SPRINGFIELD – State Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) is reminding drivers that due to the ongoing budget stalemate, residents will not be receiving reminders from the Secretary of State’s office to renew their license plates.

According to Secretary of State Jesse White’s office, the move to temporarily stop sending renewal notices is due to the lack of money to pay for postage. The move was proposed as a way to save $450,000 per month.

“The problem is most people do not think about renewing their plates until they get their notification in the mail,” Sen Syverson said. “The end result is people are forgetting to renew, and can end up being ticketed for having expired plates.”

Sen. Syverson offers two suggestions as a way to address the problem:

o   Simply pull out your registration card and make note of due date. Then as that date approaches, contact the SOS office for information on the amount due and where to send payment.

o   Receive an “electronic notification,” which will also allow you to renew your license plates online. To sign up, visit the Secretary of State’s website at www.cyberdriveillinois.com. Online registration requires your ID and Pin number, which can be found on your current registration card.

 If you have any questions contact Secretary of State Jesse White, 213 State Capitol, Springfield, IL 62756 (800-252-8980, toll-free in Illinois).