Illinois graduated driver licence stages

By the end of this topic you can

• You can name the three phases of the Illinois GDL Program and the usual ages for each.
• You can state how long a teen must hold an instruction permit before getting a license.
• You can describe the nighttime driving limits for permit holders and teen license holders.
• You can explain the passenger limits in the first year of a teen license.
• You can explain how drivers aged 18 to 20 get a first license in Illinois.

What you need to know and understand

• Most Illinois teens get an instruction permit at 15 after enrolling in an approved driver education course.
• The permit must be held for at least nine consecutive months before a teen can get a license.
• Teens need 50 hours of supervised practice, including 10 hours at night, before licensing.
• The minimum age for an Illinois driver's license is 16.
• Nighttime limits for permit holders and drivers under 18 are 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday to Thursday and 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
• Drivers under 19 may not use a cellphone while driving at all, even hands-free, except to report an emergency.
• First-time applicants aged 18 to 20 who have not taken driver education must complete a six-hour Adult Driver Education Course.

Phase one: the Permit Phase

Teens aged 15 to 17 can get an instruction permit once a driver education provider confirms they are enrolled, or will start a course within 30 days. From 17 years and 3 months you can apply without taking driver education. The permit is valid for 24 months.

With a permit you may drive only with a driver education instructor, or with a parent, guardian or responsible adult who is at least 21, holds a valid license, has at least one year of driving experience and sits in the front passenger seat.

• Hold the permit for at least nine months.
• Complete 50 hours of supervised driving, 10 of them at night.
• Stay free of driving infractions, underage alcohol convictions and court supervisions during the nine months.
• Carry no more than one passenger in the front seat, and no more people in the back than there are safety belts.

Phase two: the Initial Licensing Phase (ages 16 and 17)

After passing the vision, written and driving exams, a 16 or 17 year old receives a license with conditions. The same nighttime limits apply, although local curfews can be stricter.

For the first 12 months, or until you turn 18 if that comes first, you may carry only one passenger under 20, unless the passengers are your siblings, stepsiblings, children or stepchildren. You must also keep a conviction-free record for the six months before your 18th birthday, or the limits can continue past 18.

Phase three: the Full Licensing Phase (ages 18 to 20)

From 18, age-related limits drop away unless you failed to move out of the Initial Licensing Phase. The no-phone rule still applies until you turn 19.

If you start driving at 18, 19 or 20 and have never been licensed or completed driver education, you must take a six-hour Adult Driver Education Course from a provider certified by the Secretary of State before you can be licensed. Our deeper guide on the adult course covers this in more detail.

Common mistakes

• Counting the nine months from your 15th birthday. The holding period runs from the date your permit was issued.
• Practicing with an 18 or 19 year old friend. Your supervisor must be at least 21, licensed, and have at least one year of driving experience.
• Using a hands-free phone at 17 or 18. The phone ban covers all drivers under 19, hands-free included.
• Assuming court supervision for a ticket does not matter. Supervisions during the permit phase can hold up your license.

Test yourself: Illinois graduated driver licence stages

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Illinois Instruction Permit at 15
• Illinois 6-Hour Adult Driver’s Ed Course for Ages 18 to 20
• Illinois Learner Permit Documents Checklist