Illinois Toll Violations

My question involves a traffic ticket from the states of: Illinois and Oregon

I have an Oregon license. I recently relocated to Iowa for school, but did not need to change licenses because I am a student and hence not considered a true "resident". I also travel through the Chicago area frequently.

I received a notice for three toll violations accrued from the Illinois Tollway. I do not contest the validity of the violations. These violations do not appear to be moving violations, but seem closer to mere parking tickets. The only penalty is the payment of a fine (albeit a steep one). The notice threatens to suspend the licenses of those who do not pay.

Oregon does not have any toll roads, nor is a "toll violation" recognized in the Oregon motor vehicle statutes. Can Illinois suspend my Oregon license when Oregon cannot suspend my license for toll violations? Additionally, if I am, for instance, pulled over in Illinois, could I face elevated consequences (i.e. impoundment of vehicle, etc.)?

Thanks for your assistance

Quote:

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Quoting r99898

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My question involves a traffic ticket from the states of: Illinois and Oregon

I have an Oregon license. I recently relocated to Iowa for school, but did not need to change licenses because I am a student and hence not considered a true "resident". I also travel through the Chicago area frequently.

I received a notice for three toll violations accrued from the Illinois Tollway. I do not contest the validity of the violations. These violations do not appear to be moving violations, but seem closer to mere parking tickets. The only penalty is the payment of a fine (albeit a steep one). The notice threatens to suspend the licenses of those who do not pay.

Oregon does not have any toll roads, nor is a "toll violation" recognized in the Oregon motor vehicle statutes. Can Illinois suspend my Oregon license when Oregon cannot suspend my license for toll violations? Additionally, if I am, for instance, pulled over in Illinois, could I face elevated consequences (i.e. impoundment of vehicle, etc.)?

Thanks for your assistance

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Illinois cannot suspend your Oregon driver's license. So, if you're at home in Oregon, you should be fine. But Illinois can suspend your privilege to drive in Illinois. So, let's say you suddenly get a California driver's license; it won't mean a thing because the State of Illinois would have suspended your privilege to drive on its highways irrespective of your driver's license. So, you'll be able to drive in the other 49 states on your Oregon driver's license - just not in Illinois.

Illinois can abstract the suspension to other states. That could cause, for example, your inability to renew your Oregon license pending your resolution of the Illinois suspension. Then you end up having to pay the Illinois tickets, late fees, Illinois driver's license reinstatement fee, and possibly also an Oregon driver's license reinstatement fee.

Until it's resolved, the Illinois suspension would likely also prevent you from obtaining an Iowa license (or a license in any other state) if you ultimately decide to seek a license in that state.

Until it's resolved, no matter what state issues your license, your driving privileges in Illinois will remain suspended.

"Until it's resolved, no matter what state issues your license, your driving privileges in Illinois will remain suspended"

Exactly whose privileges are they suspending? Perhaps I should have mentioned that the car is not registered in my name. Indeed, the actual owner (who lives in OR and never travels to IL) received the notices, since the plate number is tied to their registration. If they suspend that person's privileges, but I am driving the vehicle in IL and am pulled over, am I driving while privileges have been suspended? In other words, are they suspending the privileges for the plate number itself, or rather, the owner of the vehicle?


"Illinois can abstract the suspension to other states. That could cause, for example, your inability to renew your Oregon license pending your resolution of the Illinois suspension."

Assuming that these violations are transmitted to Oregon, wouldn't OR need to cite a specific reason for refusing to renew my license? Surely, if I had outstanding parking tickets or moving violations for which an equivalent is recognized in OR, I would face difficulties. But there is no equivalent violation in OR for toll violations. Unless there is some provision in the OR statutes which bars renewal because specifically "driving privileges" have been suspended elsewhere (as opposed to suspension of an actual "license"), wouldn't OR be unable to refuse renewal? Perhaps I should review the OR code.

Thanks again

I have reviewed both the OR and IL codes.

The OR code states:

"Upon receipt of an application for a driver license or driver permit, DMV will make an inquiry to the National Driver Register/Problem Driver Pointer System (NDR/PDPS)...to determine if the applicant's driving privileges are suspended, revoked, canceled or otherwise not valid in any other jurisdiction." (OR 735-062-0007 (4))

So there is indeed such a provision which may cause problems for renewal.


However, the IL code states:

"Sec. 3‑704.2. Failure to satisfy fines or penalties for toll violations or evasions; suspension of vehicle registration.

(a) Upon receipt of a certified report...stating that the owner of a registered vehicle has failed to satisfy any fine or penalty relating directly or indirectly to 5 or more toll violations, toll evasions, or both, the Secretary of State shall suspend the vehicle registration of the person in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section...

(c) The report from the Authority notifying the Secretary of unsatisfied fines or penalties pursuant to this Section shall...contain the following:

(1) The name, last known address, and driver's license number of the person who failed to satisfy the fines or penalties and the registration number of any vehicle known to be registered in this State to that person." (Emphasis added)



Thus, it appears that IL will probably not suspend any privileges because there are only 3 violations which have occurred, and not 5. Even if a suspension was sought, section (c) seems to indicate that only vehicles registered in IL are subject to any suspension of privileges. The vehicle is registered with the owner in OR. Nothing in that section of the code provides for out-of-state drivers. I wouldn't imagine that IL has independent authority to "suspend the registration" of a vehicle which has never been registered in IL. I also didn't see anything in that section pertaining to a general suspension of driving privileges - only a suspension of registration and license.

Am I reading the statutes incorrectly, or are there other principles/rules I am missing?

Thanks for your help again