Illinois License Plate Lookup

By Mohamed SkhiriUpdated November 8, 2026Checked against the Illinois Secretary of State's Information Request Form (VSD 375)

Illinois handles plate records through the Secretary of State, the same office that issues titles and plates. Its approach is simple to explain: anyone can buy a basic vehicle search, but the law sorts requesters into two groups, and only one of them sees who owns the car.

The state of Illinois license plate lookup form

Requests go on the Secretary of State Information Request Form, VSD 375, mailed to the Record Inquiry Section in Springfield. The form must be signed and dated, include the fee and state your reason. Where it applies, attach a copy of your business license and your driver's license.

The form lists these services:

A registration search is what most people mean by an Illinois license plate number lookup. Certified records, at $10, are the ones to use in court.

Illinois license plate lookup by owner: two kinds of requester

On the VSD 375, you certify that you're requesting information for a permissible use under the Driver's Privacy Protection Act. Then the law splits requesters:

• Exempt entities, such as law enforcement, government agencies, financial institutions, attorneys, insurers, employers and automobile-related businesses, can receive personal information when their use is permitted.
• Everyone else receives vehicle information only. The form is explicit: non-exempt requesters won't be given any personal identification information.

So for a private individual, an Illinois license plate lookup of the owner isn't possible by mail at any price. If you need the owner identified because of a crash or a legal dispute, the people who can do it are the police, your insurer, or your attorney.

Is there a free license plate lookup in Illinois?

Not an official one: every search on the VSD 375 carries a fee. An Illinois license plate lookup for free, with owner details, would require the Secretary of State to release personal information without a permitted use, which it won't do. What's free is calling the police about an incident; they can check a license plate in Illinois as part of their duties.

Illinois license plate finder for personalized plates

Some people searching for a plate finder simply want to know if a personalized or vanity plate is available. That's a different service: the Secretary of State's Pick-A-Plate page lets you check and order plates. It won't tell you who has a plate that's already taken.

What to do in common situations

• Hit-and-run: report it to the police with the plate and a description. Then call your insurer with the report number.
• Abandoned car on your property: contact your local police or a licensed tow operator.
• Buying a used car: check the seller's ID against the title and the VIN on the dashboard. Remember that in Illinois the plates stay with the seller, so the car you buy won't come with its current plates. Our Illinois title transfer guide covers the rest.
• Your own vehicle: you can order a registration or title search on your own vehicle with the VSD 375.

What happens when you call the police

Reporting is often the fastest route to a result. Officers can identify a registered owner from the plate as part of an investigation, and a police report gives your insurer what it needs to pursue the other driver's coverage. Write down everything while it's fresh: the plate, the color and type of vehicle, any damage, the direction it went, and the time. Photos help. If the other driver left after a collision, report it promptly; waiting makes the trail colder and can complicate your claim.

Same request, different words

However the search is typed, an IL license plate lookup, a plate lookup with "IL" in front, an IL license plate number lookup, or a request to look up a license plate number in Illinois, it ends at the same desk: the Record Inquiry Section and the VSD 375. Searches for a free lookup of Illinois license plates, or a lookup typed with the British spelling, licence plate, get the same answer too. A non-exempt requester pays $5 and receives vehicle information; an exempt one with a permitted use can receive more.

Before you mail the form

• Check the plate carefully. Illinois plates can include letters and numbers that are easy to confuse, such as O and 0 or I and 1.
• Write a specific reason. "Insurance claim for a collision on May 3, claim number 12345" is better than "personal."
• Include the right documents. A copy of your driver's license, and your business license if you're asking as a business.
• Choose certified only if you need it. It doubles the fee, and it's mainly for court use.
• Keep a copy of everything you send, including the check number.

Illinois plate lookup FAQ