2023 Illinois Compiled Statutes › Chapter 625 - VEHICLES › 625 ILCS 40/ - Snowmobile Registration and Safety Act. › Article III - Registration Of Snowmobiles

(625 ILCS 40/Art. III heading)
ARTICLE III.  
		REGISTRATION OF
SNOWMOBILES
(625 ILCS 40/3-1) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 603-1)
Sec. 3-1. Operation of Unnumbered Snowmobiles.
(a) Except as hereinafter provided, no person who is a resident of this State shall, after the effective
date of this Act, operate any snowmobile within this State unless such
snowmobile has been registered and numbered in accordance with the
provisions of this Article, and unless the certificate of number
awarded to such snowmobile is in full force and effect. A person who is not a resident of this State and who operates a snowmobile within this State may register that snowmobile in this State, but in the event that he or she does not, and he or she is not otherwise exempt under subsection (c) of Section 3-12 of this Article, he or she must obtain and display a trail use sticker in accordance with Section 3-12 of this Article.
(b) A person convicted of violating this Section is guilty of a petty offense.
(Source: P.A. 96-1291, eff. 4-1-11; 97-333, eff. 8-12-11.)
(625 ILCS 40/3-2) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 603-2)
Sec. 3-2. Identification Number Application. The owner of each snowmobile requiring numbering by this State shall
file an application for number with the Department on forms approved by
it. The application shall be signed by the owner of the snowmobile and
shall be accompanied by a fee of $30. When a snowmobile dealer
sells a snowmobile the dealer shall, at the time of sale, require the buyer
to complete an application for the registration certificate, collect the
required fee and mail the application and fee to the Department no later
than 15 days after the date of sale.  Combination application-receipt forms
shall be provided by the Department and the dealer shall furnish the buyer
with the completed receipt showing that application for registration has
been made.  This completed receipt shall be in the possession of the user
of the snowmobile until the registration certificate is received.  No
snowmobile dealer may charge an additional fee to the buyer for performing
this service required under this subsection.  However, no purchaser
exempted under Section 3-11 of this Act shall be charged any fee or be
subject to the other requirements of this Section.   The application form
shall so state in clear language the requirements of this Section and the
penalty for violation near the place on the application form provided for
indicating the intention to register in another jurisdiction.  Each dealer
shall maintain, for one year, a record in a form prescribed by the
Department for each snowmobile sold.  These records shall be open to
inspection by the Department. Upon receipt of the application in
approved form the Department shall enter the same upon the records of
its office and issue to the applicant a certificate of number stating
the number awarded to the snowmobile and the name and address of the owner.
For the registration years beginning on or after January 1, 2017, the application shall be signed by the owner of the snowmobile and
shall be accompanied by a fee of $45.
(Source: P.A. 96-1291, eff. 4-1-11; 97-1136, eff. 1-1-13.)
(625 ILCS 40/3-3) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 603-3)
Sec. 3-3. 
		Identification Number Display. 
		The Department shall issue to
the snowmobile owner two registration expiration decals with the number
awarded to that snowmobile imprinted upon the decals.  The owner shall apply
these decals on each side of the cowling of such snowmobile.
The certificate of number shall be pocket size and shall be available at
all times for inspection on the snowmobile for which issued, whenever such
snowmobile is in operation.
(Source: P.A. 81-1509.)
(625 ILCS 40/3-4) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 603-4)
Sec. 3-4. 
		Destruction, Sale, Transfer or Abandonment.
The owner of any snowmobile shall within 15 days notify the Department
if such snowmobile is destroyed or abandoned, or is sold or transferred
either wholly or in part to another person or persons. In all such cases,
the notice shall be accompanied by a surrender of the certificate of
number. When the surrender of the certificate is by reason of the
snowmobile being destroyed or abandoned, the Department shall cancel the
certificate and enter such fact in its records. The Department shall be
notified in writing of any change of address. Should the owner desire a new
certificate of number, showing the new address, he shall surrender his old
certificate and notify the Department of the new address, remitting one
dollar to cover the issuance of a new certificate of number. If the
surrender is by reason of a sale or transfer either wholly or in part to
another person or persons, the owner surrendering the certificate shall
state to the Department, under oath, the name of the purchaser or
transferee.
(Source: P.A. 77-1312.)
(625 ILCS 40/3-5) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 603-5)
Sec. 3-5. Transfer of Identification Number. The purchaser of a snowmobile
shall, within 15 days after acquiring same, make application to the Department
for the transfer to him of the certificate of number issued to the snowmobile,
giving his name, his address and the number of the snowmobile. The purchaser
shall apply for a transfer-renewal for a fee of $30 for
approximately 3 years.
