East Central Reporter

Blaine Wilhour, the state representative for Illinois House District 110, said that feedback from constituents regarding long wait times to renew vehicle plates for the International Registration Plan (IRP) has led to an extended renewal deadline. He made this announcement in a Facebook post on April 1.

"After hearing from constituents about the hours long wait times, the Secretary of State has officially extended the IRP renewal deadline," said Wilhour, according to Facebook. "You now have a few extra weeks to renew IRP plates."

The International Registration Plan is an agreement facilitating the registration of commercial vehicles operating across state and territorial borders. The United States, Canadian provinces, and other jurisdictions are partners in this agreement, which applies to motor carriers, fleet operators, commercial vehicle owners, state and provincial motor vehicle agencies, insurance providers, as well as transportation brokers and logistics managers.

Screenshot of State Representative Blaine WIlhour's April 1 Facebook post | State Representative Blaine Wilhour's Facebook page

According to the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office, the deadline for IRP renewals is now April 18. The renewal process has been enhanced to allow for the uploading of the Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT) form 2290 and to enable credit card payments online for companies with fewer than 250 vehicles. The online renewal process is designed for companies with a small number of vehicles and minimal changes to make. By using the online process, companies with IRP registrations will receive renewals for all 59 jurisdictions participating in the IRP. IRP registrations are processed exclusively in Springfield.

The history of the International Registration Plan dates back to 1968 when a subcommittee of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators recognized the need for a system to track commercial vehicle registration across jurisdictions. Four years later, the Ad Hoc Committee for National Proportional Registration was established, leading to the creation of the IRP at the AAMVA International Conference in 1974. In 1995, an agreement between the Federal Highway Administration and IRP initiated a pilot project for an electronic clearinghouse of registration information.

Wilhour has served as a representative for Illinois' 110th District since 2019. A lifelong resident of Illinois, he served in the Illinois Army National Guard from 1999-2005 and was deployed to Europe in 2002 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. His political career includes a term on the Fayette County Board. He is also a managing partner at his family’s post-frame construction company in Effingham County.