Your First Illinois Driver's License After 18

First, do you need a course?

Most adults do not. According to the Secretary of State's FAQ on the adult course, three things together trigger it: you are 18, 19 or 20; this is your first Illinois license; and you never completed drivers ed, either at a high school or a commercial school. The requirement has been in place since July 1, 2014.

A certified high school transcript with a passing drivers ed grade, from Illinois or elsewhere, exempts you. At 21 or older there is no course, though the Secretary of State still recommends 50 practice hours including 10 at night before testing.

Before you drive: the permit

Pass the exam and, under 625 ILCS 5/6-105, any adult can buy a permit lasting a year; first-timers pay $20. Your passenger must be 21 or older, licensed for that type of vehicle for at least a year, and sitting up front with you.

You can get the permit before finishing the adult course; the certificate only matters at the license stage. Adults have no required waiting period, so practice for as long as you need.

Before you go: identity documents and REAL ID

You need four originals, one per group: something with your signature, something showing your birth date, something with your Social Security number, and something proving your Illinois address. Items that also work for REAL ID are flagged on the state's list, and a REAL ID needs two address proofs instead of one.

Since May 7, 2025, TSA checkpoints have required a REAL ID or an alternative like a passport. A standard Illinois card drives exactly the same; it just will not get you on a plane by itself.

• Residency items usually must be dated within 90 days; credit reports and some college mail can be up to 12 months old
• A foreign passport or birth certificate counts for birth date only when paired with another Group B item
• Not accepted: instruction permits, insurance cards, library cards, FOID cards, personal mail

At the facility: three tests

Plan on three checks at the facility: your eyes, a written test drawn from the Illinois Rules of the Road, and a drive with an examiner. Do not assume the test at the end of your online adult course counts; the Secretary of State says applicants still take every required exam.

Bring proof of liability insurance for the car you will drive. Express facilities do not give written tests or handle out-of-state transfers, so check what a facility offers before you go.

Budget: fees by age (October 2026)

Your age sets the price of a first license, under 625 ILCS 5/6-118 and the Secretary of State's fee page. Ages 18 through 20 pay $5. Ages 21 through 68 pay $30. From 69 to 80 it drops back to $5, from 81 to 86 it is $2, and from 87 on it is free. A first Class D permit adds $20.

Get licensed before 21 and the card runs out three months past your 21st birthday, which makes an 18 year old's first license a short one. After that, from 21 up to 86, each license lasts four years and ends on your birthday.

Worked example: a 23 year old in Chicago

A 23 year old who never learned to drive needs no course. He passes the vision and written tests, pays $20 for the permit, and practices weekends with his aunt.

Two months later he passes the road test in her insured car and pays $30. He leaves with a 90 day paper license, and the card arrives by mail within 15 business days.

If you are a new resident or a temporary visitor

Just moved in? 625 ILCS 5/6-102 gives you three months on your current license from home. Then visit a facility, hand over the old card, read the eye chart and pass the written test; an examiner may also ask you to drive. If you are 18 to 20 and already licensed in another state, the adult course does not apply to you.

Temporary residents who are not citizens and cannot obtain a Social Security number use a different card, the Temporary Visitor Driver's License. You pass all three tests (eye, written, drive), and if you are 18 to 20 with no valid license you also need the adult course. The card lasts four years at most, or less if your authorized stay ends sooner.

If you live in a very small town

Residents of places with 3,500 people or fewer may ask for a Restricted Local License limited to set routes, such as to the bank, the grocery store or the post office. Apply at a facility and list your routes; once the Special License Unit approves them, you take a drive exam over those routes, and the card is mailed.