Illinois is one of the states with a graduated driver's license program. You can start with a learner's permit at 15, go through an initial licensing phase once you turn 16 and graduate to a full driver's license between 18 and 20.
To take out a learner's permit, your parent or legal guardian must give written consent. You also have to pass the state's vision and written tests and enroll in a drivers' ed course. You're restricted from driving after 10 p.m. at night, or 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The permit is valid for two years, and you must have one for nine months before applying for an initial license. During that period, you need 50 hours of practice, supervised by a parent or adult, with 10 of those hours at night. You can't have any driving convictions during the nine months before you get your initial license.
If you've turned 16 and passed drivers' ed, you can apply for an initial license. You'll have to pass a behind-the-wheel driver's test to get it. After you receive your license, you'll still be subject to the curfew on night driving. You can only have one passenger when you're driving unless the added passengers are your siblings or children.
Once you turn 18, you can apply for a full license. Your driving record must be conviction-free for the six months before you apply. If you're under 21 and you haven't taken a drivers' education class, you have to complete a six-hour adult training class before you get your license.
If you're licensed to drive in another state and then move to Indiana, you have 90 days to exchange your out-of-state license for an Indiana card. You'll need to pass the vision test and a written test, and possibly a road test as well.
To get a license you'll have to show up in person at a state Driver's License Facility. You can find the nearest facility through the state government's online tool. As a first-time applicant, Illinois requires you to prove your identity with four different types of evidence:
•A document with your written signature such as a court order, an out-of-state license, your military service record, a Social Security card or your mortgage paperwork.
•Papers showing your date of birth such as a court record, your military service record or your birth certificate.
•A document with your full name and your Social Security number such as a Social Security card, military driver's license or military service record.
•Two documents showing where you live, such as a canceled check or bank statement from the past three months, your deed or your mortgage, official mail from a government agency, or a utility bill.
All documents must be current, and photocopies are not acceptable. You can use a single document to meet more than one requirement.
