Well folks, it looks as if we have to add yet one more thing to our list of adult-ing duties: remember to renew license plate stickers without any friendly reminders from the Secretary of State.
Yes, it’s true. And we have the Illinois’ budget crisis to thank for bringing us to this sad state of affairs.
According to the Secretary of State’s website, “Due to a lack of a state budget resulting from the budget impasse, the Secretary of State’s office has suspended the mailing of vehicle registration renewal reminder notices.”
The suspension, which went into effect last September, will save about $450,000 a month in postage fees.
Motorists are encouraged to “be aware of their license plate sticker’s expiration date.”
Easier said than done, right? Many of us wouldn’t trust ourselves to remember to do something next week let alone a year from now.
The good news is you can now sign up to receive an email reminder from the Secretary of State. WARNING: You will need the Registration ID and the PIN from your vehicle registration card.
If you don’t happen to have that registration card, you have to call the Public Inquiry Division at 800-252-8980 to obtain your ID and PIN number.
Make sure to dial that number when you’re sure you’ve got a good 15-20 minutes of waiting-on-hold-patience to spare.
If you don’t have access to a computer or email, make sure to mark your calendars about 30 days before your current registration expires and visit the nearest Secretary of State facility to renew.
For more information about license plate renewals, go here.