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1 AN ACT concerning transportation.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The Illinois Vehicle Code is amended by adding
5 Section 3-699.26, and changing Sections 3-808.1, 12-215, and
6 12-601 as follows:
7 (625 ILCS 5/3-699.26 new)
8 Sec. 3-699.26. EMS chief license plates.
9 (a) Beginning with the 2027 registration year, the
10 Secretary, upon receipt of a request from a municipality that
11 operates a fire department or a fire protection district,
12 accompanied by an application and the appropriate fee, may
13 issue, to an emergency medical services (EMS) chief of the
14 municipality or fire protection district, special registration
15 plates designated as EMS chief license plates. The special
16 plates issued under this Section shall be affixed only to
17 passenger vehicles of the first division or motor vehicles of
18 the second division weighing not more than 8,000 pounds that
19 are owned by an EMS chief, a municipality, or a fire protection
20 district. Plates issued under this Section shall expire
21 according to the multiyear procedure established by Section
22 3-414.1.
23 (b) The design and color of the special plates shall be
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1 wholly within the discretion of the Secretary. The plates are
2 not required to designate "Land of Lincoln" as prescribed in
3 subsection (b) of Section 3-412. The Secretary may prescribe
4 rules governing the requirements and approval of the special
5 plates. The fee for this plate for a vehicle owned by an EMS
6 chief shall be the same as the fee prescribed for first
7 division vehicles under Section 3-806. Permanent license
8 plates for EMS vehicles owned by a municipality or fire
9 protection district shall be issued at the fee prescribed in
10 subsection (b) of Section 3-808.1.
11 (c) With the exception of permanently issued plates, upon
12 the resignation, termination, or reassignment to a rank or
13 position other than EMS chief, a person issued plates under
14 this Section shall immediately surrender the license plate to
15 the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State shall have the
16 ability to recover license plates issued under this Section.
17 (d) Plates issued to a vehicle owned by an EMS chief under
18 this Section shall be exempt from the requirements of
19 subsection (a) of Section 3-600.
20 (625 ILCS 5/3-808.1) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-808.1)
21 Sec. 3-808.1. Permanent vehicle registration plate.
22 (a) Permanent vehicle registration plates shall be issued,
23 at no charge, to the following:
24 1. Vehicles, other than medical transport vehicles,
25 owned and operated by the State of Illinois or by any State
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1 agency financed by funds appropriated by the General
2 Assembly;
3 2. Special disability plates issued to vehicles owned
4 and operated by the State of Illinois or by any State
5 agency financed by funds appropriated by the General
6 Assembly.
7 (b) Permanent vehicle registration plates shall be issued,
8 for a one-time fee of $8.00, to the following:
9 1. Vehicles, other than medical transport vehicles,
10 operated by or for any county, township or municipal
11 corporation.
12 2. Vehicles owned by counties, townships or municipal
13 corporations for persons with disabilities.
14 3. Beginning with the 1991 registration year,
15 county-owned vehicles operated by or for any county
16 sheriff and designated deputy sheriffs. These registration
17 plates shall contain the specific county code and unit
18 number.
19 4. All-terrain vehicles owned by counties, townships,
20 or municipal corporations and used for law enforcement
21 purposes when the Manufacturer's Statement of Origin is
22 accompanied with a letter from the original manufacturer
23 or a manufacturer's franchised dealer stating that this
24 all-terrain vehicle has been converted to a street worthy
25 vehicle that meets the equipment requirements set forth in
26 Chapter 12 of this Code.
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1 5. Beginning with the 2001 registration year,
2 municipally owned vehicles operated by or for any police
3 department. These registration plates shall contain the
4 designation "municipal police" and shall be numbered and
5 distributed as prescribed by the Secretary of State.
6 6. Beginning with the 2014 registration year,
7 municipally owned, fire district owned, or Mutual Aid Box
8 Alarm System (MABAS) owned vehicles operated by or for any
9 fire department, fire protection district, or MABAS. These
10 registration plates shall display the designation "Fire
11 Department" and shall display the specific fire
12 department, fire district, fire unit, or MABAS division
13 number or letter.
