The Illinois Automated License Plate Reader Act (50 ILCS 207) caps non-hit plate data retention at 30 months and bars sale of ALPR data. Cook County Sheriff and suburban police operate fixed and mobile ALPR systems; access requires documented law-enforcement purpose and audit trails.
Illinois adopted the Automated License Plate Reader Act in 2022, codified at 50 ILCS 207, regulating governmental and contracted ALPR use statewide. The Act limits retention of non-hit plate scans to 30 months, prohibits sale or sharing for non-law-enforcement purposes, and requires written policies, audit logs, and annual usage reports. Cook County Sheriff's Office and most suburban Cook police operate ALPR networks combining squad-mounted, fixed-pole, and Flock Safety partnership cameras. Access to historical scans requires documented official purpose. The Act allows stricter local policies. Civil rights advocates raise ICE access concerns; sanctuary policies in Chicago and Cook restrict but do not fully eliminate federal data sharing.
Retaining non-hit ALPR data beyond 30 months, selling plate scans, or accessing the system without documented law-enforcement purpose violates 50 ILCS 207. Officers and agencies face administrative discipline, statutory civil liability, and loss of state grant funding for ALPR systems.
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See how Cook County's license plate readers rules stack up against other locations.
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