By Cynthia Grau/WJEZ News

Beginning in January, Illinois drivers of passenger vehicles can replace their old license plates for new.

According to a press release from Secretary of State Jesse White’s office, this cost efficient license plate replacement program will come at no additional cost to Illinois taxpayers. Reflectivity diminishes over time and that impacts law enforcement’s ability to quickly and accurately identify license plate numbers.

The oldest license plates will be replaced first, beginning with plates from 2000-2001 in 2017 all the way to replacing plates in 2027 that were issued in 2017.

Vehicle owners will be notified by mail if they qualify for new plates. Similar replacements for B-truck license plates will begin in 2018.