All transfers will bear September 30 expiration dates in the calendar year of
expiration. Upon receipt of the application and fee, the Department shall
transfer the certificate of number issued to the snowmobile to the new
owner. Unless the application is made and fee paid within 30 days, the
snowmobile shall be deemed to be without certificate of number and it shall
be unlawful for any person to operate the snowmobile until the certificate
is issued.
For the registration years beginning on or after January 1, 2017, the purchaser
shall apply for a transfer-renewal for a fee of  $45 for
approximately 3 years.
(Source: P.A. 96-1291, eff. 4-1-11.)
(625 ILCS 40/3-6) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 603-6)
Sec. 3-6. Loss of certificate. Should a certificate of number or registration expiration decal become
lost, destroyed, or mutilated beyond legibility, the owner of the
snowmobile shall make application to the Department for the replacement of
the certificate or decal, giving his name, address, and the number of his
snowmobile and shall at the same time pay to the Department a fee of $5.
(Source: P.A. 97-1136, eff. 1-1-13.)
(625 ILCS 40/3-7) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 603-7)
Sec. 3-7. 
		
		Department Records.)
All records of the Department made or kept under this Article shall be
public records.
(Source: P.A. 79-885.)
(625 ILCS 40/3-8) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 603-8)
Sec. 3-8. Certificate of Number. Every certificate of number awarded under this Act shall continue in
full force and effect for approximately 3 years unless sooner terminated or
discontinued in accordance with this Act. All new certificates issued will
bear September 30 expiration dates in the calendar year 3 years after the
issuing date.  Provided however, that the Department may, for purposes of
implementing this Section, adopt rules for phasing in the issuance of new
certificates and provide for 1, 2 or 3 year expiration dates and pro-rated
payments or charges for each registration.
All certificates shall be renewed for 3 years from the nearest September
30 for a fee of $30. All certificates will be considered invalid
after
October 15 of the year of expiration. All certificates expiring in a given
year shall be renewed between April 1 and September 30 of that year, in
order to allow sufficient time for processing.
The Department shall issue "registration expiration decals" with all new
certificates of number, all certificates of number transferred and renewed,
and all certificates of number renewed. The decals issued for each year shall
be of a different and distinct color from the decals of each year currently
displayed. The decals shall be affixed to each side of the cowling of the
snowmobile in the manner prescribed by the rules and regulations of the
Department. The Department shall fix a day and month of the year on which
certificates of number due to expire shall lapse and no longer be of any
force and effect unless renewed pursuant to this Act.
No number or registration expiration decal, except a sticker or number
which may be required by a political subdivision, municipality,
or
state, other than the registration expiration decal issued to a snowmobile
or granted reciprocity pursuant to this Act, shall be painted, attached,
or
otherwise displayed on either side of the cowling of such snowmobile.
A dealer engaged in the manufacture, sale, or leasing of snowmobiles
required to be numbered hereunder, upon application to the Department upon
forms prescribed by it, may obtain certificates of number for use in the
testing or demonstrating of such snowmobiles upon payment of $30 
for each
registration. Certificates of number so issued may be used by the applicant
in the testing or demonstrating of snowmobiles by temporary placement of
the registration expiration decals assigned by such certificates on the
snowmobile so tested or demonstrated.
For the registration years beginning on or after January 1, 2017, every certificate of number awarded under this Section shall be accompanied by a fee of $45.
(Source: P.A. 96-1291, eff. 4-1-11.)
(625 ILCS 40/3-9) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 603-9)
Sec. 3-9. 
		Registration List. 
		A snowmobile registration list may be furnished for official use at no
charge only to such federal, state, county and municipal enforcement
agencies as may require such data.
A snowmobile registration list may be furnished, at the cost of
reproduction, to statewide not-for-profit Illinois snowmobile organizations for
use only with educational programs.
(Source: P.A. 92-174, eff. 7-26-01.)
(625 ILCS 40/3-10) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 603-10)
Sec. 3-10. 
		Penalty.
No person shall at any time falsely alter or change in any manner the
certificate of number issued under the provisions hereof, or falsify any
record required by this Act, or counterfeit any form of license provided
for by this Act.
(Source: P.A. 77-1312.)
(625 ILCS 40/3-11) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 603-11)
Sec. 3-11. Exception from numbering provisions of this Act.)  A snowmobile
shall not be required to be numbered under this Act if it is:
A. Owned and used by the United States, another state, or a political
subdivision thereof, but such snowmobiles shall display the name of the
owner on the cowling thereof.
