurance card or payment receipt.
Confirm the vehicle’s registration status before driving.
How Do You Reinstate a First-Time ILIVS Insurance Suspension?
For a typical first insurance-related registration suspension, the process generally involves:
1. Obtain Liability Insurance
If the vehicle is uninsured, purchase an Illinois car insurance policy that meets the state’s liability insurance requirements.
2. Contact Your Insurance Agent or Company
Provide the insurance company or licensed agent with the ILIVS reference number from your suspension notice.
The insurer or agent can electronically transmit the required insurance information through ILIVS.
3. Pay the $100 Reinstatement Fee
Once the required insurance information has been submitted and accepted, follow the ILIVS instructions for paying the $100 reinstatement fee.
4. Confirm the Registration Is Active
Before driving, confirm that the registration suspension has actually been removed.
Do not assume that the vehicle is legal to drive simply because insurance was purchased or the reinstatement payment was submitted.
What If the Vehicle Was Stored or Inoperable?
ILIVS also provides a process for vehicles that were stored or inoperable and were not being operated on Illinois roadways.
If you receive an ILIVS notice for a stored or inoperable vehicle, you may be able to electronically submit that information through the ILIVS website using the reference number shown on the notice.
ILIVS requires the owner to complete an electronic affidavit and electronic signature for this process.
A stored or inoperable vehicle should not simply be placed back on the road without addressing the insurance and registration requirements.
Before driving the vehicle again, make sure the appropriate insurance and registration requirements have been satisfied.
Does a Suspended Registration Mean Your Driver’s License Is Suspended?
Not automatically.
A vehicle registration suspension and a driver’s license suspension are two different things.
The registration suspension applies to the vehicle.
A driver’s license suspension applies to the person’s driving privileges.
Someone can therefore have a valid driver’s license while one of their vehicles has suspended plates or registration.
Likewise, having an active vehicle registration does not allow someone with a suspended driver’s license to legally drive.
If you have received more than one notice from the Secretary of State, check each notice carefully to determine whether it involves:
- The vehicle registration
- The license plates
- Your driver’s license
- An insurance verification issue
- A separate mandatory insurance conviction
Do You Need an SR-22 After an ILIVS Suspension?
Not necessarily.
An ILIVS insurance verification suspension does not automatically mean you need an SR-22.
An SR-22 is a certificate of financial responsibility filed electronically by an insurance company when Illinois requires it for certain driver’s-license or financial-responsibility situations.
It is not a separate insurance policy.
If your ILIVS notice only concerns the insurance status of a vehicle’s registration, do not assume that an SR-22 is required.
Check your Secretary of State notice or driver’s record.
If Illinois separately requires an SR-22, your insurance company or agent can explain available policies that include the filing.
What If You Received a Ticket for Driving With Suspended Registration?
If you were already issued a citation, treat the court case separately from the registration reinstatement process.
The citation should identify:
- The charge
- The court
- The court date
- Payment or appearance instructions
For an insurance-related registration suspension under 625 ILCS 5/3-708, a conviction can result in a $1,000 to $2,000 fine.
Reinstating the registration does not automatically dismiss the citation.
Likewise, resolving the citation does not automatically restore the registration.
If you have questions about defending a charge, court consequences, or how the charge may affect your driving record, consider speaking with an Illinois traffic attorney.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the fine for driving with suspended registration in Illinois?
If the vehicle’s registration was suspended for noninsurance under Illinois’ mandatory insurance laws, a conviction under 625 ILCS 5/3-708 carries a fine of $1,000 to $2,000.
A second or subsequent conviction is a Class B misdemeanor and also carries a fine of $1,000 to $2,000.
Different penalties may apply if the registration was suspended for another reason.
Is the $100 ILIVS payment a fine?
No.
The $100 payment is generally a registration reinstatement fee for an applicable insurance-related suspension.
It is separate from a court fine for driving a vehicle while its registration is suspended.
Can I drive after I buy insurance?
Not until the registration has been restored.
Purchasing insurance alone does not necessarily remove an existing registration suspension.
Your insurer or agent may need to electronically submit insurance information through ILIVS, you may need to pay the reinstatement fee, and repeat offenders may have to serve a four-month suspension period.
Confirm that the registration is active before driving.
Can someone else drive my vehicle while the plates are suspended?
No.
The Illinois Secretary of State states that while the license plates are suspended, no one may operate the affected vehicle.
The suspension applies to the vehicle, not simply to the person who owns it.
What if I actually had insurance?
Contact the insurance company or agent that insured the vehicle on the verification date.
Provide the ILIVS reference number appearing on the notice.
The insurer or agent can electronically transmit the insurance information through ILIVS.
What if my car was stored and wasn’t being driven?
ILIVS provides an electronic stored/inoperable vehicle affidavit process.
Use the reference number from your notice and follow the ILIVS instructions.
Do not begin driving the vehicle again until the appropriate insurance and registration requirements have been satisfied.
Does an ILIVS suspension automatically require an SR-22?
No.
An insurance verification registration suspension does not automatically create an SR-22 requirement.
An SR-22 may be required because of a separate driver’s-license or financial-responsibility issue.
How long is a repeat insurance suspension?
For a second or subsequent applicable violation within the previous four years, Illinois law generally requires a four-month registration suspension before reinstatement.
The owner must also satisfy the insurance requirements and pay the applicable $100 reinstatement fee.
Need Car Insurance to Reinstate Your Illinois Registration?
If your Illinois registration has been suspended because of an insurance issue, Illinois Drivers Insurance can help you compare available car insurance options.
We work with good drivers, drivers with clean records, drivers who have had a lapse in insurance, and drivers with tickets or accidents.
We can also help you determine whether an insurance company can provide an SR-22 filing when Illinois separately requires one.
After purchasing coverage, make sure all required ILIVS and Secretary of State reinstatement steps are completed before driving the vehicle.
Conclusion
An Illinois insurance-related registration suspension should be taken seriously.
If you drive a vehicle whose registration has been suspended for noninsurance, a conviction under 625 ILCS 5/3-708 can result in a $1,000 to $2,000 fine.
For a first insurance-related suspension, reinstatement generally requires current liability insurance, submission of the required insurance information, and a $100 reinstatement fee.
Repeat violations within four years can generally require a four-month suspension before reinstatement.
Most importantly, do not drive the affected vehicle until Illinois confirms that its registration is active again.
If you received an ILIVS notice, start by checking the verification date and vehicle information, then contact your insurance company or licensed insurance agent with the reference number from the notice.
The key figures and procedures in this rewrite are supported by the Illinois Vehicle Code, current Illinois Secretary of State guidance, and ILIVS: the $1,000–$2,000 noninsurance-suspension fine, $100 first-offense reinstatement fee, four-month repeat suspension, prohibition on anyone driving the suspended vehicle, and electronic ILIVS response process.
