TRANSPORTATION / MOTOR VEHICLE INFORMATION
Illinois Driver License
New residents may drive with a license issued from their home state for a grace period of 90 days. To obtain a new driver license, you must visit a Driver Services facility to surrender your out-of-state license and pass a vision screening, written exam, and possibly a driving exam. Proper identification must be presented to verify your full name, date of birth, social security number, Illinois residency, and written signature.
Residents who are not at least 18 years old must complete a state-approved driver education course and pass all three parts of the driver license exam. Illinois has adopted a Graduated Licensing program for drivers under the age of 18. While 16-year-olds who have successfully completed driver education can apply for a driver license, the graduated program establishes additional training requirements during the instruction permit phase. For more information or answers to specific questions on driving in Illinois, contact:
Illinois Secretary of State
Driver Service Department
800-252-8980
www.cyberdriveillinois.com
Illinois Vehicle Registration
Newcomers have 30 days to apply for Illinois title and registration for their vehicles after establishing residence in the state, provided that the vehicle(s) were properly registered in another jurisdiction. Registration requirements include a copy of the current vehicle registration and title. If you recently purchased and have not titled or registered the vehicle you are bringing into Illinois, you must complete a tax form. For more information or answers to specific questions on registering and titling, contact the Driver Service Department.
To locate the driver services facility nearest you, consult the blue pages under state government offices and Secretary of State or the Motorist Services section of the Illinois Gateway. You can also contact the Driver Service Department by telephone or consult the website directory:
Driver Service Department
800-252-8980
www.cyberdriveillinois.com
Illinois Mandatory Insurance
Liability insurance is required by Illinois law for all motor vehicles that must display license plates and are being driven. This includes cars, vans, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, trucks and buses. Trailers are not required to have liability insurance. For more information or answers to specific questions, contact:
Mandatory Insurance Division
217-524-4946
https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/vehicles/mandatory_insurance.html
Illinois Emissions Testing
Illinois requires that a vehicle be emissions tested every two years beginning at four years old. You will receive a notice from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) if your car or truck is registered in a location where testing is required. For more information or an online list of zip codes covered by the law, contact:
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
217-782-3397
https://www2.illinois.gov/epa/Pages/default.aspx
Illinois Safety Regulations
Illinois law requires that the driver and front seat passengers wear a properly adjusted and fastened seat safety belt. Those who are transporting children under age eight are responsible for properly securing the child in an appropriate child restraint system, including a booster seat. Children at least eight years old but under age 16 must be properly secured in a seat belt regardless of their position in the vehicle. Children under age eight who weigh more than 40 pounds can be secured in a rear seat wearing a lap belt only when no shoulder belt is available. If a combination lap and shoulder belt is available, the child must be secured in a booster seat. No one can operate any 1965 or later model vehicle unless the front seats are equipped with two sets of safety belts. For more information or answers to specific questions, contact:
Illinois State Police Department
www.isp.state.il.us
Illinois Watercraft Registration
To register your watercraft for the first time in Illinois, you must submit a boat application, required documents, and the appropriate fee. Applications are available from Department of Natural Resources offices, boat dealers, or online. For more information on registering your boat or snowmobile, contact:
Department of Natural Resources
Watercraft Registration
Online contact only
https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/Pages/default.aspx
Indiana Driver License
Newcomers to Indiana must apply for an Indiana driver license within 60 days of establishing residency. The state requires documentation that includes the Social Security number in the applicant’s name, proof of identity, proof of age if applicable, and proof of Indiana residency. Your legal birth certificate or valid U.S. passport serves as the primary identification document and also provides proof of age when required. Those who hold a valid license from another state will need to pass a vision exam and possibly an exam over the rules of the road. The driving test will most likely be waived. You must surrender your out-of-state license in order to receive the Indiana license. For more information or answers to specific questions, contact:
Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles
800-457-8283
www.in.gov/bmv
Indiana Vehicle Registration
New Indiana residents have 60 days to register and title their vehicle(s) after establishing residency. Bring the title document from your previous state of residence and obtain VIN verification from a law enforcement officer or other qualified person. This information must be taken to a license branch in the county in which you want to reside. The vehicle must be titled in the registrant’s name before it can be registered and a license plate can be issued. Other required documentation includes the certificate of origin and an odometer statement. All registrants are required to provide the name of their current insurance company and policy number. If you are registering the car as an individual, Indiana law requires you to provide your social security number. To locate the license branch nearest you, contact the Bureau of Motor Vehicles or check online at:
Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles
800-457-8283
www.in.gov/bmv
Indiana Mandatory Insurance
All motor vehicles registered and operated in the state of Indiana must be covered by liability insurance according to specified limits that covers the property damage and/or injuries caused to others in the event of an accident. You will be required to provide the name of your Indiana-licensed insurance provider and policy number at registration time; you must also carry proof of that coverage in the vehicle at all times. For more information or answers to specific questions, contact:
Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles
800-457-8283
www.in.gov/bmv
Indiana Emissions Testing
Vehicles registered in Lake and Porter counties are required to undergo emissions tests and tampering inspections every two years from 1976 and newer passenger vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating 9,000 pounds or less. Testing for odd-numbered model years occurs on odd-numbered calendar years and vice versa. The four newest model year vehicles are exempt. For more information, contact:
The Clean Air Car Check
888-240-1684
www.cleanaircarcheck.com.
