The Illinois 50-hour driving log PDF is form DSD X 152, titled “50 Hour Practice Driving Log,” and you can download it free from the Illinois Secretary of State at ilsos.gov.1Illinois Secretary of State. 50 Hour Practice Driving Log Print it, log each supervised practice session as you go, and bring the signed original to the Driver Services facility when your teen takes the road test. The form requires at least 50 total hours of supervised practice, with a minimum of 10 hours at night.
Who the Log Is For
The 50-hour log is part of the Graduated Driver Licensing system and applies to instruction permit holders under 18 who want to move up to a driver’s license. Illinois law requires these applicants to hold the permit for at least nine months and complete the full 50 hours of supervised practice before the road exam.2Illinois General Assembly. 625 ILCS 5/6-107 – Graduated License A parent or legal guardian must certify the hours.3Illinois Secretary of State. Graduated Driver’s License
If you’re 18 or older applying for a first license, the 50-hour log does not apply to you. Applicants aged 18 to 20 without a high school driver’s education course must instead complete a six-hour adult driver education course approved by the Secretary of State.
Downloading the PDF
The form is a single PDF hosted on the Secretary of State’s site.1Illinois Secretary of State. 50 Hour Practice Driving Log It’s short: a header for the teen’s information, a chart for logging sessions, and a signature line at the bottom. Printing a couple of spares is a good idea, because you’re going to be carrying this paper around for at least nine months and things happen to paper.
How to Fill Out the Log
At the top of the form, enter the teen’s full legal name and instruction permit number exactly as they appear on the permit. The main chart is where you record each practice session: the date, how long the teen drove, and whether the driving was during the day or at night. You need at least 50 total hours, and at least 10 of those must be nighttime hours.1Illinois Secretary of State. 50 Hour Practice Driving Log
A few things that save trouble later:
- Fill in the log right after each session. Reconstructing nine months of driving from memory the night before the road test rarely goes well.
- Add up your day and night columns separately before your appointment so you know both minimums are met.
- Keep the form legible. Crossed-out entries, white-out, or handwriting the reviewer can’t read may get the form rejected.
The parent or legal guardian signs at the bottom to certify the hours. The form is a signed certification, not a sworn affidavit, but it’s still a statement to a state agency, so record the hours accurately.
What Doesn’t Count
Behind-the-wheel time logged with a driving instructor as part of a formal driver’s education course does not count toward the 50 hours.1Illinois Secretary of State. 50 Hour Practice Driving Log The classroom and behind-the-wheel curriculum and the 50 hours of parent-supervised practice are two separate requirements. All 50 log hours must be accumulated outside driver’s ed, with a qualifying adult supervising.
Who Can Supervise
The adult riding with your teen has to meet all three of these:
- Age 21 or older
- Holds a valid driver’s license for the type of vehicle being driven
- Has at least one year of driving experience
The supervising driver must sit in the front passenger seat the whole time the teen is driving.3Illinois Secretary of State. Graduated Driver’s License Supervising from the back seat doesn’t count, and the teen cannot drive alone during the permit phase for any reason.
Bringing the Log to the Road Test
When the teen is ready to test, bring the completed log to an Illinois Secretary of State Driver Services facility in person. Staff will check that the hours add up, that the parent or guardian has signed, and that the permit has been held for at least nine months.2Illinois General Assembly. 625 ILCS 5/6-107 – Graduated License Anything incomplete can cost you the appointment.
Bring the original signed form, not a photocopy, along with the teen’s instruction permit, proof of identity, and any other documents the facility requires. Check the Secretary of State’s website for the current document list before your visit.