Illinois driver license and ID card: first license, renewal, replacement and REAL ID
How to get a first Illinois driver's license or teen permit, transfer an out-of-state license, renew or replace your card, and what a REAL ID or state ID card requires, based on the Illinois Secretary of State's own pages.
Guide · Illinois · REAL ID · Driver licenses · Renewals · ID cards · updated October 29, 2026
Illinois driver's licenses, instruction permits and state ID cards are issued by the Illinois Secretary of State through its Driver Services Department. This guide covers first licenses, moving to Illinois, renewals, replacements, REAL ID and state ID cards. For booking a visit and the general document groups, see the Illinois DMV visit guide.
Your first Illinois license
To get an Illinois driver's license, the Secretary of State says you must:
- Visit a DMV, show the required identification documents and have your photo taken
- Surrender all valid out-of-state licenses, ID cards and permits
- Pay the fee
- Pass any required exams: vision screening, written test and/or driving test
For a first license you need one document from each of Groups A, B, C and D (signature, date of birth, Social Security number and residency). The fee table lists a driver's license at $30 for ages 21 to 68 and $5 for ages 18 to 20. Bring proof of liability insurance for the car you use on the driving test.
Teens: instruction permit and graduated licensing
Drivers under 21 go through Illinois' Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program.
- Instruction permit. You pass a vision screening and the written exam, bring identification and an application, and pay the fee. If you are 15 to 17, you must be enrolled in an approved driver education course, or be within 30 days of starting one. Parent or guardian consent is required. From age 17 years and 3 months you can apply without driver education. Under 18, the permit is valid for two years and must be held for at least nine months before you get a license. From 18, it is valid for one year. The fee table lists an original Class D permit at $20.
- Practice. You may practice with an adult who is at least 21, holds a license for that type of vehicle and has at least one year of experience. You need at least 50 hours of practice, including 10 at night. A parent or guardian must certify the hours.
- License at 16 or 17. You must have completed a state-approved driver education course. A parent or guardian must come with you to give consent, or you bring a notarized Affidavit/Consent for Minor to Drive.
GDL restrictions include a nighttime driving limit (Sunday to Thursday 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., Friday and Saturday 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.). For the first 12 months of the license, or until you turn 18, you may carry only one passenger under 20 unless they are a sibling, stepsibling, child or stepchild (the Secretary of State's graduated licensing page says 12 months, while its driver FAQ says 6 months, so confirm the period with the office).
If you are 18 to 20 and did not take driver education in high school, you must finish a 6-hour adult driver education course before getting a license.
Moving to Illinois with another state's license
The Secretary of State's page for new residents says you need an Illinois license or ID within 90 days. It says that if you already have a valid license from another state, you only need a vision test. The Secretary of State's driver FAQ is less specific: it says new residents surrender the out-of-state license and pass a vision screening, a written exam and possibly a drive exam, so confirm with the office what applies to you. You must apply in person at a DMV; this cannot be done online. Bring proof of signature, date of birth, Social Security number (if you have one) and your Illinois address.
A REAL ID does not transfer from another state. If you want an Illinois REAL ID, you need two documents proving your Illinois address plus the other REAL ID documents listed below.
Renewing your license
The Secretary of State mails a renewal letter 60 to 90 days before your license expires. You can renew up to one year before a 4-year or 2-year license expires, or 6 months before a one-year license expires. Licenses for drivers under 21 expire three months after the 21st birthday. Drivers aged 21 to 86 get 4-year licenses.
Online renewal is available if you received a renewal letter with a PIN or Renewal Authorization Number. You cannot renew online if:
- You want a REAL ID
- You need to take a written or road test
- You need to submit an updated medical or vision report
- You want to add a PO box to your address
In person, everyone gets a vision screening. You must take a written exam every 8 years if you have traffic convictions. From July 1, 2026, drivers aged 87 and older take a driving test and renew every year. Drivers aged 79 to 86 renew in person with a vision test but no longer need a driving test. If your license expired before July 1, 2026, you still take a road test.
Replacing a lost license
You can order a duplicate license or ID online if it was lost, stolen or damaged, unless an exception applies. The exceptions include:
- A card that expires within 30 days
- A previous online or mail address change
- Three replacements in the last 12 months
- A license held in another state
- Any change to the card
The online service does not issue a temporary license, and once you order online you can no longer get a temporary one at a facility. If you need a temporary license, apply at a DMV instead.
At a DMV you show one Group A document and leave with a temporary license; the permanent card arrives by mail within 15 business days. The fee table lists a duplicate license at $5. It is free if you bring a police report showing it was stolen, and free for people 60 and older whose license was lost or stolen.
REAL ID
A REAL ID has a small gold star in the top right corner. You apply at a DMV and bring:
- One proof of identity and lawful status, such as a certified birth certificate, a valid U.S. passport or passport card, or a permanent resident card.
- One proof of your full Social Security number, such as a Social Security card or a W-2. You can skip this if you have a valid Illinois license or ID (other than a TVDL); the Secretary of State re-verifies your number.
- Two proofs of Illinois residency, such as a utility bill or bank statement dated within 90 days, or a lease.
- One proof of written signature, such as your current license, a credit or debit card or a passport.
Documents must be valid originals, not photocopies or phone photos. If your name has changed, bring a document linking your names, such as a certified marriage certificate. Use the REAL ID checklist.
You get a temporary paper card on site, and the REAL ID arrives by mail within 15 business days. The Secretary of State warns that, from February 1, TSA accepts only the permanent card, so it suggests applying at least a month before you travel. See How can I tell if my driver's license is REAL ID compliant? and REAL ID explained.
State ID cards
There is no minimum age for an Illinois state ID card. You apply at a DMV and receive a temporary ID, with the permanent card mailed within 15 business days. The card is typically valid for 5 years. The fee table lists it at $20 for ages 18 to 64 and $5 under 18. It is free for people 65 and older (who can get a non-expiring card) and for people with disabilities, who need an application form completed by their doctor.
The renewal letter for an ID card contains what you need to renew it online.
For vehicle paperwork, see the Illinois vehicle registration and title guide, and for nearby offices the Illinois DMV office list.