SPRINGFIELD – After speaking with many constituents who were having trouble renewing license fees for their small trailers, Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) became a lead co-sponsor on Senate Bill 58, which creates a new registration class for small trailers, lowering the cost of the fee for licensing a small trailer from $118 to $36.

“The fee hike on one class of trailer license plates is unfair and unacceptable, which is why I supported legislation to create a more reasonable registration system,” Joyce said. “By reversing the increase, we can give Illinois residents the chance to keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets.”

The legislation designates all trailers that weigh 2,000 pounds or less as “utility trailers” and sets the utility trailer registration fee at $36. Fees were increased on these trailers in 2019 as a part of the Rebuild Illinois capital infrastructure plan.

The measure applies only to trailers primarily designated for personal use.

The legislation also removes the $10,000 cap on sales tax credits on vehicle trade-ins. The cap, which had been in effect since 2020, required sales tax to be applied to any trade-in with a value above $10,000, costing residents hundreds of dollars more when purchasing a new vehicle.

“Saving residents money is more critical than ever before, as we move into economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Joyce said. “I look forward to seeing this legislation signed into law so motorists can breathe a sigh of relief.”.

Senate Bill 58 passed the General Assembly Monday.