14 7. Beginning with the 2017 registration year, vehicles
15 that do not require a school bus driver permit under
16 Section 6-104 to operate and are not registered under
17 Section 3-617 of this Code, and are owned by a public
18 school district from grades K-12 or a public community
19 college.
20 8. Beginning with the 2017 registration year, vehicles
21 of the first division or vehicles of the second division
22 weighing not more than 8,000 pounds that are owned by a
23 medical facility or hospital of a municipality, county, or
24 township.
25 9. Beginning with the 2020 registration year, 2-axle
26 motor vehicles that (i) are designed and used as buses in a
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1 public system for transporting more than 10 passengers;
2 (ii) are used as common carriers in the general
3 transportation of passengers and not devoted to any
4 specialized purpose; (iii) operate entirely within the
5 territorial limits of a single municipality or a single
6 municipality and contiguous municipalities; and (iv) are
7 subject to the regulation of the Illinois Commerce
8 Commission. The owner of a vehicle under this paragraph is
9 exempt from paying a flat weight tax or a mileage weight
10 tax under this Code.
11 10. Beginning with the 2027 registration year,
12 vehicles owned by a municipality or fire protection
13 district operated by or for the emergency medical services
14 (EMS) chief that are eligible for issuance of EMS chief
15 license plates under Section 3-699.26.
16 (b-5) Beginning with the 2016 registration year, permanent
17 vehicle registration plates shall be issued for a one-time fee
18 of $8.00 to a county, township, or municipal corporation that
19 owns or operates vehicles used for the purpose of community
20 workplace commuting as defined by the Secretary of State by
21 administrative rule. The design and color of the plates shall
22 be wholly within the discretion of the Secretary. The
23 Secretary of State may adopt rules to implement this
24 subsection (b-5).
25 (c) Beginning with the 2012 registration year,
26 county-owned vehicles operated by or for any county sheriff
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1 and designated deputy sheriffs that have been issued
2 registration plates under subsection (b) of this Section shall
3 be exempt from any fee for the transfer of registration from
4 one vehicle to another vehicle. Each county sheriff shall
5 report to the Secretary of State any transfer of registration
6 plates from one vehicle to another vehicle operated by or for
7 any county sheriff and designated deputy sheriffs. The
8 Secretary of State shall adopt rules to implement this
9 subsection (c).
10 (c-5) Beginning with the 2014 registration year,
11 municipally owned, fire district owned, or Mutual Aid Box
12 Alarm System (MABAS) owned vehicles operated by or for any
13 fire department, fire protection district, or MABAS that have
14 been issued registration plates under subsection (b) of this
15 Section shall be exempt from any fee for the transfer of
16 registration from one vehicle to another vehicle. Each fire
17 department, fire protection district, of MABAS shall report to
18 the Secretary of State any transfer of registration plates
19 from one vehicle to another vehicle operated by or for any fire
20 department, fire protection district, or MABAS. The Secretary
21 of State shall adopt rules to implement this subsection.
22 (d) Beginning with the 2013 registration year, municipally
23 owned vehicles operated by or for any police department that
24 have been issued registration plates under subsection (b) of
25 this Section shall be exempt from any fee for the transfer of
26 registration from one vehicle to another vehicle. Each
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1 municipal police department shall report to the Secretary of
2 State any transfer of registration plates from one vehicle to
3 another vehicle operated by or for any municipal police
4 department. The Secretary of State shall adopt rules to
5 implement this subsection (d).
6 (e) Beginning with the 2016 registration year, any vehicle
7 owned or operated by a county, township, or municipal
8 corporation that has been issued registration plates under
9 this Section is exempt from any fee for the transfer of
10 registration from one vehicle to another vehicle. Each county,
11 township, or municipal corporation shall report to the
12 Secretary of State any transfer of registration plates from
13 one vehicle to another vehicle operated by or for any county,
14 township, or municipal corporation.
