Illinois ICC Number Decal: ILL.C.C. Number on Truck

An Illinois ICC number decal carries the license number the Illinois Commerce Commission gives to a carrier it regulates. On the truck it is written as "ILL.C.C." followed by the number and a short type code. It is a state number. It is not the same thing as a USDOT number, and many Illinois trucks need the federal number only.

This guide explains the rule in plain words. The Commission is the place to confirm anything about your own truck.

What the ILL.C.C. number is

The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) licenses certain for-hire carriers of property. A carrier that receives a Public Carrier Certificate gets an ICC license number. That is the number shown after "ILL.C.C." on the vehicle.

The Illinois rules set the format. The license number must be preceded by "ILL.C.C." and followed by the carrier-type designation, which is one of C, P, CP, PR or CPR as it appears on the carrier's license (92 Ill. Adm. Code 1307.20). So a marking looks like this: ILL.C.C. 123456 C. Copy your own number and letters from your license.

Who needs to show it

The rule comes from section 18c-4701 of the Illinois Vehicle Code. It says an intrastate carrier may not operate a motor vehicle on public roads in Illinois unless the carrier's trade name, as it appears on the license (or its recognized logo), and its license and registration number are painted or affixed to both sides of the cab or power unit (625 ILCS 5/18c-4701).

The ICC's own FAQ describes it the same way for intrastate-only carriers, and says that carriers operating in both intrastate and interstate commerce do not follow the intrastate-only requirement and are governed by federal identification rules (ICC FAQ). The statute also says an interstate carrier operating intrastate may run without the intrastate number on the cab, with one exception: household goods carriers.

If you are unsure which group you are in, ask the ICC.

How it differs from a USDOT number

• Who issues it. The ICC issues the ILL.C.C. number. FMCSA issues the USDOT number.
• What the truck shows. The federal rule asks for the carrier's legal name or a single trade name and the USDOT number, preceded by the letters "USDOT," on both sides of the vehicle, in letters that contrast sharply with the background and can be read from 50 feet in daylight (49 CFR 390.21).
• Can a truck show both? The federal rule says other identifying information may be displayed if it is not inconsistent with what is required. Whether a given truck needs one number, the other, or both depends on how it operates.

Our state requirements guide compares the other states, and what a USDOT number is covers the federal side.

What to display, and where

Under the statute, the trade name (or logo) and the license number go on both sides of the cab or power unit. The statute leaves exact specifications to the Commission.

There is a size option for light vehicles. A vehicle under 9,000 pounds gross vehicle weight may display the trade name or logo and the license number so that it is clearly legible and visible from both sides at a distance of 25 feet, with the vehicle not in motion (625 ILCS 5/18c-4701).

We could not confirm a fixed letter height for property carriers from the sources we read. Ask the ICC for the current specification before you order. For placement ideas, see where to put the USDOT number on a truck.

How to get an ICC license

For-hire carriers of property, other than household goods, apply for a Public Carrier Certificate. The ICC says applications are filed online through its Transportation Portal, and a paper form (PCC-1) is also listed (ICC Public Carrier Certificate). The ICC FAQ lists the initial application fee as $50, and says the certificate is for for-hire intrastate hauling of property. Fees and forms change, so check the ICC pages before you file.

Household goods movers, brokers and interstate registrants use different applications.

Where to verify a number

The ICC FAQ points to its Motor Carrier & Towers Search, and the Public Carrier Certificate page points to its Motor Carrier Information System entity search. Use it to check that your name and number read exactly the way you plan to letter them.

Ordering the lettering

Once your license shows the right name and number, our Illinois ILL.C.C. Number Decal with Trade Name puts the trade name on line one and ILL.C.C., your number and your type letter on line two. You type the text into a live preview, and what you see is what prints, so there is no separate proof step. It is printed on 3M and Oracal vinyl and carries a 3-year guarantee.

If your truck also carries MC and California numbers, the USDOT, MC and CA three-line decal covers those. Ordering a decal does not make a truck compliant. The owner is responsible for meeting the rule, so confirm what you need with the ICC first.

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