Lost Illinois Driver’s License: Replacement Online or In Person

To get a lost Illinois driver’s license replacement, apply online through the Secretary of State’s duplicate license portal or visit a Driver Services facility in person. The fee is $5, and your driving privileges must be in good standing — not suspended, revoked, or expired — at the time you apply.¹

Replace It Online

The online duplicate portal is the fastest option. You enter your personal identifiers, pay the $5 fee electronically, and the state mails a new card to the address on file. No physical documents are needed because the system verifies you against existing records.²

You cannot use the online option if any of these apply:

Your license expires within the next 30 days
You previously changed your address online or by mail
You hold a license in another state
You’ve already gotten three replacement licenses in the past 12 months or ten in your lifetime
You need a replacement instruction permit, commercial learner’s permit, or temporary visitor driver’s license
Your license is being held by a court in lieu of bail
You owe a reinstatement fee
You need any changes made to your license information

If any of those fit your situation, you’ll need to go in person.²

Replace It at a Driver Services Facility

Some Driver Services locations require appointments and others take walk-ins, so check the Secretary of State’s facility finder before you go.³

Bring one document from what the state calls Group A — an item with your written signature that confirms your identity. Group A includes a credit or debit card, a U.S. passport (current or expired less than two years), a Social Security card, a military ID, a Medicare card, or a canceled check dated within 90 days.⁴ One qualifying document is enough for a standard duplicate, and the same is true for a REAL ID duplicate. The heavier Group B, C, and D requirements (proof of birth date, Social Security number, and residency) apply to first-time applicants and renewals, not to duplicates.

At the counter, an agent verifies your identity against the state’s records, processes the replacement, and issues a temporary paper permit before you leave.

What It Costs

The standard duplicate fee is $5, payable by cash, check, or major credit card at a facility, or electronically online.⁵

Two groups pay nothing. The fee is waived if you bring a police report showing the license was stolen. It’s also waived for anyone age 60 or older whose license was lost or stolen.⁵

Your Temporary Permit and When the Real Card Arrives

Whether you apply online or in person, the state issues a temporary driving permit valid for up to 90 days while your permanent card is produced.⁶ Carry it whenever you drive; until the plastic card arrives, it’s your only proof of driving privileges.

Most people receive the permanent license within about 15 business days by mail. If it doesn’t show up in that window, contact the Secretary of State’s office to check the status. Confirm the mailing address on file before you apply, because the card goes wherever the state has you listed.

REAL ID and Flying With a Temporary Permit

REAL ID enforcement began on May 7, 2025. A paper temporary permit will not get you through a TSA checkpoint for a domestic flight.⁷ You need a REAL ID-compliant permanent license, a U.S. passport, a passport card, or another federally accepted ID.

Travelers without any of those can try TSA’s ConfirmID identity verification for a $45 fee, but verification isn’t guaranteed and you can still be turned away.⁸ If you have travel booked, line up an alternative federal ID while you wait for the replacement card.

Getting Pulled Over Before the New Card Arrives

Illinois law requires you to have your license in your immediate possession while driving and to hand it over to any officer who asks.⁹ A stop without it can produce a citation.

The same statute says you cannot be convicted if you appear in court with proof that a valid license had been issued to you at the time of the stop.⁹ Judges routinely dismiss these tickets when you bring the replacement license or other documentation to your court date. Until the new card arrives, your temporary permit serves as your license for this purpose, so keep it on you.

If Your License Was Stolen

A stolen license carries risks a lost one doesn’t. Someone holding it has your full legal name, date of birth, address, and often enough information to attempt identity fraud. The Secretary of State’s office recommends filing a police report immediately.¹⁰ Ask for a copy of the report and the case number; you’ll need both. The report also triggers the fee waiver on your replacement and creates a documented timeline that protects you if fraudulent charges surface later.

Once you have that report, take a few more steps to protect your credit:

Place a fraud alert by contacting any one of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion). That bureau is required to notify the other two. The alert lasts one year and tells creditors to verify your identity before opening new accounts.¹¹
Consider a credit freeze, which is stronger than an alert because it blocks anyone (including you) from opening new credit accounts until you lift it. Freezes are free to place and remove at all three bureaus.¹¹
File an identity theft report at IdentityTheft.gov. The site generates a personalized recovery plan and pre-filled letters to send to businesses, and the report qualifies you for an extended fraud alert lasting seven years.

Watch your bank statements and credit reports closely for the next several months. Fraudulent use of a stolen license sometimes doesn’t surface for weeks.

If You’ve Also Moved

Illinois requires you to notify the Secretary of State in writing within 10 days of an address change.¹² Handle the address before or during the duplicate application, or your new card will go to the old address. Note the catch: updating your address online or by mail disqualifies you from the online duplicate process, so you’ll need to visit a facility for the replacement itself.

1
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Compiled Statutes 625 ILCS 5/6-114 – Duplicate and Corrected Licenses and Permits
2
Illinois Secretary of State. Duplicate Driver’s License or ID Card
3
Illinois Secretary of State. DMV Facility Locations
4
Illinois Secretary of State. DSD X-173 – Document Requirements to Obtain a Driver’s License/State ID Card
5
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Compiled Statutes 625 ILCS 5/6-118 – Fees
6
Legal Information Institute. Illinois Admin Code Title 92, Section 1030.89 – Temporary Driver’s Licenses and Instruction Permits
7
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
8
Defense Travel Management Office. Travelers Without REAL ID Could Pay $45 Fee for TSA’s ConfirmID
9
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Compiled Statutes 625 ILCS 5/6-112 – License and Permits to Be Carried and Exhibited on Demand
10
Illinois Secretary of State. DSD X-165 – Lost or Stolen Driver’s License or ID Card
11
Federal Trade Commission. Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts
12
Legal Information Institute. Illinois Admin Code Title 92, Section 1030.115 – Change-of-Address