15 (f) Beginning with the 2020 registration year, any vehicle
16 owned or operated by a public school district from grades
17 K-12, a public community college, or a medical facility or
18 hospital of a municipality, county, or township that has been
19 issued registration plates under this Section is exempt from
20 any fee for the transfer of registration from one vehicle to
21 another vehicle. Each school district, public community
22 college, or medical facility or hospital shall report to the
23 Secretary any transfer of registration plates from one vehicle
24 to another vehicle operated by the school district, public
25 community college, or medical facility.
26 (g) Beginning with the 2025 registration year, vehicles
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1 owned or operated by or for a private or public university
2 police department or a private or public college police
3 department, except for motor driven cycles and all-terrain
4 vehicles, may be registered under subsection (b) of this
5 Section. These registration plates shall contain the
6 designation "university police" or "college police" and shall
7 be numbered and distributed as prescribed by the Secretary of
8 State.
9 (Source: P.A. 103-135, eff. 1-1-24.)
10 (625 ILCS 5/12-215)
11 Sec. 12-215. Oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights on
12 motor vehicles. Except as otherwise provided in this Code:
13 (a) The use of red or white oscillating, rotating, or
14 flashing lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited
15 except on:
16 1. Law enforcement vehicles of State, federal, or
17 local authorities;
18 2. A vehicle operated by a police officer or county
19 coroner and designated or authorized by local authorities,
20 in writing, as a law enforcement vehicle; however, such
21 designation or authorization must be carried in the
22 vehicle;
23 2.1. A vehicle operated by a fire chief, deputy fire
24 chief, or assistant fire chief who has completed an
25 emergency vehicle operation training course approved by
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1 the Office of the State Fire Marshal and designated or
2 authorized by local authorities, fire departments, or fire
3 protection districts, in writing, as a fire department,
4 fire protection district, or township fire department
5 vehicle; however, the designation or authorization must be
6 carried in the vehicle, and the lights may be visible or
7 activated only when responding to a bona fide emergency;
8 3. Vehicles of local fire departments and State or
9 federal firefighting vehicles;
10 4. Vehicles which are designed and used exclusively as
11 ambulances or rescue vehicles; furthermore, such lights
12 shall not be lighted except when responding to an
13 emergency call for and while actually conveying the sick
14 or injured;
15 4.5. Vehicles operated by an EMS chief that are
16 affixed with EMS chief special registration plates or
17 vehicles which are occasionally used as rescue vehicles
18 that have been authorized for use as rescue vehicles by a
19 volunteer EMS provider, provided that the operator of the
20 vehicle has successfully completed an emergency vehicle
21 operation training course recognized by the Department of
22 Public Health; furthermore, the lights shall not be
23 lighted except when responding to an emergency call for
24 the sick or injured;
25 5. Tow trucks licensed in a state that requires such
26 lights; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted on
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1 any such tow truck while the tow truck is operating in the
2 State of Illinois;
3 6. Vehicles of the Illinois Emergency Management
4 Agency, vehicles of the Office of the Illinois State Fire
5 Marshal, vehicles of the Illinois Department of Public
6 Health, vehicles of the Illinois Department of
7 Corrections, and vehicles of the Illinois Department of
8 Juvenile Justice;
9 7. Vehicles operated by a local or county emergency
10 management services agency as defined in the Illinois
11 Emergency Management Agency Act;
12 8. School buses operating alternately flashing head
13 lamps as permitted under Section 12-805 of this Code;
14 9. Vehicles that are equipped and used exclusively as
15 organ transplant vehicles when used in combination with
16 blue oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights;
17 furthermore, these lights shall be lighted only when the
18 transportation is declared an emergency by a member of the
19 transplant team or a representative of the organ
20 procurement organization;
21 10. Vehicles of the Illinois Department of Natural
22 Resources that are used for mine rescue and explosives
23 emergency response;
24 11. Vehicles of the Illinois Department of
25 Transportation identified as Emergency Traffic Patrol; the
26 lights shall not be lighted except when responding to an
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1 emergency call or when parked or stationary while engaged
2 in motor vehicle assistance or at the scene of the
3 emergency; and
4 12. Vehicles of the Illinois State Toll Highway
5 Authority with a gross vehicle weight rating of 9,000
6 pounds or more and those identified as Highway Emergency
7 Lane Patrol; the lights shall not be lighted except when
8 responding to an emergency call or when parked or
9 stationary while engaged in motor vehicle assistance or at
10 the scene of the emergency.
