Photo: formulanone, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
If you are 18, 19 or 20, applying for your first Illinois driver’s license, and have never taken driver education, you must complete a 6-hour Adult Driver Education Course before the Secretary of State will issue your license. You don’t need it for the instruction permit. This guide is for Illinois adults under 21 working out whether the rule applies and how to complete it.
Do I need the Illinois adult driver ed course? Quick check
You must take the course only if all three are true:
- You are 18, 19 or 20.
- You are applying for an Illinois driver’s license for the first time.
- You have never taken any driver education course, in high school or at a commercial driving school.
| Your situation | Adult course needed? |
|---|---|
| 19, never took driver ed, first license | Yes |
| 18, passed high school driver ed (certified transcript) | No |
| 20, moving to Illinois with an out-of-state license | No: out-of-state movers don’t need proof of the course |
| 21 or older | No (rule covers 18 to 20 only). If you are driving for the first time, the SOS suggests a driving school for adults |
How the Illinois 6-hour course works
- Length: six hours.
- Providers: only providers certified by the Secretary of State. A certificate from a provider not on the SOS list is not accepted.
- Format: classroom or online, depending on what the provider is certified for.
- Final test: the provider gives a written test at the end. This does not replace the state’s vision, written and road tests.
- No driving: the course has no behind-the-wheel part. The SOS encourages at least 50 hours of practice, including 10 at night.
- Certificate: you get a certificate of completion when you pass.
Steps to a first Illinois license at 18 to 20
- Get an instruction permit by passing the vision and written test. The certificate is not needed for this step.
- Complete the 6-hour course with a certified provider from the SOS list.
- Practice driving. Aim for 50 hours, 10 at night, with a licensed adult.
- Bring the certificate when you apply for the license, then pass the road test.
- Pay the license fee: $5 for ages 18 to 20 (as of November 2026).
Common questions
Can I do the Illinois adult driver ed course online?
Yes, if the provider is certified by the SOS for online delivery. Check the provider is on the SOS list before paying.
Do I need the course for my permit?
No. You need the certificate only when you apply for the driver’s license.
I took driver ed in another state. Do I still need it?
The SOS exemption covers completed high school driver education with a certified transcript, and says applicants moving from out of state are not required to show proof of the adult course. If you took a course elsewhere but never got licensed, ask the SOS whether your course counts.
Are the GDL limits the same at 18?
No. Passenger and nighttime GDL limits apply to under 18s, unless a conviction has extended them, and the phone ban runs until 19. See Illinois GDL rules.
What about zero tolerance?
Until 21, zero tolerance alcohol rules still apply: zero tolerance laws for drivers under 21. Main guide: learning to drive in Illinois.
Sources
- Illinois Secretary of State, “Adult Driver Education” (ilsos.gov)
- Illinois Secretary of State, “Adult Driver Education FAQs” (ilsos.gov)
- Illinois Secretary of State, “Fees” (ilsos.gov)
- Illinois Secretary of State, “2026 Illinois Rules of the Road” (DSD A 112, July 2026), Chapters 1, 2 and 3 (ilsos.gov)