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The city clerk is authorized to (1) establish a system for issuing wheel tax licenses on a staggered basis throughout the year in a manner that the city clerk determines is most economical, best accommodates the public, and distributes the work of issuing wheel tax licenses as uniformly as practicable throughout the calendar year; and (2) promulgate rules and regulations, with which persons requiring a wheel tax license under this chapter shall be required to comply, setting forth the required purchase date(s) for wheel tax licenses and other requirements necessary or appropriate to establishing a staggered system for issuing such licenses or for the proper administration of this chapter.
(Added Coun. J. 4-10-13, p. 51189, § 2)
(a) City wheel tax license – Required. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section, it shall be unlawful (1) for any motor vehicle owner residing within the city to use, or to cause or permit any of the owner's agents, employees, lessees, licensees or bailees to use, any motor vehicle or any other vehicle upon the public ways of the city or upon any city-owned property, unless such vehicle is licensed as provided in this chapter; or (2) for any person to operate upon the public ways of the city or upon any city-owned property any motor vehicle or any other vehicle requiring a wheel tax license under this chapter, unless such vehicle is licensed as provided in this chapter. The operator of any such motor vehicle shall be subject to the same penalties that apply to the owner of the vehicle for violation of this section. There shall be a presumption that any vehicle parked in any public garage, as defined in Chapter 4-232, or any parking lot open to pedestrian traffic, used the public ways to arrive at its location.
(b) Exemptions. A wheel tax license under this chapter shall not be required if the vehicle is: (1) a commercial vehicle, as defined in Section 1-111.8 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, codified at 625 ILCS 5/1-111.8, and such vehicle is registered pursuant to the International Registration Plan, or (2) a trailer as defined in Section 3-56-010.
(c) City residents maintaining situs for vehicle outside the city – Requirements – Credit against license fee. If the owner of a motor vehicle or any other vehicle resides in the city but maintains a situs or base for such vehicle located outside of the city, such owner shall be (1) subject to subsection (a) of this section, and (2) entitled to a credit against the appropriate wheel tax license fee provided for in Section 3-56-050 in the amount of any wheel tax license fee paid for such vehicle to the municipality where such vehicle is based; provided, however, that in no event shall such a credit reduce the amount of the wheel tax license fee below zero.
(Prior code § 29-2; Amend Coun. J. 4-6-90, p. 13691; Amend Coun. J. 12-15-92, p. 27387; Amend Coun. J. 7-2-97, p. 48683, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 11-19-03, p. 14216, § 3.2; Amend Coun. J. 2-8-06, p. 69782, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 12-12-07, p. 16793, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-8-12, p. 38872, § 43; Amend Coun. J. 4-10-13, p. 51189, § 3)
(a) Within 30 days of commencing residence in the city, a person shall obtain a wheel tax license for any vehicle required to be licensed under this chapter. Within 30 days of purchasing or otherwise acquiring ownership of a vehicle, a person shall obtain a wheel tax license for such vehicle if the vehicle is required to be licensed under this chapter. In all other cases, the required purchase date for any wheel tax license required under this chapter shall be as set forth in rules and regulations duly promulgated by the city clerk.
(b) Any person alleged to have violated either the license requirement set forth in Section 3-56-020 or the license display requirement set forth in Section 9-64-125 may raise as an affirmative defense that (1) such person resided in the city for less than 30 days at the time he or she was cited for violation, or (2) the cited vehicle was purchased or ownership of the vehicle was otherwise acquired less than 30 days prior to the issuance of the violation. If the alleged violator can demonstrate, by clear and convincing evidence, that he or she resided in the city for less than 30 days or owned the vehicle for less than 30 days at the time the citation was issued, and that the appropriate fee was paid in accordance with Chapter 3-56 no later than 30 days following the commencement of city residence or purchase of the vehicle no liability shall exist. A showing of recent residency may be made by a lease, utility billing records or other appropriate documents. A showing of recent vehicle purchase or acquisition may be made by applicable vehicle registration or title documents issued by the Secretary of State or other appropriate documents. Any person who knowingly provides inaccurate information in connection with this subsection shall be subject to a fine of not less than $500.00 nor more than $1,000.00.
