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Clear Path Relief Program (CPR)

This program provides low-income motorists with relief for vehicle-related debt, excluding expired meter tickets. Benefits and requirements of CPR include:

  • Pay off the original fine amount for tickets issued in the last 3 years and all eligible older debt will be waived.
  • Applicants are required to have outstanding vehicle-related debt and be the registered owner of the vehicle associated with the debt.
  • To qualify, an applicant must be a member of a household currently enrolled in the Utility Billing Relief Program, be currently enrolled in the Administrative Debt Relief Program, or have a household income of less than 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

Program Benefits

  • This program creates an opportunity to reduce or eliminate certain kinds of vehicle-related debt, including parking, compliance, red light, and speed, but excludes expired meter tickets.

  • Pay off the original fine amount for tickets issued in the last 3 years and all eligible debt older than 3 years will be waived.

  • Meter ticket debt cannot be reduced or eliminated through this program. To successfully complete this program and have other non-meter debt waived, the participant must pay their meter tickets in full or enroll in a payment plan with any associated penalties.

Eligibility

Motorists are required to have existing vehicle-related debt; and

  • Reside in a household currently enrolled in (UBR); or

  • Be currently enrolled in ADR; or

  • Have a household income less than or equal to 300% of the 2024 Federal Poverty Guidelines

Household

Size

300%

30 Day Gross Income

1

$3,765

2

$5,110

3

$6,455

4

$7,800

5

$9,145

6

$10,490

7

$11,835

8

$13,180

Application Tool Kit
  • Please review the important information below before starting the CPR application
    • An active email address is required to complete the application. Upon successful completion of the CPR application, a confirmation will be sent to the email address provided.
    • The application needs to be completed in one session. For security purposes, the session expires after 60 minutes of inactivity.
    • To avoid timing out, please review the list of requirements for each section and have the necessary documents saved to your device.
  • Debt Verification
    • To begin the application, existing vehicle-related debt is required. You can enter your notice number, driver’s license, or license plate to confirm the debt. If no debt is found with the information you entered, but you believe you have existing debt, please contact 312-744-7275.
  • Owner Information
    • Only the registered owner of the vehicle that incurred debt is eligible for this program. To be approved, the registered owner needs to provide correct information, including an active email address and phone number. If approved, confirmation will be sent via email with instructions for completion of the program.
  • UBR Participants
    • If the registered owner qualifies based on current UBR participation, they need to provide their current household UBR account number and proof of residency at the address with the UBR account. The following documents are accepted as proof of residency:
      • Driver’s License or State ID
      • Credit Card Statement
      • Bank Statement
      • Cell Phone Bill
      • Certified High School/College/University Transcript
      • Credit Report (issued by Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion)
      • Deed/Title, Mortgage, Rental/Lease agreement
      • Insurance Policy (homeowner’s or renter’s)
      • Letter on Official School Letterhead
      • Medical Claim or Statement of Benefits
      • Official mail received from a State, County, City or Village or a Federal Government agency such as:
        • Homestead Exemption Receipt
        • Jury Duty Notice
        • Selective Service Card
        • Social Security Annual Statement
        • Social Security Disability Insurance Statement
        • Supplemental Security Income Benefits Statement
        • Voter Registration Card
        • Pay Stub or Electronic Deposit Receipt
        • Pension or Retirement Statement
        • Tuition invoice/official mail from college or university
        • Utility Bill 
  • Qualifying UBR participants do not need to complete the household income section of the application. 
  • ADR Participants
    • If the registered owner qualifies based on current ADR participation, they will need to provide their ADR Submission ID number. 
  • Low-Income Participants
    • If the registered owner qualifies based on income status, they are required to provide proof of income for the last 30 days for all household members 18 years of age and older.
    • Income includes, but is not limited to:

 

Type of Income

Required Documents

Wages/Salaries/Tips

Pay stubs for the last 30-day period prior to application

Cash Income

Total cash income received within the last 30-day period prior to application with a brief description

Gift Income

Total gift income received within the last 30-day period prior to application with a brief description

Self-Employment

Self-employed income worksheet

SSI

Current SSI award letter/printout

SSA

Current SSI award letter/printout

Unemployment Compensation

State award letter and proof of deposit

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

DHS award letter

Aid to the Aged, Blind, or Disabled

DHS award letter

VA Benefits

Current VA benefit award letter

Retirement Reimbursement Arrangement

Current statement/benefit letter

Pensions

Pension award/benefit letter

Other

Any other income documentation, including but not limited to child support income, alimony income, rental income, gambling, and other passive income

 

Income is subject to verification; therefore, records should be maintained for 12 months from application date.

