Illinois Driving Restrictions, Suspensions and Permits

Judicial Driving Permits

This permit is issued, following a circuit judge's order, to a first offender age 18 or older serving a statutory summary suspension following an arrest for driving while under the influence of alcohol, other drugs and/or intoxicating compounds (DUI). Judicial driving permits have the same restrictions and provisions as restricted driving permits.

Restricted Driving Permits

If your license is suspended or revoked by the Secretary of State's office, you may be eligible for a restricted driving permit (RDP). Under Illinois law, a restricted driving permit may be issued to drivers age 16 or older to allow limited driving privileges for employment, education or medical care. Before the Secretary of State's office will issue an RDP, it must be convinced that the driver receiving the permit does not pose a threat to the safety of others on the roadway. A statutory summary suspension second offender is not eligible to apply for this type of driving relief. Eligible applicants with prior DUI suspensions or revocations are to have a Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device (BAIID) installed in their vehicle. More information on restricted driving permits is available from the Administrative Hearings Department, 210 Howlett Building, Springfield, Illinois 62756.

Denial "Denial" means that you are temporarily denied the privilege of applying for a driver's license and, in certain instances, an instruction permit. A denial can only be entered to the driving record of an individual under the age of 18 for conviction of one of the following offenses:

A conviction that results in a mandatory revocation of driving privileges, such as a DUI conviction.A denial for this type of offense precludes application for either a driver's license or an instruction permit until the person's 18th birthday.

Suspension "Suspension" means that you have temporarily lost your driving privileges. When the suspension is for a specific length of time, you may regain your driving privileges after your suspension has ended and you have paid a reinstatement fee. In other cases, your driver's license will not be returned until you meet a requirement of Illinois law.

Too Many Tickets Your driver's license will be suspended if you are convicted of three traffic violations committed within any 12-month period. If you are under 21 years old at the time of arrest, two traffic violations within any 24-month period will result in a suspension. If you are under age 18, you will be required to successfully complete a driver remedial education course to make your driving privileges valid again. In addition, you may be required to submit to a complete driver's license examination to be re-issued a driver's license. The length of the suspension will vary according to the seriousness of the traffic offenses.

If your driver's license is suspended for conviction of three traffic violations within a 12-month period, you may be eligible for a probationary license or occupational driving permit. If you receive a suspension for conviction of two traffic violations in a 24-month period while under the age of 21, you may be eligible to receive a restricted driving permit. The Secretary of State's office will notify you if you are eligible.

Your driver's license may also be suspended under the following DUI-realted conditions:

TRAFFIC CRASHES: You were convicted for refusal or neglect to report a traffic accident.

UNINSURED CRASHES: You were uninsured at the time of a crash in which you were determined to be at fault and for which you owe damages.

DRUG/ALCOHOL TEST FAILURE: A test following your DUI arrest revealed a blood alcohol concentration of .08 percent or more or any trace of cannabis, controlled drug substances or intoxicating compounds.

DRUG/ALCOHOL TEST REFUSAL: You refused testing for drugs or alcohol after being arrested for DUI in Illinois or another state.

ILLEGAL TRANSPORTATION OF ALCOHOL: You are convicted of illegally transporting alcohol twice in 12 months.

DRUG OR SEX OFFENSE: You committed a drug or sex crime while operating or in direct physical control of an automobile.

ILLEGAL TRANSPORTATION OF ALCOHOL: You were convicted of illegally transporting alcohol and you were under age 21.

ILLEGAL POSSESSION, CONSUMPTION, ATTEMPTING TO PURCHASE ALCOHOL, OR ACCEPTING ALCOHOL AS A GIFT: You are under age 21 and convicted of violating the Liquor Control Act of 1934.

FAILURE TO APPEAR VIOLATIONS: You failed to appear for any traffic citation.

Revocation "Revocation" means that your driving privileges have been taken away indefinitely by the Secretary of State's office. To regain your driving privileges, you may be eligible to reapply for your license after a minimum of one year, unless otherwise noted.

Revocation of your license is a very serious matter. Your driver's license will be revoked if you are convicted of the following offenses:

AGGRAVATED DUI: You caused personal injury or death as a result of DUI, had a prior conviction of reckless homicide or Aggravated DUI involving a death and committed a DUI, received a third or subsequent DUI conviction, or committed a DUI violation while transporting children in a school bus. Minimum revocation lengths vary according to type of offense and previous history.

DUI: You drove under the influence of alcohol, other drugs and/or intoxicating compounds.

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) BAC is a measurement of the amount of alcohol in your system based on a test of your breath, blood or urine. It is illegal to drive if your BAC is .08 percent or greater. However, you can be convicted of DUI if your BAC is less than .08 percent and your driving ability is impaired. Your BAC can be affected by:

the amount you drink. Twelve ounces of beer, five ounces of wine or one and one-half ounces of "hard" liquor contain the same amount of alcohol.

time is the only way to remove the effects of alcohol. Food, coffee and showers do not speed up the elimination of alcohol from your body.

your body weight or size. Usually, heavier people have more blood and body fluids to dilute the alcohol. Other things affect your reaction to alcohol. These include food eaten, your tolerance of alcohol and any drugs you may have taken.

Other Drugs

In addition to alcohol, many other prescription and nonprescription drugs impair safe driving. Some of these drugs are: antihistamines, cold remedies, pain relievers and mood-changing drugs. Others are marijuana, hashish, LSD, heroin, cocaine, morphine and amphetamines (pep pills). Mixing even small amounts of alcohol with other drugs is very dangerous. It is also illegal to operate a motor vehicle on Illinois highways with any trace of a controlled drug, substance, cannabis (marijuana) or intoxicating compounds in your blood.