Pro tip: Cruising through Illinois's urban and rural roads requires skillful driving. Arm yourself with expertise using our guides on shifting gears manually and parallel parking. Learn how to adeptly navigate into parking bays and perform three-point turns. Proper mirror alignment enhances your driving safety. Engage with our Online Driving Simulator for additional practice, and ensure you comprehend Illinois's specific international driver's license guidelines.
The instruction permit is the first stage of Illinois's Graduated Driver Licensing program for everyone under the age of 18. It allows you to practice driving while supervised at all times by a responsible adult at least 21 years of age who is licensed and has at least one year of driving experience.
If you are a foreign national who is not eligible for a Social Security Number, you may still qualify for a Temporary Visitor Driver's License (TVDL). In this case you may apply for the same kind of instruction permit.
You must apply for the instruction permit in person at a Secretary of State Facility.
Note that the only Facilities that issue instruction permits to residents who are eligible for a Temporary Visitor Driver's License (TVDL) are the following: Bloomington, Carbondale, Champaign, Chicago North, Chicago West, Des Plaines, Macomb, Rockford Central, and Springfield (Dirksen Parkway).
You should verify the following:
To choose the documentation correctly use this list when applying for a regular instruction permit or this list while seeking a TVDL.
Provide documentation that you are taking an approved driver's education course or will start to take one within the next 30 days at any public (not private) high school that offers it, or at a third-party provider. The course includes 30 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours of driving practice.
If you already completed a driver's education course in another state, call the Secretary of State's office at (888) 261-5238 to find out whether you can get credit for your previous driver's education.
The minimum requirement for visual acuity is 20/40 with or without corrective lenses. Drivers with acuity between 20/41 and 20/70 are limited to daylight driving only.
With your instruction permit, you must log at least 50 hours of supervised driving practice (including 10 hours at night) before you may apply for an initial (teen) driver's license.
The initial (teen) driver's license is the second stage of Illinois's Graduated Driver Licensing Program. It may be a Class D initial license or an initial Temporary Visitor Driver's License (TVDL). The initial license allows you to drive unsupervised at times, but with significant restrictions:
Hold your instruction permit for at least 9 months
You mustn’t have any driving violations during this time.
Complete an appoved driver’s ed course
You may take a driver's education course at any public (not private) high school that offers it, or at a third-party provider. The course includes 30 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours of driving practice.
Upon completion of the course, you will receive a Certificate of Completion. Provide it to the Driver Services Facility.
Apply in person
You must apply for the initial license at a Secretary of State Facility. Note that not all the Facilities offer the same services. Check before you go.
Have your supervised driving logged
Bring your parent or guardian to certify that you have practiced supervised driving for at least 50 hours, 10 hours of which were at night. If your parent or guardian is unable to go with you, submit a completed, notarized copy of an Affidavit/Consent for Minor to Drive form that was signed by him or her.
Bring documentation
You should verify the following:
To choose the documentation correctly use this list for a class D initial license, or this list while seeking a TVDL.
Complete the application form
This form is not available online; you will have to pick one up at a Secretary of State Facility.
Pass a driving exam
You will take the driving exam at a Secretary of State Facility on a walk-in basis. You have three chances to pass the test within the year from the date that you pay the application fee for the driver's license.
However, high school (not commercial) driver's education courses are allowed to give their own state-approved driving exams to their high-performing student drivers. If you pass such a driving exam and pass the driver's ed course itself with a grade of A or B, you may bring your Cooperative Driver Testing Certificate to the Secretary of State Facility, and they may allow you to skip the road test (note that Secretary of State's office selects about 10% of students at random to pass the official driving exam anyway.)
Surrender your instruction permit and pay the fee if required
If you obtain an initial driver's license before your instruction permit expires, you won't have to pay the fee of $30.00 (paid by card, cash or check).
Receive your temporary initial license
Your permanent (plastic) license should be mailed to you within 15 business days for a Class D license or 20 business days for a TVDL. If you don't receive it, you can check its status online or by calling (217) 782-7044.
When you turn 18, all restrictions on your unsupervised driving will end except for cell phone use. However, once you turn 19, that restriction will end too; you'll be able to use hands-free devices like any other adult driver. At that point, your initial license will grant you the same driving privileges as a full (adult) license.
