To get an Illinois driver’s license, you have to meet the age rule for the credential you want, bring documents proving your identity, Social Security number, signature, and Illinois residency, pass a vision screening, a written knowledge exam, and a behind-the-wheel road test, and pay a fee set by your age. The Illinois driver’s license requirements are set by the Secretary of State’s office and apply to anyone operating a motor vehicle on a public road in the state.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 625 ILCS 5/6-101 – Drivers Must Have Licenses or Permits
Age and Eligibility
Illinois uses a graduated driver licensing system, so the path depends on how old you are when you start.
Ages 15 to 17
At 15, you can apply for an instruction permit if you are enrolled in an approved driver education course and have parental consent.2Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 625 ILCS 5/6-103 – Persons Not to Be Licensed The permit must be held for at least nine months. During that time you need to log 50 hours of supervised driving (10 of them at night) with a licensed adult 21 or older, keep a clean record, and stay off the road from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. on weekends.3Illinois Secretary of State. Graduated Driver’s License
At 16, after finishing driver education and the nine-month permit period with no moving violations, a parent or guardian can take you to a Secretary of State facility to apply for an initial license. The nighttime driving limits stay in place, and for the first 12 months (or until you turn 18) you can carry only one passenger under 20 unless the extra passenger is a sibling or your own child.3Illinois Secretary of State. Graduated Driver’s License Cell phone use behind the wheel, even hands-free, is barred for drivers under 19 except in an emergency. A moving violation during this phase pushes the restrictions past your 18th birthday until you go six months clean.4Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 625 ILCS 5/6-110 – Restrictions on Persons Under 18
Ages 18 to 20
Turning 18 does not automatically clear you to drive. If you did not complete an approved teen driver education course, you have to finish an adult driver education course before the Secretary of State will issue a license.2Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 625 ILCS 5/6-103 – Persons Not to Be Licensed This mainly affects people who moved to Illinois as adults or skipped driver ed as teenagers. Drivers under 19 still cannot use a cell phone while driving.
Age 21 and Over
Once you are 21, the age-related extras drop away. You still have to pass the three tests, bring the required documents, and pay the fee.
Documents You Need to Bring
Illinois sorts acceptable identification into four groups, and for a standard license you need one document from each.5Illinois Secretary of State. Document Requirements to Obtain a Driver’s License/State ID Card
- Group A, written signature: a canceled check, major credit card, or previous driver’s license carrying your signature.
- Group B, date of birth: a certified birth certificate, valid U.S. passport, or similar government-issued record.
- Group C, Social Security number: your Social Security card, a W-2, or a pay stub showing your full SSN.
- Group D, residency: a utility bill, bank statement, or other document showing your name at a current Illinois address.
Every document has to be an original or certified copy. Photocopies will be turned away. If you want the REAL ID version of the license, the Group A, B, and C requirements are the same, but you have to bring two Group D residency documents instead of one.5Illinois Secretary of State. Document Requirements to Obtain a Driver’s License/State ID Card
Applicants without a Social Security number can still qualify. Illinois ended its Temporary Visitor Driver’s License program and lets non-citizens, including undocumented immigrants, apply for a standard license by presenting a valid passport or consular ID from their country of citizenship and proving at least one year of Illinois residency.6Illinois Secretary of State. Non-Citizen/TVDL Illinois Driver’s License Information The card is marked “Federal Limits Apply” and cannot be used as a REAL ID.
Tests You Have to Pass
Every new applicant takes three tests.7Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 625 ILCS 5/6-109 – Examination of Applicants
The vision screening checks for 20/40 acuity using both eyes, with or without correction, and a peripheral field of at least 140 degrees.8Legal Information Institute. Illinois Administrative Code Title 92, Section 1030.70 – Driver’s License Testing/Vision Screening Needing glasses or contacts to pass puts a corrective lens restriction on your license.
The written exam covers Illinois traffic laws, road signs, right-of-way rules, and pavement markings. The free Rules of the Road handbook from any Driver Services facility is the study source.
For the road test, you bring a vehicle that is properly licensed, insured, and in safe operating condition. The examiner grades starting, backing, turning around, parking and starting on a hill, speed control, and lane position.9Illinois Secretary of State. Illinois Rules of the Road Workbook Rolling a stop sign or breaking any traffic law is an automatic fail. Six failed attempts triggers a requirement for a medical report from your doctor before you can try again.
What It Costs
The fee depends on your age and credential:10Illinois Secretary of State. Driver’s License/State ID Card Fees
- Instruction permit (Class D): $20
- Driver’s license, ages 18 to 20: $5
- Driver’s license, ages 21 to 68: $30
- Driver’s license, ages 69 to 80: $5
- Driver’s license, ages 81 to 86: $2
- Driver’s license, 87 and older: free
What You Leave With
You will not walk out holding your permanent card. After you pay and finish the tests, staff take your photo (no hats or sunglasses) and issue a temporary paper license good for up to 90 days.11Legal Information Institute. Illinois Administrative Code Title 92, Section 1030.89 – Temporary Driver’s Licenses and Temporary Instruction Permits The permanent card is printed centrally and mailed to the address on file, typically within 15 business days. If you move, Illinois gives you 10 days to notify the Secretary of State in writing with your old address, new address, and license number.
If You Have Been Licensed in Another State
Illinois checks the National Driver Register when you apply. If another state has a suspension, revocation, or denial on your record, Illinois will not issue a license until you resolve it in that state, which usually means paying outstanding fines, completing any required courses, and paying reinstatement fees there.12National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. National Driver Register Frequently Asked Questions The Secretary of State can also refuse to license anyone with an unresolved substance abuse problem or anyone unable to show financial responsibility through insurance.2Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 625 ILCS 5/6-103 – Persons Not to Be Licensed Illinois also belongs to the Driver License Compact, so a serious moving violation in another member state gets reported back and treated as if it happened here.
Should You Get the REAL ID Version?
Federal REAL ID enforcement took effect May 7, 2025. A standard Illinois license marked “Federal Limits Apply” will not get you through TSA at the airport or into certain federal buildings on its own.13Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID A REAL ID-compliant Illinois license carries a gold star in the upper corner. If you already carry a valid U.S. passport, passport card, military ID, permanent resident card, or a trusted traveler card such as Global Entry when you fly, upgrading is optional.14Transportation Security Administration. Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint If your driver’s license is your main form of ID, bring the second Group D residency document and get the REAL ID version while you are at the facility.