(Added Coun. J. 7-10-96, p. 24532; Amend Coun. J. 12-8-04, p. 38063, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 12-12-07, p. 16793, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 4-10-13, p. 51189, § 4)
Applications for a wheel tax license shall be filed with the city clerk, on a form provided by the city clerk, and shall contain the following information: (1) the name and address of the applicant, (2) a description of the vehicle for which the wheel tax license is desired, and (3) any other information that the city clerk may reasonably require.
(Prior code § 29-3; Amend Coun. J. 12-8-04, p. 38063, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 12-12-07, p. 16793, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 4-10-13, p. 51189, § 5)
(a) Upon payment by the applicant of the wheel tax license fee hereinafter provided, the City Clerk shall issue, or cause to be issued, a wheel tax license. The period for a wheel tax license shall begin on the required purchase date and shall end on the last day of the month indicated on the face of such license. Provided, however, that if a wheel tax license is issued before the required purchase date, such license shall be valid upon its issuance. Provided further, that in the case of renewal of a valid and current wheel tax license only, the applicable period shall include the grace periods specified in Section 3-56-043.
(b) The City Clerk shall make wheel tax licenses available for an annual period. Provided that in the case of renewal of an existing wheel tax license issued pursuant to the staggered system authorized under Section 3-56-015, the City Clerk may offer applicants for a wheel tax license the option, as provided for in duly promulgated rules, to purchase such license for a period of up to two years. If a wheel tax license is issued or renewed for more or less than an annual period, the fee for such license shall be prorated in accordance with Section 3-56-050(c).
(Prior code § 29-4; Amend Coun. J. 9-13-06, p. 84345, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 12-12-07, p. 16793, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 1-13-09, p. 52800, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 2-15-12, p. 20533, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 4-10-13, p. 51189, § 6; Amend Coun. J. 3-5-14, p. 75832, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 4-2-14, p. 77557, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-19-14, p. 98037, § 20; Amend Coun. J. 6-22-16, p. 26610, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-16-16, p. 37901, Art. III, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 11-14-18, p. 90376, Art. II, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 9-18-19, p. 4521, § 1)
In addition to annual terms, the City Clerk shall make wheel tax licenses available for terms of four months. The applicable period for renewing a valid and current wheel tax license shall include the grace periods specified in Section 3-56-043. Outside of the grace period, any late fees shall be in addition to the wheel tax license fee purchased.
(Added Coun. J. 11-14-18, p. 90376, Art. II, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 9-18-19, p. 4521, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 7-21-21, p. 32718, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 6-22-22, p. 48707, § 1)
The applicable period for renewing a valid and current wheel tax license shall include:
(a) a 30-day grace period, during which the applicant may purchase a wheel tax license without incurring any late fees under Section 3-56-050. Any grace period provided for under this subsection (a) shall commence at 12:01 A.M. on the day after the required purchase date and shall end at midnight on the thirtieth day after the required purchase date.
(b) a 15-day grace period, during which the applicant may purchase a wheel tax license without incurring any penalties under Section 3-56-150(b) or Section 9-64-125 for failure to obtain or display the wheel tax license by the required purchase date. Any grace period provided for under this subsection (b) shall commence at 12:01 A.M. on the day after the required purchase date and shall end at midnight on the fifteenth day after the required purchase date.
(Added Coun. J. 9-18-19, p. 4521, § 1)
(a) (1) Applicable annual license fees are as follows; provided, however, that each amount set forth in this subsection (a) shall be adjusted upwards, if applicable, for the term starting on January 1, 2014, and every two years thereafter by applying to it the rate of inflation over the two-year period ending on the most recent July 1, calculated based on the Consumer Price Index – Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (Chicago All Items) published by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, as calculated by the Comptroller, communicated to the Clerk by the Comptroller, and published by the Clerk. Such adjustment shall take place on January 1 of the applicable year, and shall apply the overall rate of inflation, if any, for the two-year period ending on the most recent July 1. Provided further, that the amount of any such adjustment shall be capped at 105% of the fee being adjusted:
Vehicle | Fee |
Smaller passenger automobiles | $85.00 |
Larger passenger automobiles | $135.00 |
(2) The City Clerk shall maintain a list of makes and models of passenger automobiles classified as "smaller" or "larger" for the purposes of this provision. The list shall be available for public inspection at any time during the Clerk’s regular business hours.
