Permit Phase – Drivers Age 15
- Parent/legal guardian consent required to obtain an instruction permit.
- Must be enrolled in an approved driver education course, and must pass vision and
written tests.
- Nighttime driving restrictions – Sunday-Thursday, 10 p.m.–6 a.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 p.m.–6 a.m.
(local curfews may differ).
- Permit must be held for a minimum of nine months.
- Must practice driving a minimum of 50 hours, including 10 hours at night, supervised
by a parent or adult age 21 or older with a valid driver’s license.
- Must not acquire any driving convictions during the nine-month permit phase.
- Number of passengers limited to one in the front seat and the number of safety belts
in the back seat.
- All occupants under age 19 must wear safety belts.
- Wireless phone use while driving is prohibited for drivers under age 19, except in the case
of an emergency to contact a law enforcement agency, health care provider or emergency
services agency. Definition of Wireless Phone
- Permit is valid for up to two years.
Sanctions
- To obtain court supervision for a traffic violation, a driver must appear in court with a
parent/legal guardian and also must attend traffic safety school. Limit one court
supervision for serious driving offenses.
- A moving violation conviction results in a nine-month waiting period before applying
for a driver’s license.
- Not eligible for any hardship permit.
- Anyone caught driving without a permit is ineligible to obtain a driver’s license until age 18.
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Initial Licensing Phase – Drivers Ages 16-17
- Parent/legal guardian must certify that a minimum of 50 hours of practice driving,
including 10 hours at night, has been completed.
- Parent/legal guardian must accompany teen to provide written consent to obtain a driver’s
license, OR complete and notarize an Affidavit/Consent for Minor to Drive form.
- Must have completed a state-approved driver education course.
- Nighttime driving restrictions – Sunday-Thursday, 10 p.m.–6 a.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 p.m.–6 a.m.
(local curfews may differ).
- Must maintain a conviction-free driving record for six months prior to turning 18
before moving to the Full Licensing Phase. A traffic conviction during the Initial
Licensing Phase may extend restrictions beyond age 18.
- All occupants under age 19 must wear safety belts.
- For the first 12 months of licensing, or until the driver turns 18, whichever occurs first,
the number of passengers is limited to one person under age 20, unless the passenger(
s) is a sibling, stepsibling, child or stepchild of the driver. After this period, the
number of passengers is limited to one in the front seat and the number of safety
belts in the back seat.
- Wireless phone use while driving is prohibited for drivers under age 19, except in the case
of an emergency to contact a law enforcement agency, health care provider or emergency
services agency. Definition of Wireless Phone
Sanctions
- To obtain court supervision for a traffic violation, a driver must appear in court with a
parent/legal guardian and also must attend traffic safety school. Limit one court
supervision for serious driving offenses.
- A moving violation conviction before age 18 generates a Secretary of State warning
letter to the parent and teenager.
- A moving violation conviction that occurs within the first year of licensing will result
in a six-month extension of the passenger limitation, which allows only one unrelated
passenger under age 20.
- Two moving violation convictions occurring within a 24-month period results in a minimum
one-month driver’s license suspension. Suspension length is determined by the
seriousness of the offenses and the driver’s prior driving history. An additional driver’s
license suspension will result for each subsequent moving violation following the initial
suspension.
- Suspended drivers must attend a remedial education course, may be retested and
must pay a $70 reinstatement fee.
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Full Licensing Phase – Drivers Ages 18-20
- No age-related restrictions apply except in cases where a driver fails to move from
the Initial Licensing Phase to the Full Licensing Phase.
- Wireless phone use while driving is prohibited for drivers under age 19, except in the case
of an emergency to contact a law enforcement agency, health care provider or emergency
services agency. Definition of Wireless Phone
Sanctions
- Limit one court supervision for serious driving offenses.
- Two moving violation convictions occurring within a 24-month period results in a minimum one-month driver’s license suspension. Suspension length is determined by the
seriousness of the offenses and the driver’s prior driving history. An additional driver’s
license suspension will result for each subsequent moving violation following the initial
suspension.
- Suspended drivers must attend a remedial education course, may be retested and must pay a $70 reinstatement fee.
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Parental Consent
Drivers ages 16 and 17 must have parent/legal guardian consent in order to obtain a driver’s license. The parent/legal guardian must provide written consent at the time of the minor’s application at a Driver Services facility. The parent/legal guardian also must show proof that the applicant has had at least 50 hours of practice driving, including 10 hours at night, during the Permit Phase.
A parent/legal guardian may withdraw consent for the minor to hold a driver’s license at any time, for any reason until the driver turns 18 by contacting the Secretary of State’s office. Driving privileges will not be reinstated until the parent/legal guardian who withdrew consent once again provides consent or until the driver turns 18, whichever occurs first. The teen driver must reapply for a driver’s license and pay the appropriate fees in order for the license to be reinstated.
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Parent-Teen Driving Guide
In partnership with the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois High School and College Driver Education Association, and the Illinois Parent Teacher Association, the Secretary of State’s office developed a Parent-Teen Driving Guide to assist parents in teaching their teen drivers the skills they need to know before they start driving on their own. Download the Parent-Teen Driving Guide.
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Parent-Teen Driving Contract
The Secretary of State’s office has created a voluntary Parent-Teen Driving Contract, which establishes parameters and boundaries between parents and teens to enable young drivers to acquire safe driving habits and skills. The contract is available in the Parent-Teen Driving Guide. Download the Parent-Teen Driving Contract.
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Other New Related Laws
Parental Access to Teen’s Driving Record
The parent/legal guardian of a person under age 18 who holds an instruction permit or graduated driver’s license may access the minor’s driving record free online. Parental Access to Teen Driving Records
Driver’s License Suspension for Alcohol Consumption
A person under age 21 will receive a three-month driver’s license suspension for a court supervision for possession, consumption, purchase or receipt of alcohol. A conviction will result in a minimum six-month suspension of driving privileges.
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Chapter Three Study Questions
1. During the Initial Licensing Phase, a teen driver is allowed only two passengers under age 20 in the vehicle during the first 12 months of licensing.
True or False
2. In order to obtain court supervision for a traffic violation, a minor must appear in court with a parent/legal guardian and attend a traffic safety school.
True or False
3. A parent or legal guardian may request that the driver’s license of a minor be cancelled at any time prior to age 18.
True or False
This edition of the Illinois Rules of the Road is as accurate as possible at the time of publication. The manual gives drivers information on obtaining a driver’s license, driver’s license laws, traffic safety issues and general information regarding Illinois traffic laws and ordinances. The language of the Illinois Compiled Statutes is condensed and paraphrased and does not cover every law or explain every possible situation that motorists may face while operating a motor vehicle. The manual also provides highway safety information not in the law. It is intended as a tool for drivers and should not be cited as a legal authority in court. |