11 (b) The use of amber oscillating, rotating, or flashing
12 lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited except on:
13 1. Second division vehicles designed and used for
14 towing or hoisting vehicles; furthermore, such lights
15 shall not be lighted except as required in this paragraph
16 1; such lights shall be lighted when such vehicles are
17 actually being used at the scene of a crash or
18 disablement; if the towing vehicle is equipped with a flat
19 bed that supports all wheels of the vehicle being
20 transported, the lights shall not be lighted while the
21 vehicle is engaged in towing on a highway; if the towing
22 vehicle is not equipped with a flat bed that supports all
23 wheels of a vehicle being transported, the lights shall be
24 lighted while the towing vehicle is engaged in towing on a
25 highway during all times when the use of headlights is
26 required under Section 12-201 of this Code; in addition,
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1 these vehicles may use white oscillating, rotating, or
2 flashing lights in combination with amber oscillating,
3 rotating, or flashing lights as provided in this
4 paragraph;
5 2. Motor vehicles or equipment of the State of
6 Illinois, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, local
7 authorities, and contractors; furthermore, such lights
8 shall not be lighted except while such vehicles are
9 engaged in maintenance or construction operations within
10 the limits of construction projects;
11 3. Vehicles or equipment used by engineering or survey
12 crews; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted
13 except while such vehicles are actually engaged in work on
14 a highway;
15 4. Vehicles of public utilities, municipalities, or
16 other construction, maintenance, or automotive service
17 vehicles except that such lights shall be lighted only as
18 a means for indicating the presence of a vehicular traffic
19 hazard requiring unusual care in approaching, overtaking,
20 or passing while such vehicles are engaged in maintenance,
21 service, or construction on a highway;
22 5. Oversized vehicle or load; however, such lights
23 shall only be lighted when moving under permit issued by
24 the Department under Section 15-301 of this Code;
25 6. The front and rear of motorized equipment owned and
26 operated by the State of Illinois or any political
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1 subdivision thereof, which is designed and used for
2 removal of snow and ice from highways;
3 6.1. The front and rear of motorized equipment or
4 vehicles that (i) are not owned by the State of Illinois or
5 any political subdivision of the State, (ii) are designed
6 and used for removal of snow and ice from highways and
7 parking lots, and (iii) are equipped with a snow plow that
8 is 12 feet in width; these lights may not be lighted except
9 when the motorized equipment or vehicle is actually being
10 used for those purposes on behalf of a unit of government;
11 7. Fleet safety vehicles registered in another state,
12 furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted except as
13 provided for in Section 12-212 of this Code;
14 8. Such other vehicles as may be authorized by local
15 authorities;
16 9. Law enforcement vehicles of State or local
17 authorities when used in combination with red oscillating,
18 rotating, or flashing lights;
19 9.5. Propane delivery trucks;
20 10. Vehicles used for collecting or delivering mail
21 for the United States Postal Service provided that such
22 lights shall not be lighted except when such vehicles are
23 actually being used for such purposes;
24 10.5. Vehicles of the Office of the Illinois State
25 Fire Marshal, provided that such lights shall not be
26 lighted except for when such vehicles are engaged in work
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1 for the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal;
2 11. Any vehicle displaying a slow-moving vehicle
3 emblem as provided in Section 12-205.1;
4 12. All trucks equipped with self-compactors or
5 roll-off hoists and roll-on containers for garbage,
6 recycling, or refuse hauling. Such lights shall not be
7 lighted except when such vehicles are actually being used
8 for such purposes;
9 13. Vehicles used by a security company, alarm
10 responder, control agency, or the Illinois Department of
11 Corrections;
12 14. Security vehicles of the Department of Human
13 Services; however, the lights shall not be lighted except
14 when being used for security related purposes under the
15 direction of the superintendent of the facility where the
16 vehicle is located; and
17 15. Vehicles of union representatives, except that the
18 lights shall be lighted only while the vehicle is within
19 the limits of a construction project.
