Quinn Expected to Hike License Sticker Fees

Fee was suggested as an alternative to charging entrance fees at DNR sites, entry to which is now free

Illinois senators on Wednesday sent Gov. Pat Quinn a bill that will increase the fee for license plate stickers by $2.

The hike, which Quinn supports, brings the cost for a license plate to $101 and applies to motorcycles, pickup trucks, vans and cars. Commercial and recreational vehicles are exempt from the hike.

The governor wants to use the additional funds, an estimated $20 million per year, to rehabilitate the state's public park system. New fees for off-road recreation on state land and commercial fishing-related fees are expected to push the money raised by the new law to between $30 million and $35 million a year.

A decade worth of cuts has hurt the Illinois Department of Natural Resources staffing levels, forcing fewer people to do more jobs with mostly poor results.

The Senate passed the bill -- SB1566 -- on a 39 to 11 vote after it failed in the chamber in June. It had passed the House of Representatives earlier in the year.

The license plate fee was suggested as an alternative to charging entrance fees at DNR sites, entry to which is now free.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Contact Us