What is Graduated Licensing?

Graduated licensing means that as teen drivers gain experience on the road and prove they’re good drivers, they “graduate” to fewer restrictions and more driving privileges. Today, graduated licensing is the law in Illinois.

Graduated Driver Licensing Phases:

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 — Sun.-Thurs., 10 p.m.-6 a.m.; Fri.-Sat., 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 must wear safety belts.
• Cell phone use while driving is prohibited for drivers under age 19, except in the case of an emergency.
• Texting while driving is prohibited.
• 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.

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 — Sun.-Thurs., 10 p.m.-6 a.m.; Fri.-Sat., 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 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.
• Cell phone use while driving is prohibited for drivers under age 19, except in the case of an emergency.
• Texting while driving is prohibited.

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.