Vehicle | Fee |
Vehicle | Fee |
Smaller passenger automobiles, larger passenger automobiles or motorcycles only, not more than one such motor vehicle, registered to a person 65 years of age or older, upon satisfactory proof of age and motor vehicle ownership | $30.00 |
Replacement passenger wheel tax license emblem registered to a person 65 years of age or older, upon satisfactory proof of age, proof of purchase and original damaged wheel tax license emblem or police report of theft | No Fee |
Antique motor vehicles | $30.00 |
Motorcycles or neighborhood electric vehicles | $45.00 |
Municipally owned vehicles | No fee |
Vehicles licensed to disabled veterans, purple heart veterans, or to persons who, while serving in the United States Armed Forces, were taken prisoner of war | No fee |
Vehicles licensed to handicapped individuals Handicapped individual means every natural person who (1) has permanently lost the use of a leg or both legs or an arm or both arms or any combination thereof or any person who is so severely disabled as to be unable to move without the aid of crutches, tripod type cane, walker or a wheelchair; and (2) has a valid disability license plate issued by the Illinois Secretary of State
| No fee |
Tax-exempt organization-owned buses | No fee |
Trailers | No fee |
All other vehicles, including trucks, tractor-semitrailer units, motor buses and recreational vehicles: | |
16,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight or less | $200.00 |
16,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight or less for not more than one such vehicle, registered to a person 65 years of age or older, upon satisfactory proof of age and motor vehicle ownership
|
$135.00
|
Over 16,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight | $450.00 |
(3) Standard Veteran License Program.
Vehicle | Fee |
Non-commercial smaller passenger automobiles, larger passenger automobiles, small trucks, or motorcycles, not more than one motor vehicle, registered to a veteran with an Illinois Driver’s License or Illinois State Identification Card with "Veteran" designation, upon satisfactory proof of such veteran status and vehicle ownership as set forth in rules promulgated by the City Clerk | No fee |
Replacement passenger wheel tax license emblem registered to a veteran with an Illinois Driver’s License or Illinois State Identification Card with "Veteran" designation, upon satisfactory proof of such veteran status and vehicle ownership as set forth in rules promulgated by the City Clerk, proof of purchase, and original damaged wheel tax license emblem or police report of theft | No fee |
(b) (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b)(2) of this section, if the applicant for a wheel tax license fails to purchase such license by the required purchase date, a late fee of $60.00 shall be assessed. Such late fee shall be in addition to the wheel tax license fee set forth in subsection (a) of this section.
(2) The late fee for not more than one smaller or larger passenger automobile registered to any person 65 years of age or older, upon satisfactory proof of age and vehicle ownership, shall be reduced by an amount equal to one-half of the late fee provided in subsection (b)(1), if the wheel tax license for such vehicle is purchased after the required purchase date. Such late fee shall be in addition to the wheel tax license fee set forth in subsection (a) of this section.
(3) No late fee shall be imposed under this subsection (b) if (i) the applicant obtains a wheel tax license within 30 days of commencing residence in the City, as required under Section 3-56-021(a); or (ii) the applicant obtains a wheel tax license within 30 days of purchasing or otherwise acquiring ownership of a vehicle, as required under Section 3-56-021(a); or (iii) in the case of a renewal of a wheel tax license, the applicant obtains a current wheel tax license within the grace period provided for under Section 3-56-043(a).
(4) No late fee shall be imposed under this subsection (b) for any vehicle registered to an applicant who, on the required purchase date, was serving in the United States Armed Forces and stationed outside the City, if a wheel tax license is purchased for the vehicle within 30 days of the applicant's discharge from the United States Armed Forces and the applicant did not cause or permit any person to use the vehicle in violation of Section 3-56-020(a) at any time after the required purchase date and before the applicant's discharge date.
