City Stickers for Cars

I'm sorry that happened to you! Unfortunately, it sounds like you're going to have to pay for the sticker in June, and then probably another one when you move. Here's how it works - each town/city usually has their own city sticker for the car. If your car is registered to you, then whatever city you officially live in is where you need to have the city sticker. When you move out of the city I don't think you can get any money back on the sticker. But when you move to the new town they will probably pro-rate the new sticker. The city sticker is basically just another tax and it sucks but the fines and late fees are just not worth it to skip it.

Ah yes, welcome to the land of "hidden taxes"! Every car registered to someone who lives in the city has to have a city sticker and I think enforcers can even come into the big private garages and ticket you. Nice, huh?

Unfortunately you may not get any sort of reduced fee for Wilmette or Winnetka. I cannot recall if you need stickers for those villages (I work in Winnetka) but if you do, your city sticker will not cover it. Every city and village needs to get their cut of the tax uh I mean sticker fee.

(Of course, we own a single family home in the city with our own garage so I've been a scofflaw for the past two years. Yes, I'm a criminal.)

Good luck with your move to Wilmette/Winnetka - you'll love it there!

**The city sticker follows the owner. People have actually STOLEN city stickers from windows. If you buy a car from someone, technically they still 'own' the city sticker.

Do you have an address lined up in either Winnetka or Wilmette yet? (Probably not because it's either/or right?) If you rent or buy something in either village you can purchase your vehicle sticker there before you move in, and I would think you could just use that for the 30-or-so days you are still parking in the city. Maybe. I know you aren't going to be able to get any sort of refund or cheaper sticker in Chicago. It's the most crooked city in the universe.

To waive the late fee or to receive a prorated fee, only the date on the following documents can be used - lease, title/mortgage,
dated vehicle registration, auto dealer bill of sale, vehicle title, IDOR vehicle tax forms
http://www.chicityclerk.com/licenses/2009_VehicleStickerP...

Winnetka and Wilmette won't accept the Chicago city sticker, because they are a different city - but I'm not sure if they have their own because I live in Chicago.

Chicago is notorious for not giving refunds - we are lucky they even prorate!!!!

Good Luck!

Wow, I honestly have never heard of a city sticker... I just moved to Illinois 7 months ago. Granted I live out in the sticks and have never heard tell of City stickers out here. I know they don't have them in Ohio, where I'm from, or if some cities do I don't know which ones. Even some of us from the US wouldn't have known! Sorry you found out the hard way though! :(

When did you buy your car? I'm pretty sure there is a grace period when you have just bought the car, so you could contest the ticket. Unfortunately, if you live in the city of Chicago then you are required to have a city sticker, which sucks for you because you will be moving. At this time of the year they should have prorated the sticker you bought, but that may have changed since I last looked. Depending on the suburb, they may have their own sticker required for residents, but the Chicago sticker would not be required. Good luck!