Bill
HB 2504
IL HB 2504 bans license plate flippers—devices that flip or hide plates—making manufacture/sale and possession illegal, with possible automatic vehicle registration suspension.
Status snapshot
- Primary subject: Prohibits devices and conduct intended to hide or switch vehicle license plates (“license plate flippers”) and amends related Vehicle Code provisions.
- Introduced: February 4–5, 2025 (Rep. Angelica Guerrero‑Cuellar).
- Key statutes affected: Adds 625 ILCS 5/1‑137.10 (new definition) and amends 625 ILCS 5/3‑413.
- Most recent procedural actions: House Amendment 1 filed March 12, 2025; committee hearings and public testimony in May 2025; reported favorably and re‑referred to Rules Committee.
Purpose and intent
- To prohibit the manufacture, sale, purchase, possession, distribution and use of devices designed to alternate, flip, hide, or otherwise conceal license plates so as to frustrate plate visibility, toll or enforcement systems, or law enforcement identification.
Key provisions
- New statutory definition (1‑137.10): “License plate flipper” means a device (manual, electronic, mechanical, or other means) designed or adapted to be installed on a vehicle that either alternates between two or more plates (or purported plates) or hides/conceals a plate so that the plate number is not visible.
- Amendment to 3‑413 (Display of registration plates):
- Prohibits altering the original manufacturer’s mounting location of a rear plate or knowingly causing it to be obstructed to conceal the plate or to circumvent plate detection systems (explicitly includes license plate flippers and electronic devices).
- Prohibits purchase/possession and prohibits manufacturing, selling, offering for sale, or otherwise distributing license plate flippers.
- Criminal penalties (as presented in the introduced and amendment text):
- Introduced text: Purchase/possession is a Class B misdemeanor; manufacture/sale/distribution is a Class A misdemeanor. The introduced version also states that a violation results in automatic suspension of the person’s vehicle registration (enforcement by Secretary of State).
- House Amendment 1 clarifies the device definition and incorporates the prohibitions into the section on plate display/modification; the amendment preserves misdemeanor prohibitions though some penalty language is reorganized within the bill text.
Who is affected
- Individuals: vehicle owners/operators who possess or use such devices (criminal exposure, possible automatic suspension of vehicle registration).
- Businesses and sellers: manufacturers, retailers, online marketplaces and installers that sell or distribute these devices (criminal liability for manufacture/sale/distribution).
- State agencies: Secretary of State (registration suspension enforcement) and law enforcement (investigation and prosecution). Tolling authorities and automated enforcement systems may see reduced attempts at evasion if enforced.
Procedural/timeline notes
- Introduced in early February 2025; House Amendment 1 filed March 12, 2025 (adds the new definition and revises 3‑413). Committee hearings and testimony recorded in May 2025; bill reported favorably and has been re‑referred to Rules Committee for further action. Final text and penalty placement may be refined as the bill moves through the process.
Potential impacts to watch
- Enforcement mechanics: how automatic registration suspension is implemented and whether suspensions apply to all violations.
- Commercial impact: retailers and online platforms may need to remove listings and ensure compliance.
- Enforcement priorities: coordination between Secretary of State, law enforcement, and tolling authorities.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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