How to Complete the Illinois Affidavit/Consent for Minor to Drive (A403)

To let a teenager under 18 get an Illinois instruction permit or driver’s license, a parent, legal guardian, or other responsible adult must complete and sign the Illinois Affidavit/Consent for Minor to Drive, Form DSD X 174. The signed form is submitted with the minor’s application at any Driver Services facility, and the sponsor must either sign it in front of a Secretary of State employee at the facility or have it notarized beforehand.¹ The form is free to download from ilsos.gov or pick up at any facility, and no separate filing fee is charged.

Who Can Sign as the Sponsor

Illinois law recognizes three categories of sponsor, in order of preference:

Either parent of the minor, regardless of custody arrangement.
The legal guardian who has custody of the minor.
Another responsible adult, but only when no parent or guardian is available. This person must explain their relationship to the minor in writing on the form.²

The “other responsible adult” slot is a fallback, not a convenience. If a parent is available, the parent should sign even when bringing a grandparent or older sibling to the facility would be easier. Whoever signs must hold a valid driver’s license or state ID, because the form asks for that number.

Information You Need Before Filling It Out

Have the following ready. Staff will reject the form if fields are blank or illegible, and the minor will leave without a permit that day.

Sponsor’s full legal name as it appears on their license or state ID.
Sponsor’s driver’s license or state ID number.
Sponsor’s phone number.
Relationship to the minor (parent, legal guardian, or other, with explanation).
Minor’s full legal name.
Minor’s date of birth.
Minor’s driver’s license or instruction permit number, if one already exists.

The 50-Hour Practice Certification

The bottom of the form asks the sponsor to certify, under penalty of law, that the minor has completed at least 50 hours of behind-the-wheel practice, with at least 10 of those hours at night, and that the minor can safely operate a vehicle.¹ This is a statutory requirement under the Graduated Driver Licensing law.²

The 50-hour certification matters at the licensing step, not the permit step. When a 15-year-old is applying for an instruction permit, the sponsor is consenting to the minor learning to drive. When that same minor returns at 16 or 17 to upgrade to an initial license, the sponsor is certifying the practice hours have been logged. Keep a written log during the permit phase so you aren’t guessing later. The form also carries a legal certification under 735 ILCS 5/1-109, so false statements have consequences beyond a rejected application.

How the Signature Must Be Witnessed

Only two methods are accepted:

In person at a Driver Services facility, with the sponsor signing in front of a Secretary of State employee. This is the simpler route, with no added cost or stop.
Notarized in advance, when the sponsor cannot come to the facility. The notary completes the seal and commission expiration date in the space provided.¹

A signature that is neither witnessed by a Secretary of State employee nor notarized will be rejected on the spot. Illinois caps standard notary fees at $5 per act. Banks, shipping stores, and many libraries offer the service.

What to Bring to the Facility

The affidavit is one piece of a larger application. The minor also needs documents from each of the four groups on the Secretary of State’s checklist, Form DSD X 173:³

Group A, proof of identity: U.S. birth certificate, valid U.S. passport, or consular report of birth abroad.
Group B, proof of Social Security number: Social Security card, W-2, or pay stub showing the full SSN.
Group C, proof of signature: signed school ID, credit or debit card, or similar document.
Group D, proof of residency: utility bill dated within 90 days, bank statement, lease, school report card, or official government mail showing the minor’s Illinois address. A document from Group A, B, or C that already shows a full name and residential address can double as Group D.

Bring originals or certified copies. Photocopies are not accepted. If the sponsor is signing in person at the facility, the sponsor should carry their own license or state ID so staff can verify the information on the form.

The Fee

A first-time instruction permit for a Class D license costs $20.⁴ There is no separate charge for the affidavit itself. Payment is collected when the application is submitted.

You Will Sign This Form Twice

One point that catches families off guard: the statute requires written consent at both the permit application and the initial license application, even when the same adult is signing both times.² Plan on filling out a fresh Form DSD X 174 when the minor moves from permit to license roughly nine months later. The second one is where the 50-hour certification carries real weight.

Withdrawing Consent Later

A sponsor who signed can withdraw consent afterward. Once the Secretary of State receives a valid withdrawal, the minor’s permit or license is canceled. To start the process, contact the Secretary of State’s office directly. The Field Services division, which handles DSD X 174 filings, is at 2701 S. Dirksen Parkway, Springfield, IL 62723.¹ Expect to submit the withdrawal in writing and verify your identity as the original signer.

What You Are Taking On by Signing

The affidavit is more than paperwork. By signing, the sponsor accepts legal responsibility for the minor on the form. If the minor causes a crash, the sponsor’s signature on the application can be a factor in determining who pays for the damage. Notify your auto insurance carrier as soon as the minor receives the permit. Illinois’s minimum liability coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury can be exhausted quickly in a serious collision, so a conversation with your insurer about limits is worth having before the keys change hands.

1
Illinois Secretary of State. Affidavit/Consent for Minor to Drive Form DSD X 174
2
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 625 ILCS 5/6-107 – Graduated License
3
Illinois Secretary of State. Document Requirements to Obtain a Driver’s License/State ID Card
4
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 625 ILCS 5/6-118 – Fees