(5) Upon an applicant’s showing of reasonable cause, accompanied by appropriate documentation, the City Clerk is authorized to waive any late fee that would otherwise apply to such applicant for failure to obtain a wheel tax license by the required purchase date.
(c) If, pursuant to Section 3-56-040(b), the City Clerk authorizes the issuance of wheel tax licenses for more or less than an annual period, the City Clerk shall establish and administer a prorated fee schedule for such license(s). The amount of the prorated fee shall be based on the number of months for which the wheel tax license is issued. The prorated fee shall be in addition to any late fee required to be paid under subsection (b) of this section.
(d) (1) Persons who obtain a wheel tax license within 30 days of purchasing or otherwise acquiring ownership of a vehicle or of commencing residence within the City shall be assessed a prorated fee for such license, as provided for in paragraph (2) of this subsection, if the applicant furnishes an affidavit, in a form satisfactory to the City Clerk and accompanied by suitable documentary proof, establishing the date of the purchase or acquisition of the vehicle or the commencement of residency. Suitable documentary proof of the date of commencement of residency shall include a lease, mortgage or title documents, or other appropriate documents. Suitable documentary proof of the date of vehicle purchase or acquisition shall include vehicle registration or title documents issued by the Secretary of State or other appropriate documents. All applicants that do not comply with the requirements for a prorated license shall be subject to a full annual license fee.
(2) The amount of the prorated fee required under subsection (d)(1) of this section shall be based on the number of months for which the wheel tax license is issued, as set forth in the prorated fee schedule established by the City Clerk pursuant to subsection (c) of this section.
(Prior code § 29-5; Amended. Coun. J. 5-9-84, p. 6279; 12-12-84, p. 11847; 4-18-85, p. 15174; 4-25-85, p. 15889; 3-30-88, p. 11340; 9-11-91, p. 4611; 11-22-91, p. 9188; 12-15-93, p. 43704; 6-10-96, p. 22856; Amend Coun. J. 11-10-99, p. 14998, § 3.1; Amend Coun. J.11-17-99, p. 17487, § 3.1; Amend Coun. J. 11-19-03, p. 14216, § 3.3; Amend Coun. J. 3-31-04, p. 20916, § 3.18; Amend Coun. J. 12-15-04, p. 39840, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-15-06, p. 92007, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-13-07, p. 15814, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 12-12-07, p. 16793, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 7-30-08, p. 34890, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 2-11-09, p. 55024, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 6-30-09, p. 65579, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 11-16-11, p. 14596, Art. IV, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 2-15-12, p. 20533, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 2-15-12, p. 20643, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 4-10-13, p. 51189, § 7; Amend Coun. J. 3-5-14, p. 75830, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 3-5-14, p. 75832, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 4-2-14, p. 77642, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 11-19-14, p. 98037, § 20; Amend Coun. J. 10-28-15, p. 11951, Art. X, § 15; Amend Coun. J. 6-22-16, p. 26610, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 11-14-18, p. 90376, Art. II, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 1-23-19, p. 94376, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 6-12-19, p. 1024, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 7-24-19, p. 2672, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 9-18-19, p. 4521, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 10-16-19, p. 7298, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 1-27-21, p. 26770, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 7-20-22, p. 50825, § 1)
(a) Any business or non-governmental entity which has entered into an agreement with the City Clerk or an authorized agent of the City Clerk for over-the- counter sale to the public of the license required by Section 3-56-020 must post singage provided by the City Clerk in an area or areas clearly visible to patrons and employees of the facility where such licenses are sold. Such signage shall contain the following information:
(i) established vehicle license fees for each classification or type of license;
(ii) service or processing fees as authorized by the City Clerk;
(iii) transfer, replacement or late fees; and
(iv) prorated fees and applicable schedules.
(b) Any entity required to post signage pursuant to subsection 3-56-051(a) shall also post directly adjacent to each such sign provided by the City Clerk additional signage indicating any supplemental fees or costs assessed which are not contained within Chapter 3-56 of the Municipal Code of Chicago.
(c) Failure to post signage in accordance with the provisions of this section shall result in a fine of $200.00. A separate and distinct offense shall be considered as committed for each day such violation continues.
(Added Coun. J. 4-11-07, p. 102839, § 1)
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