Everything a Illinois parent needs in one place — required practice hours, night-driving rules, permit age, and what the written test looks like — plus a free log that keeps the hours straight.
Requirements summarized from the official Illinois driver handbook.
Requirements: Enroll in an approved driver education course and pass the written and vision tests. Hold 9 months and log 50 supervised hours, including 10 at night.
Restrictions: A licensed driver 21+ with at least one year of experience must be in the front seat. No wireless devices.
Requirements: Hold the permit 9 months violation-free, complete driver education and the 50 logged hours, and pass the road test.
Restrictions: No driving 10 p.m.-6 a.m. Sunday-Thursday or 11 p.m.-6 a.m. Friday-Saturday. First 12 months: only one passenger under 20 who is not family.
Requirements: Restrictions lift at 18 with a violation-free record.
Restrictions: None specific to age.
Illinois limits a new driver to one passenger in the front seat and no more riders in back than there are safety belts. Belts are also required during your road exam - the examiner will not start without them.
Unless a sign says otherwise, Illinois limits are 70 mph on interstates and tollways, 65 mph on four-lane highways, 55 mph on other rural highways, 30 mph in cities and towns, 15 mph in alleys, and 20 mph in active school zones.
Illinois Zero Tolerance means any alcohol concentration above 0.00 for a driver under 21 is a violation, and a BAC of .08 or more triggers a statutory summary suspension. Drivers under 19 may not use a phone at all - even hands-free - except to call for emergency help.
Stop before meeting or passing a school bus that is stopped to load or unload passengers, and remain stopped until its stop arm is retracted and flashing lights are off or the driver signals you to pass. Come to a complete stop for pedestrians in marked crosswalks and, on school days, for children near a school-zone crosswalk.
At a stationary emergency/maintenance vehicle displaying oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights, or an emergency scene where those lights are in use, yield, change to a lane away when possible, reduce speed, and proceed cautiously. If you cannot change lanes, reduce speed and use caution; photography and wireless/cellphone use are prohibited within 500 feet of an emergency scene, except in certain circumstances.
Yield after stopping at a red light or stop sign, when turning left into oncoming traffic, and when entering from an alley, building, private road, or driveway. At a four-way stop, the first driver to stop goes first; if two vehicles arrive at the same time, the vehicle on the left yields to the vehicle on the right.
On a two-lane, two-way roadway, how close to an intersection or railroad crossing is passing prohibited?
Passing is prohibited within 100 feet of an intersection or railroad crossing on a two-lane, two-way roadway.
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