Indiana Safety Regulations
Indiana maintains a primary seat-belt law that allows officers to pull over and ticket motorists solely because of a seat-belt violation. Vehicle safety laws in regard to children are divided into age groups. Up to the age of four, the child must be properly secured in a child passenger restraint system in all seating positions within a moving vehicle. Children age four to 12 must be properly secured by a child passenger restraint system or seat belt in all seating positions. It is strongly recommended that all children be secured in the rear seat of the vehicle. Motorcycle drivers under the age of 18 and those with a motorcycle learner’s permit are required to wear a helmet and eye protection. For more information, contact:
Traffic Safety Division
Indiana Criminal Justice Institute
317-232-1233
www.in.gov/cji/2329.htm
Indiana Watercraft Registration
Every motorized watercraft principally used on the waters of Indiana must be registered unless it is legally registered in another state and has not been in the state of Indiana for more than 60 consecutive days. Motorized sailboats must also be registered. Non-motorized sailboats do not require a registration fee, but they do incur excise taxes and other appropriate fees. Jet skies and other personal watercraft are considered motorized watercraft and are processed the same as any motorized boat. To register your watercraft, bring proof of ownership to your local license branch. For answers to specific questions, contact:
Vehicle Services Help Desk
Bureau of Motor Vehicles
800-457-8283
www.in.gov/bmv
Michigan Driver License
Newcomers must obtain a Michigan driver license immediately upon establishing state residency. This process can be completed at any Secretary of State branch office. Drivers who are age 18 or older must present proof of identity, pass a vision test, meet physical and mental standards, pass a knowledge test, and pass a road test. The latter two tests may be waived for those who hold a valid license from another state. The Secretary of State will contact your previous home state to obtain your driver record, which becomes part of your Michigan driver record.
New residents who are under age 18 must successfully meet the requirements of the Michigan’s Graduated Driver Licensing program before they can be licensed. A parent or legal guardian must accompany the teen to sign the application. Age, license type, and proof of driver education meeting Michigan standards together determine eligibility for a Michigan graduated driver license.
Michigan Vehicle Title/License
New Michigan residents must immediately title and register their vehicles at a Secretary of State branch office and turn in the title from their previous home state. If the out-of-state title is being held by a lien holder or leasing company, bring your previous state registration or proof of the out-of-state title along with proof of Michigan no-fault insurance for the vehicle. Michigan will issue a registration-only for the vehicle, which allows the issuing of a license plate without converting the out-of-state title to a Michigan title. Michigan plate fees are based on the vehicle’s manufacturer’s suggested retail price. Please bring cash, check or money order to the branch office, not a credit card.
Michigan Insurance Requirements
Proof of Michigan “no fault” insurance is required to register a motor vehicle, and this proof must be carried in the vehicle or by the driver at all times. No out-of-state policies are acceptable. Collision and comprehensive insurance are not required by Michigan law. The “no fault” system provides valuable benefits. In most cases, those who are involved in an accident collect from their own insurance companies and thus avoid the stress and expense of a lawsuit.
Michigan Boats & Recreational Vehicles
In addition to motor vehicles, Michigan requires registration for mopeds, watercraft and snowmobiles. The Secretary of State also completes these registrations at branch offices. All watercraft 20 feet and longer and all watercraft with a permanently affixed engine, regardless of length, must be titled.
For complete details or answers to specific questions on driver licenses or vehicle titling and registration in Michigan, contact:
Michigan Secretary of State
888-767-6424
www.michigan.gov/sos
Michigan Seat Belt Law
Michigan’s standard enforcement safety belt law requires that all front seat passengers be buckled up, all passengers under 16 be buckled up regardless of seating position, and all children under age 4 to be secured in an approved child safety seat. It is also recommended that children who outgrow a child safety seat be properly fitted for a booster seat.
Michigan has upgraded its seat belt law to allow law enforcement agents to ticket motorists for seat belt violations without stopping them first for another infraction. This new “primary seat belt” law applies to drivers carrying children younger than four years of age who are not property restrained in child safety seats. For information Michigan’s child passenger safety law, contact:
Office of Highway Safety Planning
517-284-3332
www.michigan.gov/msp
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
888-327-4236
www.nhtsa.dot.gov
