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On the Illinois road test, a Secretary of State examiner rides with you and grades how you start the car, back up, turn around, park on a hill and drive in traffic. Any traffic violation or dangerous action is an automatic fail. This guide is for Illinois learners booking their first driving exam: what to bring, which skills are graded and what fails you.
Key facts
- Who must take it: all new drivers, plus some under-18 applicants picked by spot check (see below).
- Earliest age: 16, after holding a permit for 9 months and finishing driver education and 50 practice hours.
- Vehicle: properly licensed and equipped, with valid front and rear plates, a registration sticker and proof of insurance.
- Only the examiner may ride with you, and you both wear seat belts.
- Automatic fail: any traffic violation or dangerous action.
Illinois road test checklist: what to bring
- Your instruction permit, plus the documents you need for the license.
- Under 18: your 50-hour driving log with the proper signature, parent or guardian consent (in person or by notarized affidavit), and a Cooperative Driver Testing Certificate if your driver ed program tested you.
- 18 to 20 with no driver ed: your adult driver education certificate. See the 6-hour adult course.
- A test vehicle that meets the rules below, driven to the facility by a driver with a valid license or permit.
Vehicle rules for the Illinois driving exam
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| License plates | Valid front and rear Illinois plates and a valid registration sticker. Out-of-state vehicles must meet their own state’s registration rules. |
| Equipment | Properly licensed, in the same weight class as your application, with all required equipment working. The list is in learning to drive in Illinois |
| Insurance | Proof of liability insurance at the time of the exam |
| Passengers | Only the examiner. Children and pets cannot ride along or be left alone at the facility, so bring someone to look after them |
Check the lights, turn signals, brake lights, horn and seat belts work before you go.
What the Illinois examiner checks
The Secretary of State lists these graded skills:
Starting the vehicle
Know the controls, including the parking brake and mirrors. Adjust your seat, belt, mirrors and anything else before the car moves. Then check traffic, signal and pull away smoothly.
Backing up
Back about 50 feet at a slow speed, straight and smooth. Turn your head to the right and watch to the rear, not just in the mirrors.
Turnabout
You are asked to turn around by turning left into an alley, roadway or driveway. Signal before turning. When you back out, stop before entering the sidewalk, street or highway. The 2026 Rules of the Road describes an alley on the left side of the street: left signal on before you turn in, back out, and stay on your side of the street.
Parking and starting on a hill
- Uphill with a curb: front wheels turned away from the curb.
- Downhill with a curb: front wheels turned toward the curb.
- No curb: front wheels toward the side of the road where you are parked.
- Shift to park, and set the parking brake if needed.
- You also start from a parked position, uphill and downhill. Release the parking brake, signal, check for oncoming traffic and pull out without rolling back.
Driving in traffic
Expect stop signs, signals, turns, lane use, speed control and right-of-way decisions. Brush up on four-way stops, right on red and crosswalks.
Is parallel parking on the Illinois road test?
Parallel parking is not among the graded skills the SOS lists (vehicle controls, backing, the turnabout, parking and starting on a hill both ways, and obeying traffic controls). The SOS does not say outright that it is never tested, so practice it anyway. See road tests by state.
Automatic fails on the Illinois road test
- Any traffic violation, such as speeding, a missed signal or failing to yield
- Rolling stops: the SOS workbook names them as an automatic failure. Stop fully behind the line.
- Any dangerous action, such as forcing the examiner to intervene
Other common mistakes are covered in common reasons people fail the US driving test.
Testing through your driver education program
Under the voluntary Cooperative Driver Testing Program, high school students with a combined A or B in an accredited driver education course may not need the SOS driving exam. Approved instructors give the road test themselves, following an SOS route form. If you pass this way, you may be issued a Cooperative Driver Testing Certificate, signed by your instructor and parent or guardian. Bring it to the DMV facility before it expires, on the same day as your permit, because it cannot be extended.
Spot checks: students whose birthdays fall on certain spot-check dates must still pass a driving exam at a DMV, even after passing with their instructor.
Common questions
How long do I have to wait to take the Illinois road test?
Under 18, you must hold your permit for at least 9 months and be at least 16.
Can my parent ride along during the test?
No. Only the examiner may be in the vehicle.
Can I use a car registered in another state?
Yes, if it meets that state’s registration rules and you have proof of insurance.
What happens if I fail?
You can retest. You get three attempts at each exam within one year of paying the application fee. Ask your facility about the wait.
What do I need to pass before I can get my license?
The road test is the last step. Back to learning to drive in Illinois or read the Illinois GDL rules that apply once you pass.
Sources
- Illinois Secretary of State, “2026 Illinois Rules of the Road” (DSD A 112, July 2026), Chapters 2, 3, 4 and 12 (ilsos.gov)
- Illinois Secretary of State, “Illinois Rules of the Road Workbook” DSD DS 9 (ilsos.gov)
- Illinois Secretary of State, “Road Test Diagram Description” DSD A 386 (ilsos.gov)
- Illinois Secretary of State, “Graduated Driver’s License” (ilsos.gov)