B. (Blank).
C. Owned and operated on lands owned by the owner or operator or on lands
to which he has a contractual right other than as a member of a club or
association, provided the snowmobile is not operated elsewhere within the
state.
D. Used only on international or national competition circuits in events
for which written permission has been obtained by the sponsoring or sanctioning
body from the governmental unit having jurisdiction over the location of
any event held in this State.
E. Owned by persons domiciled in Illinois but used entirely in another
jurisdiction when such owner has complied with the provisions of Section
3-2 of this Act.
F. Designed for use by small children primarily as a toy and used only on
private property and not on any public use trail.
(Source: P.A. 96-1291, eff. 4-1-11.)
(625 ILCS 40/3-12)
Sec. 3-12. Trail use stickers.
(a) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this Section, a person who is not a resident of this State shall not operate a snowmobile in this State unless a numbered trail use sticker issued under this Section is displayed on the snowmobile.
(b) The fee for a trail use sticker issued for a snowmobile under subsection (a) of this Section is $25 per registration year. A trail use sticker issued for such a snowmobile may be issued only by the Department and persons appointed by the Department and expires on June 30 of each registration year.
(c) A snowmobile that is registered and numbered in accordance with the provisions of this Article or that is exempt from registration under Section 3-11 of this Article is exempt from having a trail use sticker displayed under subsection (a) of this Section.
(d)
The Department may appoint any person who is not an employee of the Department as the Department's agent to issue trail use stickers and collect the fees for the stickers.
(e) The Department shall establish by rule procedures for issuing trail use stickers, and the Department may promulgate rules regulating the activities of persons who are authorized to be agents under this Section.
(Source: P.A. 96-1291, eff. 4-1-11.)
(625 ILCS 40/3-13)
Sec. 3-13. Mandatory liability insurance.
(a) Other than a person operating a snowmobile on their own property that is not a posted snowmobile trail, and other than a person operating a snowmobile on property other than a posted snowmobile trail in which the owner of the property has given his or her written or oral consent to the person to  operate a snowmobile on the property, no person shall operate, register, or maintain registration of, and no owner shall permit another person to operate, register or maintain registration of, a snowmobile in this State unless the snowmobile is covered by a liability insurance policy.
The insurance policy shall be issued in amounts no less than the minimum amounts set for bodily injury or death and for destruction of property under Section 7-203 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, and shall be issued in accordance with the requirements of Sections 143a and 143a-2 of the Illinois Insurance Code, as amended. No insurer other than an insurer authorized to do business in this State shall issue a policy pursuant to this Section 3-13. Nothing herein shall deprive an insurer of any policy defense available at common law.
(b) Proof of insurance as required by this Section shall be produced and displayed by the owner or operator of the snowmobile upon request to any law enforcement officer or to any person who has suffered or claims to have suffered either personal injury or property damage as a result of the operation of the snowmobile by the owner or operator.
(c) Except as provided in subsection (d), any operator of a snowmobile subject to registration and numbering under this Act who is convicted of violating subsection (a) of this Section is guilty of a petty offense and shall be required to pay a fine in excess of $500, but not more than $1,000. However, no person charged with violating this Section shall be convicted if such person produces in court satisfactory evidence that at the time of the arrest the snowmobile was covered by a liability insurance policy in accordance with subsection (a) of this Section. The chief judge of each circuit may designate an officer of the court to review the documentation demonstrating that at the time of arrest the snowmobile was covered by a liability insurance policy in accordance with subsection (a) of this Section.
(d) A person who (i) has not previously been convicted of or received a disposition of court supervision for violating subsection (a) of this Section and (ii) produces at his or her court appearance satisfactory evidence that the snowmobile is covered, as of the date of the court appearance, by a liability insurance policy in accordance with Section 7-601 of the Illinois Vehicle Code shall, for a violation of this Section, pay a fine of $100 and receive a disposition of court supervision. The person must, on the date that the period of court supervision is scheduled to terminate, produce satisfactory evidence that the snowmobile was covered by the required liability insurance policy during the entire period of court supervision.
An officer of the court designated under subsection (c) may also review liability insurance documentation under this subsection (d) to determine if the snowmobile is, as of the date of the court appearance, covered by a liability insurance policy in accordance with Section 7-601 of the Illinois Vehicle Code. The officer of the court shall also determine, on the date the period of court supervision is scheduled to terminate, whether the snowmobile was covered by the required policy during the entire period of court supervision.
(Source: P.A. 96-1291, eff. 4-1-11.)