Illinois driver’s licenses for persons under age 21 are printed vertically with distinct features.
To apply for your driver’s license before reaching age 18, you must bring the following documents to the Driver Services facility:
- Instruction permit;
- Acceptable forms of identification;
- Affidavit/Consent For Minor To Drive (if applicable); and
- Cooperative Driver Testing Certificate (if applicable).
- 50-hour driving log with proper signature.
The Secretary of State must have received notification of your driver education completion and the notation must appear on your driving record before a driver’s license is issued. Students whose birthdays fall on certain dates are required to pass a driving exam administered at a Driver Services facility even though they may have taken and passed a road test conducted by their driver education instructor.
If you receive your driver’s license prior to the expiration of your instruction permit, you may not be required to pay an additional fee when applying for the driver’s license. Drivers under age 18 are not allowed to drive for hire any vehicle transporting property (e.g., delivery persons or any passenger vehicle transporting 10 or fewer people).
Related Laws
- Court Supervision for Moving Violations— A driver under age 21 is limited to one court supervision for serious traffic offenses. To obtain court supervision for a traffic violation, a driver under age 21 must attend traffic safety school. A driver under age 18 must appear in court with a parent/legal guardian and also must attend traffic safety school. If receiving court supervision for certain alcohol-related violations, a driver under age 18 will be denied a full graduated driver’s license for nine months.
- Loss of Driving Privileges for Moving Violations — A driver under age 21 convicted of two or more moving violations within a 24-month period will have his/her driver’s license suspended for a minimum of 30 days. The length of the suspension varies according to the seriousness of the traffic offenses. A driver may be required to complete a driver remedial education course as part of the reinstatement of driving privileges. A suspended driver may be but is not always, eligible for a Restricted Driving Permit during the suspension period.
- Driver’s License Suspension for Alcohol Consumption — A person under age 21 who receives court supervision for possession, consumption, purchase, or receipt of alcohol will receive a three-month driver’s license suspension. A conviction will result in a minimum six-month suspension of driving privileges.
- Crash Involving Bodily Harm or Death — A person under age 18 charged with an offense due to a crash where a passenger was seriously injured or killed may be denied issuance/renewal of his/her driver’s license. Alcohol need not play a factor in the crash.
