As Illinois Crumbles: Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White: License plate renewal reminders no longer being mailed

PHOTO: Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White

By Doug Finke, State Capitol Bureau

Illinois motorists are now on their own to remember when to renew their license plate stickers to avoid driving on expired plates.

Secretary of State Jesse White’s office said Monday it will no longer send out vehicle registration renewal reminder notices because of the state’s budget impasse.

White’s office said the move will save about $450,000 a month in postage costs. By suspending the renewal notices, the office said it will be able to stretch out the remaining postage account “for a few months longer,” which will enable the office to continue mailing the license renewal stickers themselves along with titles and license plates to vehicle owners.

“The lack of a fiscal year 2016 budget is adversely impacting the Secretary of State’s office and threatens to jeopardize the services we provide to the public,” White said in a statement. “Without a state budget in place, we are doing what we can to manage so that we may serve the people of Illinois for as long as possible. As a result, difficult decisions like suspending renewal reminder notice mailings are decisions we are being forced to make.”

Suspension of the renewal notices is immediate, said White spokesman Henry Haupt. About 800,000 renewal reminders are sent out each month. There are 11 million vehicles registered in the state.

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