Eligible older adults and persons with disabilities will see their annual license plate renewal fee reduced by more than half in the new year, the Illinois Department on Aging (IDoA) recently announced.
Under Public Act 102 - 0807 , which takes effect January 1, drivers who qualify for IDoA’s Benefit A ccess Program will pay only $10 for their license plate stickers, a decrease from $24 currently.
"During this time of high inflation, many older adults are finding it increasingly difficult to cover everyday e xpens es ,” said Illinois Department on Aging Director Paula Basta . “ This income - based discount on license plate renewals is welcome news for older drivers, helping them save money and keep their vehicle registration current.”
"The lower annual license plate re newal fee for qualifying seniors will help them keep more of their hard - earned money in their bank accounts to spend on other things , such as prescription medicine,” said Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White . “I applaud the Illinois General Assembly for this new law, and especially the s ponsors, S tate Rep. Cyril Nichols (D - Burbank) and S tate Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel (D - Plainfield).”
The Department on Aging’s Benefit Access Program determines eligibility for a license plate discount from th e Secretary of State’s o ffice and free transit on fixed route systems in Illinois. To qualify, residents must be at least 65 years of age or 16 years of age and disabled, as well as meet income requirements. For a household c ontaining one person, the annual income cap is $33,562 .
To apply for the Benefit Access Program online, please visit https://ilaging.illinois.gov/benefitsaccess.html . For assistance with the online application, older adults can call IDoA’s Senior HelpLine at 1 - 800 - 252 - 8966.
Those with specific questions about the price r eduction , or about their vehicle’s registration status , are e ncouraged to contact the Illinois Secretary of State’s office at 800 - 252 - 8980.