To apply for a Class D or Temporary Visitor full (adult) driver's license, you must pass a vision test, a written exam, and a driving exam. Since you are at least 18 years of age, you don't have to hold an instruction permit.
First timer? Start with Step 1.
Instruction permit holder? Go to step 6.
It's required only for those under 21 years of age unless they already completed some driver's ed course once before. The course lasts 6 hours, and you may take it online or in a classroom. (No actual driving is involved.) A list of approved course providers is here.
Download your Certificate of Completion and provide it to the Secretary of State Facility.
You should verify the following:
To choose the documentation correctly use this list when applying for a regular license or this list while seeking a TVDL.
The minimum requirement for visual acuity is 20/40 with or without corrective lenses. Drivers with acuity between 20/41 and 20/70 are limited to daylight driving only.
The fee is paid by cash, credit or debit card, personal check or money order.
Note that if you have an unexpired instruction permit, you won't have to pay a fee for the driver's license.
You will take the driving exam at a Secretary of State Facility on a walk-in basis. You have three chances to pass the test within the year from the date that you pay the application fee for the driver's license.
However, if you took a high school (not commercial) driver's education course and passed it with a grade A or B followed by the school's state-approved driving exam, you may bring your Cooperative Driver Testing Certificate to the Secretary of State Facility, and they may allow you to skip the road test (note that Secretary of State's office selects about 10 % of students at random to pass the official driving exam anyway.)
How long your new Illinois driver's license will be valid depends on the type of license and your age when it's issued to you. If you're issued a Temporary Visitor Driver's License (TVDL), it will be valid for three years and expire on your birthday or when your stay in the US ends, whichever comes first. It cannot be renewed. If you still need driving privileges after it expires, you will have to apply for a new TVDL.
You will take the test at a Secretary of State Facility on a walk-in-basis. The test evaluates your knowledge of a motor vehicle's basic equipment and your ability to operate a vehicle safely while obeying traffic laws.
You must provide your own vehicle in good working order, complete with front and rear license plates, registration sticker, and proof of liability insurance. A licensed driver must drive the vehicle to the testing facility for you.
The vehicle you bring for the test should have the following features in working order:
Note that you should be ready to demonstrate how to use the equipment above.
The examiner will tell you what to do. Your job is to follow the instructions and demonstrate safe driving techniques. Only the examiner can be with you in the car during the driving exam. Children or pets are not allowed in the vehicle during the exam and cannot be left unattended in the facility.
Before you start:
Your examiner will grade your ability to perform several driving tasks and maneuvers including the following:
Upon your return to the driver’s license facility, you will be told if you pass or fail. You will be able to discuss your errors with the examiner.
If you pass, you will be issued your temporary (paper) license. If you fail, you will still have two more chances to pass the test within the year from the date that you pay the application fee.
If your out-of-state license is currently valid (not expired), you'll still have to pass a vision test and a written exam. If your license has expired, you may be required to pass a driving exam.
You must apply for the license in person at a Secretary of State Facility. Note that not all the Facilities offer the same services. Check before you go.
You should verify the following:
To choose the documentation correctly, use this list.
This form is not available online; you will have to pick one up at a Secretary of State Facility.
The minimum requirement for visual acuity is 20/40 with or without corrective lenses. Drivers with acuity between 20/41 and 20/70 are limited to daylight driving only.
It is taken on a walk-in basis. Make sure you practice online before you go. You will have three chances to pass the test within the year from the date on which you pay the application fee for an instruction permit or driver's license.
$5 (18-20 and 69-80 years of age)
$30 (21-68 years of age)
The fee is paid by cash, credit or debit card, personal check or money order.
The Driver Services Facility will issue you a temporary (paper) Illinois Class D full (adult) driver's license, which will be valid for 90 days. Your permanent (plastic) license should be mailed to you within 15 business days. If you don't receive it, you can check its status online or by calling (217) 782-7044.
The procedure of converting your foreign license is similar to converting an out-of-state license. However, there are two differences:
Check how to convert your out-of-state driver's license here.