Apply Here

  • Click the button below to begin the CPR application.

  • You will need to confirm that you have vehicle-related debt and your income, UBR, or ADR status meets the CPR requirements.

 

APPLY

To view the City of Chicago rules for the administration of the Clear Path Relief Pilot Program, please click the button below.

 

VIEW RULES

What are the program benefits?

  • If you purchase and display a current city sticker or license plate, you may contest your expired city sticker or expired license plate ticket with proof of compliance as your defense.
  • Any other tickets for the same violation received within 30 days prior to the date of compliance will be dismissed.

 How is the compliance date defined?

  • “Compliance Date,” per Clear Path Relief Program Rules, means the date on which a current city sticker or license renewal sticker was affixed on the vehicle as required by the Code, or, if such date is unavailable, the date on which the current city sticker or license renewal sticker was purchased as determined by the Administrative Hearing Officer.

What tickets are eligible?

  • Program includes expired city sticker and expired license plate tickets.
  • One Fix-It defense for each type of violation is allowed for the life of a license plate until the end of the program.
  • Temporary license plates are excluded.

 Who is eligible?

  • All motorists are eligible for a Fix-It defense for 1 expired city sticker and 1 expired license plate violation for the life of a license plate.

 What information is required to contest? 

  • Proof of purchase of a current city sticker or license plate renewal sticker; and
  • Proof of display of the city sticker or license plate renewal sticker such as a photograph.

 How do I contest?

  • To contest by mail:
    • On the envelope enclosed with your citation, fill in the “Contest by Mail” circle and provide your name and address. Mail this envelope with a statement signed by the registered owner, which sets forth facts that establish a defense. Enclose copies of all documents necessary to show that you are not liable. Include the ten-digit ticket number on all supporting documents.
  • To contest in-person:
    • Online: Go here and then click on the “Contest Ticket” link. Next, click on the “Contesting a Ticket In-Person” link and follow the instructions.
    • By Mail: On the enclosed envelope, fill in the “Request for In-Person Hearing” circle, provide your name and address and mail it in.
    • To request a virtual hearing, click here.
  • To contest online by submitting documentation, click here.
  • For more information about contesting tickets, click here.

 Can I apply a Fix-It defense to more than one vehicle?

  • Yes, you can use 1 Fix-It defense on an expired city sticker ticket and 1 Fix-It defense on an expired license plate ticket for each license plate.

 Can I benefit from a Fix-It defense on other vehicle-related violation types?

  • Only expired city sticker and expired license plate tickets are eligible.

 How many tickets will I be able to dismiss?

  • The ticket being contested and any other tickets that were issued less than 30 days prior to compliance date.

 What if I waited more than 30 days to come into compliance and received additional tickets?

  • The ticket contested will be dismissed.
  • Any tickets that were issued less than 30 days prior to compliance date will also be dismissed.
  • Tickets that were issued more than 30 days prior to compliance will not be dismissed.

Example 1

Jorge received an expired city sticker ticket on May 1.

He purchased a current city sticker online on May 2.

Before it was delivered, he received another ticket on May 5.

He received the new city sticker on May 7 and properly displayed it on his vehicle immediately.

Jorge can use the Fix-It defense on only 1 ticket.

Since the May 5 ticket is within 30 days prior to compliance date of May 7, it will be dismissed.

Example 2

Alex received an expired license plate ticket on July 1.

She did nothing and received another ticket on July 7.

Alex received a third ticket on August 11.

She then purchased and displayed a new license plate renewal sticker on August 20.

Alex can only use the Fix-It defense on 1 ticket.

  • The July 1 ticket will be dismissed.
  • The August 11 ticket will be dismissed because it is within 30 days prior to the date of compliance.
  • The July 7 ticket will not be dismissed because it is more than 30 days prior to the compliance date of August 20.
  • Then the July 7 and August 11 tickets will be dismissed.
  • However, the July 1 ticket will not be dismissed because it is more than 30 days prior to the compliance date of August 20.
  • The rules of the program allow the contested ticket and any additional tickets issued within 30 days prior to the compliance date to be dismissed.
  • However, since only 1 ticket can be contested for the same violation, any tickets that are not contested and are outside the 30-day window will not be dismissed.
  • In order to get the most tickets dismissed, Alex should come into compliance as soon as possible.