20 (c) The use of blue oscillating, rotating, or flashing
21 lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited except on:
22 1. Rescue squad vehicles not owned by a fire
23 department or fire protection district and vehicles owned
24 or operated by an EMS chief as provided in subsection (a);
25 a: voluntary firefighter; a paid firefighter; a part-paid
26 firefighter; a call firefighter; a member of the board of
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1 trustees of a fire protection district; a paid or unpaid
2 member of a rescue squad; a paid or unpaid member of a
3 voluntary ambulance unit; or a paid or unpaid members of a
4 local or county emergency management services agency as
5 defined in the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act,
6 designated or authorized by local authorities, in writing,
7 and carrying that designation or authorization in the
8 vehicle.
9 However, such lights are not to be lighted except when
10 responding to a bona fide emergency or when parked or
11 stationary at the scene of a fire, rescue call, ambulance
12 call, or motor vehicle crash.
13 Any person using these lights in accordance with this
14 subdivision (c)1 must carry on his or her person an
15 identification card or letter identifying the bona fide
16 member of a fire department, fire protection district,
17 rescue squad, ambulance unit, or emergency management
18 services agency that owns or operates that vehicle. The
19 card or letter must include:
20 (A) the name of the fire department, fire
21 protection district, rescue squad, ambulance unit, or
22 emergency management services agency;
23 (B) the member's position within the fire
24 department, fire protection district, rescue squad,
25 ambulance unit, or emergency management services
26 agency;
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1 (C) the member's term of service; and
2 (D) the name of a person within the fire
3 department, fire protection district, rescue squad,
4 ambulance unit, or emergency management services
5 agency to contact to verify the information provided.
6 2. Police department vehicles in cities having a
7 population of 500,000 or more inhabitants.
8 3. Law enforcement vehicles of State or local
9 authorities when used in combination with red oscillating,
10 rotating, or flashing lights.
11 4. Vehicles of local fire departments and State or
12 federal firefighting vehicles when used in combination
13 with red oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
14 5. Vehicles which are designed and used exclusively as
15 ambulances or rescue vehicles when used in combination
16 with red oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights;
17 furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted except when
18 responding to an emergency call.
19 6. Vehicles that are equipped and used exclusively as
20 organ transport vehicles when used in combination with red
21 oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights; furthermore,
22 these lights shall only be lighted when the transportation
23 is declared an emergency by a member of the transplant
24 team or a representative of the organ procurement
25 organization.
26 7. Vehicles of the Illinois Emergency Management
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1 Agency, vehicles of the Office of the Illinois State Fire
2 Marshal, vehicles of the Illinois Department of Public
3 Health, vehicles of the Illinois Department of
4 Corrections, and vehicles of the Illinois Department of
5 Juvenile Justice, when used in combination with red
6 oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
7 8. Vehicles operated by a local or county emergency
8 management services agency as defined in the Illinois
9 Emergency Management Agency Act, when used in combination
10 with red oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
11 9. Vehicles of the Illinois Department of Natural
12 Resources that are used for mine rescue and explosives
13 emergency response, when used in combination with red
14 oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights.
15 (c-1) In addition to the blue oscillating, rotating, or
16 flashing lights permitted under subsection (c), and
17 notwithstanding subsection (a), a vehicle operated by a
18 voluntary firefighter, a voluntary member of a rescue squad,
19 or a member of a voluntary ambulance unit may be equipped with
20 flashing white headlights and blue grill lights, which may be
21 used only in responding to an emergency call or when parked or
22 stationary at the scene of a fire, rescue call, ambulance
23 call, or motor vehicle crash.
