Information about how to obtain a driver’s license for new drivers in the state of Illinois can be found in the resource below. There are three different phases of basic driver’s licensure, which are all art of the Illinois Graduated Driver License Program. Graduated in this case refers to the step-by-step nature of the program, as in ‘graduated’ cylinder, rather than referring to what high school students become before they go off to college.
The process begins with the Permit Phase, beginning at age 15 and lasting until the driver turns 16. The second, or Initial Licensing Phase, picks up where the Permit lets off and continues for another year, or until the driver turns 18, whichever comes first. These periods are followed by the full licensing phase. At this final point all restrictions on the license are removed.
In order to pass from each phase to the next, Illinois drivers will need to go to the Driver Services Office to supply documentation, sign and turn in forms (such as those provided at the bottom of this page), as well as pay fees for licensure. The initial Driver’s Permit costs $20; however, this fee can substitute for the price of the driver’s license if the entire process, from permit to full licensing, takes the minor less than two years.
As early as 15, Illinois residents may choose to apply for a Driver’s Permit. In order to do so, they will need to have the consent of a parent or guardian. In fact, parental consent is an important consideration throughout the Graduated Driver License Program. If at any point the minor’s parent finds significant fault with the minor’s driving, it is within that parent’s right to withdraw consent, which negates driving privileges, until either consent is reinstated or the minor turns 18.
It is therefore extremely important to be careful and responsible while driving under the supervision of a parent. A number of resources at the end of this page provide links to forms that detail the precise nature of the parental and teen driver agreements. It is advisable to take a look at them a few times before driving under their restrictions, as some of the more important restrictions will be covered here, but some of the less prominent ones will be missed.
One of these limitations is a driver curfew that goes into effect for the first two phases of the program. Drivers are not allowed to be out at night between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. from Sunday through Thursday. Fridays and Saturdays, the curfew moves to 11 p.m.
Helpful Links on the CyberDriveIllinois Site for Teen Drivers
Parental Consent is a necessity for teens who want to drive. You can print out the appropriate parental consent form (Affidavit/Consent for Minor to Drive) at this address:
https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/dsd_x174.pdf
The Parent-Teen Driving Contract, with all the stipulations and regulations that teen drivers must follow in order to drive before they turn 18, is found at the following link:
https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/dsd_a211.pdf
The state of Illinois requires that parents keep an extensive record of the conditions, times, and dates when the minor driver practiced under their supervision. Before a teen driver will be allowed to move into the second period, Initial Licensing Phase, they must be able to show a log of at least 50 completed practice hours, with 10 hours completed at night.
https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/dsd_x152.pdf
The Graduated Driver License Brochure can be found at the following website. It has contact numbers to call for more details about the program, in addition to a bullet-point list of the major components and restrictions of the program:
https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/dsd_a132.pdf