To check your Illinois driver’s license status online, go to the Secretary of State’s website at ilsos.gov and purchase a driving record abstract through the portal at apps.ilsos.gov/drivingrecord/. The abstract costs $20 plus a $1 processing fee and shows whether your driving privileges are valid, expired, suspended, revoked, or canceled, along with your violation and crash history.1Illinois Secretary of State. Driving Record Abstract You can only pull your own record, and you’ll pay with a Visa, Mastercard, or Discover card.
What You Need Before You Start
Have your license in front of you. Illinois driver’s license numbers are 12 characters: one letter (the first letter of your last name) followed by 11 digits, printed on the card as L###-####-####. Enter it exactly as shown, or the search will fail.
You’ll also need a credit or debit card and the ability to open and print a PDF. Once you buy the abstract, you can access and reprint the document for five days.1Illinois Secretary of State. Driving Record Abstract Save a copy if you’ll need it for an employer, insurer, or court.
The Abstract vs. the Mailing Status Tool
The Secretary of State runs a separate free tool at apps.ilsos.gov/dlstatus/ that tracks whether a new or renewed physical card has been mailed. It asks for your license number and the date of issuance from your temporary document. That tool only tells you where your plastic card is in the pipeline. It does not tell you whether your driving privileges are in good standing. For that, you need the abstract.
What Each License Status Means
Your abstract will show one of several status categories. Each carries different consequences.
Valid
Your driving privileges are current and unrestricted. Nothing to do unless your expiration date is approaching.
Expired
The card has passed its authorized period. Illinois law prohibits driving without a valid license or permit, so driving on an expired card exposes you to a citation, and an insurer could deny a claim if you crash while it’s lapsed.2Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 625 ILCS 5/6-101 – Drivers Must Have Licenses or Permits Renewal can usually be done online or at a Secretary of State facility.
Suspended
Your privileges have been temporarily taken away. Under 625 ILCS 5/6-206, the Secretary of State can suspend a license for reasons including three or more moving violations within 12 months, repeated crash involvement, fraudulent use of a license, or failing to appear for a required driving examination.3Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 625 ILCS 5/6-206 – Discretionary Authority to Suspend or Revoke License or Permit Suspensions have a defined end date, but you cannot legally drive until the period ends and any required reinstatement fees are paid.
Revoked
Revocation is the most serious status and carries no automatic end date. The Secretary of State must revoke privileges after convictions such as reckless homicide involving a motor vehicle, DUI, any felony committed with a motor vehicle, or leaving the scene of a crash involving injury or death.4Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 625 ILCS 5/6-205 – Mandatory Revocation of License or Permit Getting back on the road requires a formal hearing, and in some cases years of waiting.
Canceled
Cancellation means the Secretary of State voided the license entirely, usually because you weren’t entitled to it. Under 625 ILCS 5/6-201, that can happen for false information on an application, unpaid fees, or certain drug convictions tied to operating a vehicle.5Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 625 ILCS 5/6-201 – Authority to Cancel Licenses and Permits You’ll need to resolve the underlying issue and reapply.
Why the Check Matters: Penalties for Driving on a Bad Status
If you keep driving after a suspension or revocation, the charge is criminal. A first offense of driving while suspended or revoked is a Class A misdemeanor with up to 364 days in jail.6Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 625 ILCS 5/6-303 – Driving While Driver’s License, Permit, or Privilege to Operate a Motor Vehicle Is Suspended or Revoked
When the underlying suspension or revocation was DUI-related, a first conviction under that statute carries a mandatory minimum of 10 consecutive days in jail or 30 days of community service, and the court cannot reduce it.6Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 625 ILCS 5/6-303 – Driving While Driver’s License, Permit, or Privilege to Operate a Motor Vehicle Is Suspended or Revoked Checking your status before you drive avoids the whole problem.
If Your Status Is Suspended, Revoked, or Canceled
What you have to do to get driving again depends on why you lost the license. Reinstatement fees alone range from $70 to $500:
- Zero Tolerance suspension (underage DUI): $70
- First-offense statutory summary suspension (DUI-related): $250
- Multiple-offense suspension or revocation: $500
You can pay by credit card online, by phone to the Secretary of State, or by mailing a check or money order to the Springfield office. Debit cards are not accepted for phone payments.7Illinois Secretary of State. How Do I?
A revoked license is not fixed by a fee alone. You have to request a formal hearing through the Administrative Hearings Department, and the Secretary of State recommends first meeting with an informal hearing officer on a walk-in basis to find out what your case requires.7Illinois Secretary of State. How Do I? For some serious revocations, you must wait five years from the effective date of the most recent revocation, or from release from incarceration if later, before you can even apply for a restricted driving permit.4Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 625 ILCS 5/6-205 – Mandatory Revocation of License or Permit
While suspended or revoked, you may still qualify for a restricted driving permit that allows limited travel to work, school, medical appointments, or daycare for dependents. You’ll need to show that no reasonable alternative transportation exists and that driving won’t endanger public safety.3Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 625 ILCS 5/6-206 – Discretionary Authority to Suspend or Revoke License or Permit
Check for the REAL ID Star While You’re at It
Look at the upper right corner of your license. A gold star means it’s REAL ID compliant. Federal enforcement of REAL ID began on May 7, 2025, so to board a domestic flight or enter certain federal facilities you now need a REAL ID-compliant license, a valid U.S. passport, or a passport card.8Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID A standard Illinois license without the star is still valid for driving; it just won’t clear a TSA checkpoint on its own. To upgrade, visit a Secretary of State Driver Services facility with the required identity documents.