24 (c-2) In addition to the blue oscillating, rotating, or
25 flashing lights permitted under subsection (c), and
26 notwithstanding subsection (a), a vehicle operated by a paid
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1 or unpaid member of a local or county emergency management
2 services agency as defined in the Illinois Emergency
3 Management Agency Act, may be equipped with white oscillating,
4 rotating, or flashing lights to be used in combination with
5 blue oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights, if
6 authorization by local authorities is in writing and carried
7 in the vehicle.
8 (d) The use of a combination of amber and white
9 oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights, whether lighted or
10 unlighted, is prohibited except on second division vehicles
11 designed and used for towing or hoisting vehicles or motor
12 vehicles or equipment of the State of Illinois, local
13 authorities, contractors, and union representatives;
14 furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted on second
15 division vehicles designed and used for towing or hoisting
16 vehicles or vehicles of the State of Illinois, local
17 authorities, and contractors except while such vehicles are
18 engaged in a tow operation, highway maintenance, or
19 construction operations within the limits of highway
20 construction projects, and shall not be lighted on the
21 vehicles of union representatives except when those vehicles
22 are within the limits of a construction project.
23 (d-5) The use of green oscillating, flashing, or rotating
24 lights, whether lighted or unlighted, is prohibited except on:
25 1. Second division vehicles designed and used for
26 towing or hoisting vehicles when the lights on those
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1 vehicles are used in combination with amber or amber and
2 white oscillating, flashing, or rotating lights;
3 furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted except when
4 such vehicles are actually being used at the scene of a
5 crash or disablement.
6 2. Motor vehicles or equipment of the State of
7 Illinois when the lights on those vehicles or equipment
8 are used in combination with amber or amber and white
9 oscillating, flashing, or rotating lights; furthermore,
10 such lights shall not be lighted except while such
11 vehicles or equipment are engaged in maintenance
12 operations, snow and ice removal operations, or performing
13 traffic control and protection duties while at an
14 emergency scene.
15 3. Motor vehicles of the Department of Transportation
16 identified as Emergency Traffic Patrol when the lights on
17 those vehicles are used in combination with red and white
18 oscillating, flashing, or rotating lights when responding
19 to an emergency call or when parked or stationary while
20 engaged in motor vehicle assistance or at an emergency
21 scene.
22 4. Motor vehicles of the Illinois State Toll Highway
23 Authority when the lights on those vehicles are used in
24 combination with amber oscillating, flashing, or rotating
25 lights; furthermore, such lights shall not be lighted
26 except while such vehicles are engaged in maintenance
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1 operations, snow and ice removal operations, or performing
2 traffic control and protection duties while at an
3 emergency scene.
4 5. Motor vehicles of the Illinois State Toll Highway
5 Authority with a gross vehicle weight rating of 9,000
6 pounds or more and those identified as Highway Emergency
7 Lane Patrol when the lights on those vehicles are used in
8 combination with red and white oscillating, flashing, or
9 rotating lights when responding to an emergency call or
10 when parked or stationary while engaged in motor vehicle
11 assistance or at the scene of the emergency.
12 6. Motor vehicles or equipment of local authority or
13 municipalities which perform highway maintenance
14 operations, when the lights on those vehicles are used in
15 combination with amber or amber and white oscillating,
16 flashing, or rotating lights; furthermore, such lights
17 shall not be lighted except while such vehicles are
18 engaged in the maintenance operations, snow and ice
19 removal operations, or performing traffic control and
20 protection duties while at an emergency scene.
21 7. Fire department vehicles of local fire departments
22 and State or federal firefighting vehicles when the lights
23 on those vehicles are used in combination with red, or red
24 and white, or red and blue, oscillating, rotating, or
25 flashing lights.
