Illinois Trucking Compliance: New Agency, Same Rules, and an Old Habit to Unlearn

The Illinois statute adopts the federal parts "as now in effect", while the recodified ISP rules (Parts 3320 and 3420) still incorporate the federal text as of October 1, 2014. Public Act 104-0736 (2026) makes ISP's Division of Patrol the lead state agency for Illinois's Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program.

Who this guide is for

Illinois is home to 34,239 interstate carriers in FMCSA's census, the third-largest count of any state, and 83.6% of them run 10 or fewer power units. This guide is for Illinois carriers adjusting to the ISP transfer and for safety managers maintaining Illinois-specific credentials. Chicago-area carriers can also see our Chicago metro page.

The 2026 move from IDOT to the Illinois State Police

Under Public Act 104-0025 (effective October 1, 2025), "the Department" in the Illinois Motor Carrier Safety Law now means the Illinois State Police, and the personnel who administered the law moved from IDOT to ISP on January 1, 2026. IDOT states that its Motor Carrier Program and Hazardous Materials Program moved to ISP on that date, and that roadside inspection report requests now go to ISP. ISP is authorized to perform commercial vehicle inspections under the recodified Part 396 rules.

The old habit to unlearn: many current web pages, carrier policies and training materials still cite "92 Ill. Adm. Code 390, 391, 396" and name IDOT as the safety agency. After the transfer those rules sit in ISP Parts 3320 (formerly 390), 3340 (formerly 391) and 3420 (formerly 396). Update internal policies and contact lists accordingly.

Illinois intrastate rules vs federal rules

Contract carriers transporting employees in vehicles designed for 15 or fewer passengers have their own Illinois hours limits: 12 hours driving and 15 hours on duty per day, and 70 hours in 7 days (625 ILCS 5/18b-106.1).

ICC certificates, cab cards, safety tests and emissions

• ICC Public Carrier Certificate: the Illinois Commerce Commission requires one for for-hire intrastate transportation of property other than household goods. Household goods movers need a separate ICC license.
• ICC cab cards: each vehicle used in for-hire intrastate transportation must carry a current ICC cab card; carriers subject to UCR are exempt from buying them.
• Truck safety test: owners of Illinois-registered second division vehicles (trucks) registered over 10,000 pounds, among others, must pass a safety test at an official testing station and hold a certificate of safety. After the first test, vehicles are generally retested at least every 6 months; truck tractors, semitrailers and property-carrying vehicles registered between 10,001 and 26,000 pounds at least every 12 months. The test does not apply to vehicles properly registered in another state.
• Diesel emissions: intrastate diesel vehicles registered over 16,000 pounds, registered in the listed Chicago-area and Metro East counties (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, Madison, McHenry, Monroe, St. Clair and Will counties, Aux Sable and Goose Lake townships in Grundy County, and Oswego Township in Kendall County), and two model years or older, are subject to the Illinois Diesel Emission Inspection Program; farm-plated trucks are exempt.

What Illinois roadside inspections find

Inspections reported by Illinois record out-of-service rates below the national average (4.9% driver and 18.1% vehicle, against 6.2% and 22.5%), with brakes, clearance lamps, tires and emergency equipment the most frequent violation groups. Illinois-based carriers, wherever they are inspected, had a vehicle out-of-service rate of 23.5%, close to the national rate, and a driver rate of 4.6%.

Source: Fleet Regulators analysis of FMCSA Safety Measurement System (SMS) input files, monthly run published October 2026, covering roadside inspections recorded September 25, 2024 to September 24, 2026. "In the state" means the inspection was reported by Illinois, whatever the carrier's home state. Driver rates use Level 1, 2, 3 and 6 inspections; vehicle rates use Level 1, 2, 5 and 6. Group names are FMCSA's. Same method as our HOS roadside violations study.

58.9% of the inspections Illinois reported in this window involved carriers based in another state, and 41.1% involved Illinois-based carriers. These figures describe what inspectors recorded, not how safe carriers in the state are. Rates move with enforcement priorities, which inspection levels a state favors, where it inspects, and which carriers pass through. For an Illinois fleet, the practical lever is maintenance between safety tests: brake adjustment, tires and lighting caught on pre-trips and fixed the same day. See our Vehicle Maintenance BASIC guide.

Illinois compliance checklist

• Treat every truck of 10,001 lb or more as a commercial motor vehicle, intrastate included.
• Update policies and contacts from IDOT and "92 Ill. Adm. Code" references to ISP and the recodified Parts 3320, 3340 and 3420.
• For-hire intrastate: hold an ICC Public Carrier Certificate and carry ICC cab cards unless UCR exempts you.
• Keep Illinois safety test certificates current on Illinois-registered trucks (6- or 12-month cycle).
• If your diesel trucks are registered in the listed Chicago-area or Metro East counties, schedule emissions inspections.
• Get a USDOT number for interstate operation or if you need a federal hazmat safety permit.
• Maintain driver qualification files (see the DQ file checklist) and audit logs, using the agricultural exemptions only when they genuinely apply.

How Fleet Regulators supports Illinois carriers

We support Illinois carriers remotely from Austin, Texas; we have no Illinois office. What we can do: updating safety policies after the ISP transfer, building driver qualification files, setting up log auditing, tightening maintenance programs to bring down vehicle out-of-service rates and CSA scores, and preparing for compliance reviews.

About Fleet Regulators

Outsourced safety department, Austin, Texas

Fleet Regulators was founded by Rhythm Gandhi (The Safety Gal) and supports motor carriers remotely in all 50 states with DOT audit preparation, HOS log auditing, driver qualification files, and CSA score work. More about Rhythm and the team.