Dealer-related Information

Those licensed to sell new or used vehicles are held to a very high standard of legal behavior. While dealers may welcome the relative leniency of the following provisions, most average consumers would probably prefer even tighter regulations.

Motor vehicle dealers in Illinois are also held to the provisions of the Illinois Lemon Law, which is designed to protect consumers from being stuck with a defective vehicle.

Illinois state law requires that anyone seeking a license to sell motor vehicles must attest that no major owner, partner, or shareholder holding 10% or more of the company has violated any of the following statutes more than once in the past three years:

• The Anti-Theft Laws of the Illinois Vehicle Code

• The Certificate of Title Laws of the Illinois Vehicle Code

• The Offenses against Registration and Certificates of Title Laws of the Illinois Vehicle Code

• The Dealers, Transporters, Wreckers and Rebuilders Laws of the Illinois Vehicle Code

• Section 21―2 of the Criminal Code of 1961, Criminal Trespass to Vehicles

• The Retailers' Occupation Tax Act

Illinois motor vehicle dealers must also have no more than two violations in one year of any of the following regulations:

• The Consumer Finance Act

• The Consumer Installment Loan Act

• The Retail Installment Sales Act

• The Motor Vehicle Retail Installment Sales Act

• The Interest Act

• The Illinois Wage Assignment Act

• Part 8 of Article XII of the Code of Civil Procedure

• The Consumer Fraud Act

Additional information on these acts is contained in the Illinois Vehicle Code.

New-car vs. Used-car Dealers

Most requirements for new and used motor vehicle dealers are similar. But one difference is that used motor vehicle dealers are required to issue extra paperwork in various situations, such as disclosing the rebuilt status of a vehicle. The statutes specifically covering used vehicle dealers are located under Sec. 5-102 of the state code.

Keeping Up-to-date

The Dealers and Remitters Bulletin is issued whenever changes in the law or their application require it. Dealers may subscribe to it, or they can read past issues online.