Vella Sponsors Effort to Reduce Trailer Fees

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A proposal to reduce the license plate fee for small trailers is set to become law after months of support from state Rep. Dave Vella, D-Rockford.

“I’m happy we were able to come together in a bipartisan fashion to pass a bill that returns the fee for personal trailers to a more reasonable price that workers can actually afford,” said Vella. “Rockford families don’t have an extra $118 lying around to pay a fee to use something they already paid for. Reducing the fee from $118 to $36 is the least Springfield can do, especially during these historic times.”

According to the Secretary of State, there were 150,000 fewer trailer license applicants last year compared to the year previous. Due in part to Vella’s efforts, lawmakers came together in the final days of the spring session to work out a compromise. The Vella-backed Senate Bill 58, which was approved by both chambers last weekend, reduces the trailer fee to $36.

This bill defines a “utility trailer” as a trailer consisting of only one axle, weighing under 2,000 pounds, and used primarily for personal or individual use and not commercially used nor owned by a commercial business. The effective date of this bill is January 1, 2022 because the change in the registration fee for the trailers must coincide with the beginning of the Registration Year to ensure that owners are paying the same rate in a given year.

“I’ve heard from so many folks who are frustrated that the trailer registration fee increased dramatically, from a once reasonable rate of $18 all the way to $118,” said Vella. “One of my priorities when assuming office was to reduce this triple digit fee into something more reasonable and I’m happy to have accomplished that. However, I view this as just the start in combatting regressive Springfield taxes that only hurt working families more than they help.”