Points, tickets and licence suspension in Illinois

By the end of this topic you can

• You can explain the difference between suspension, revocation, cancellation and denial.
• You can state how many convictions lead to suspension for adults and for drivers under 21.
• You can describe the court supervision rules for drivers under 21.
• You can explain what happens if you ignore a ticket.
• You can name the special permits a suspended driver may apply for.

What you need to know and understand

• Adults can be suspended for three traffic violation convictions in 12 months.
• Drivers under 21 with two or more moving violation convictions within 24 months face a suspension of at least 30 days.
• A driver under 21 is limited to one court supervision for serious traffic offenses and must attend traffic safety school to get it.
• Drivers under 18 must appear in court with a parent or legal guardian.
• A suspension is a temporary loss of driving privileges; a revocation is an indefinite withdrawal, with reapplication usually possible after at least one year.
• Driving while suspended or revoked extends the suspension or revocation and can lead to jail.
• If your license is suspended before 21, you must complete a driver remedial education course.

Four ways to lose the right to drive

• Suspension: a temporary loss. When it ends you pay a reinstatement fee, and sometimes meet other conditions, to drive again.
• Revocation: an indefinite withdrawal for serious offenses such as DUI, leaving the scene of an injury crash, drag racing or fleeing police. You may usually reapply after at least a year.
• Cancellation: the license is ended because of an error, fraud, a medical or vision problem, or because you are no longer entitled to it.
• Denial: you cannot apply for a license, used especially for drivers under 18. A serious moving violation can block a license for nine months or until 18, whichever is shorter.

Tickets and court supervision for young drivers

Court supervision is a court outcome that can keep a ticket from becoming a conviction if you complete the conditions. Drivers under 21 can only get it once for a serious traffic offense, and only after attending traffic safety school. Under 18s must go to court with a parent or guardian, and court supervision for certain alcohol offenses delays a full license for nine months.

If you do not pay a ticket or appear in court, a second court date may be set at least 30 days later. Missing that one leads to a conviction that goes on your record. Persons under 18 with a traffic citation that has not been settled by the court may also be refused a license.

Common reasons for suspension

A suspended driver may sometimes get a Restricted Driving Permit for work, school, child care or medical travel, but not under 16. The SOS does not publish a point table in the Rules of the Road, so ask the SOS if you need details of how a particular ticket is counted. Our deeper guide on tickets and court supervision explains more.

• Three convictions in 12 months, or two in 24 months if you are under 21.
• Failing or refusing a chemical test after a DUI arrest, or zero tolerance violations under 21.
• Passing a stopped school bus, or five or more unpaid automated school bus camera violations.
• Driving without insurance.
• Five or more unpaid red-light or speed camera violations.
• A second work zone speeding violation within two years when workers were present.

Common mistakes

• Ignoring a ticket and hoping it disappears. Missing court leads to a conviction on your record.
• Thinking court supervision can be used again. Drivers under 21 get it only once for serious offenses.
• Driving to school while suspended. Getting caught extends the suspension and can lead to jail.
• Forgetting that out-of-state tickets count. Convictions in other states are added to your Illinois record.

Test yourself: Points, tickets and licence suspension in Illinois

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

Go deeper

• Illinois License Suspension Under 21
• Illinois speed limits, work zones and school zones
• Illinois Instruction Permit at 15