26 8. Vehicles used by a security company when the lights
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1 on those vehicles are used in combination with amber
2 oscillating, flashing, or rotating lights; furthermore,
3 such lights shall not be lighted except when the vehicle
4 is being operated upon the property or location where the
5 security company is employed to perform security or crime
6 prevention duties.
7 9. Ambulances or rescue vehicles operating in counties
8 with populations of less than 2,000,000.
9 (d-10) Fire department vehicles of local fire departments
10 and State or federal firefighting vehicles, police vehicles of
11 State, federal, or local authorities, and vehicles designated
12 by local or State authority, while parked at an emergency
13 scene, may use a steady-on illumination or steady-burn, or
14 flashing green beacon or beacons if such steady-on,
15 steady-burn, or flashing beacon is used to indicate an
16 emergency operations command post or incident command
17 location.
18 (e) All oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights referred
19 to in this Section shall be of sufficient intensity, when
20 illuminated, to be visible at 500 feet in normal sunlight.
21 (f) Nothing in this Section shall prohibit a manufacturer
22 of oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights or his
23 representative or authorized vendor from temporarily mounting
24 such lights on a vehicle for demonstration purposes only. If
25 the lights are not covered while the vehicle is operated upon a
26 highway, the vehicle shall display signage indicating that the
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1 vehicle is out of service or not an emergency vehicle. The
2 signage shall be displayed on all sides of the vehicle in
3 letters at least 2 inches tall and one-half inch wide. A
4 vehicle authorized to have oscillating, rotating, or flashing
5 lights mounted for demonstration purposes may not activate the
6 lights while the vehicle is operated upon a highway.
7 (g) Any person violating the provisions of subsection (a),
8 (b), (c), (d), (d-5), or (d-10) of this Section who without
9 lawful authority stops or detains or attempts to stop or
10 detain another person shall be guilty of a Class 2 felony.
11 (h) Except as provided in subsection (g) above, any person
12 violating the provisions of subsection (a) or (c) of this
13 Section shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
14 (Source: P.A. 102-842, eff. 1-1-23; 102-982, eff. 7-1-23;
15 103-154, eff. 6-30-23; 103-667, eff. 1-1-25.)
16 (625 ILCS 5/12-601) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 12-601)
17 Sec. 12-601. Horns and warning devices.
18 (a) Every motor vehicle when operated upon a highway shall
19 be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of
20 emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance
21 of not less than 200 feet, but no horn or other warning device
22 shall emit an unreasonable loud or harsh sound or a whistle.
23 The driver of a motor vehicle shall when reasonably necessary
24 to insure safe operation give audible warning with his horn
25 but shall not otherwise use such horn when upon a highway.
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1 (b) No vehicle shall be equipped with nor shall any person
2 use upon a vehicle any siren, whistle, or bell, except as
3 otherwise permitted in this Section. Any authorized emergency
4 vehicle or organ transport vehicle as defined in Chapter 1 of
5 this Code or a vehicle operated by a fire chief, deputy fire
6 chief, assistant fire chief, EMS chief, or the Director or
7 Coordinator of a municipal or county emergency services and
8 disaster agency may be equipped with a siren, whistle, or bell
9 capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from
10 a distance of not less than 500 feet, but such siren, whistle,
11 or bell shall not be used except when such vehicle is operated
12 in response to an emergency call or in the immediate pursuit of
13 an actual or suspected violator of the law in either of which
14 events the driver of such vehicle shall sound such siren,
15 whistle, or bell when necessary to warn pedestrians and other
16 drivers of the approach thereof.
17 (c) Trackless trolley coaches, as defined by Section 1-206
18 of this Code, and replica trolleys, as defined by Section
19 1-171.04 of this Code, may be equipped with a bell or bells in
20 lieu of a horn, and may, in addition to the requirements of
21 subsection (a) of this Section, use a bell or bells for the
22 purpose of indicating arrival or departure at designated stops
23 during the hours of scheduled operation.
24 (Source: P.A. 102-448, eff. 1-1-22.)
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