How to obtain my Drivers License in 2024
The United States nationwide has adopted graduated driver licensing regulations. Even though it could sound complicated, don’t worry, after reading this article it will be crystal clear. Now, each state has its own set of specific rules and regulations. But today, we’re taking a look at Illinois.
When teens just turned 15, in Illinois, this means they’re old enough to apply for their learner permit. By this point, their parents have even spent time together studying this year’s Illinois Rules of the Road workbook
Gather the required paperwork to obtain your learner permit
To receive a Learner’s Permit, a student must bring the following to the Secretary of State:
- Birth certificate.
- The Permit application signed by a parent or guardian and a driver education instructor.
- Proof of residency such as: a piece of mail with the parent/legal guardian’s name, picture ID from the student’s school, or a school transcript with the student’s name and address.
- Glasses or contacts, if they wear them.
- The required fee.
- Pass a vision and a written test at a Secretary of State branch office.
Parent will need to sign off on a log and paperwork found in the Illinois Parent Teen Driving Guide that states their children has indeed been practicing lane changes, parking, three point turns and other driving skills. In fact, when taking teens to the Illinois DMV and giving written consent known as an affidavit to obtain a drivers permit, parents are stating that they acknowledge and are adhering to the teen driving laws set in place. Parents may also face convictions for any injuries, accidents or fatalities that could occur due to the negligence of these state laws. Supervised driving period is really important because it gives experienced drivers a chance to make sure that their protégé is learning safety practices behind the wheel.
I already obtained my learner's permit, now what?
The teenager has to complete a driver education course which includes:
- 30 hours of classroom instruction.
- 6 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction.
- 6 hours of in-vehicle observation by a Certified Driving Instructor
Now you need to spend at least nine months working on your driving abilities under your tutor watchful eye before moving on to the next phase. For those ho had spent the last nine months learning the best tips and tricks for how to pull off the perfect parallel parking, among other vital rules of the road, they’re now ready to embark on that rite of passage, the road test.
Go head to the DMV and show off your new driving skills. With a passing score, you’ll enter the intermediate stage of the Graduated Drivers License. Now you can finally strike out on your own in that brand new car.
You may be allowed to drive solo now, but there are still safety restrictions on your provisional license. Until you spent a year with your provisional license or turned 18, you can’t have more than one passenger under the age of 20. And there’s definitely no cell phone use. You can’t drive between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 p. m. and 6 a. m. Friday and Saturday. These restrictions are in place to minimize risk and distractions and maximize the experience the new driver gets. It’s important to stay alert and aware while your teen’s driving because the law has specific provisions for intermediate drivers.
Driving is not a right, but a privilege
Repeated accidents or injuries caused by drivers with a provisional license carry fines and can even result in their license being suspended for an additional 12 months. In Illinois, parents can access their child’s driving record at any time through the Secretary of State’s office website. At any time, a parent can withdraw their consent for initial license privileges for their child until they feel their child is ready to begin the process again or until age 18, whichever comes first.
After a year of safe driving with a provisional license, or once they turns 18, the state’s safety restrictions will be lifted.
Recap
Getting my driver's license in a nutshell
So let’s recap. In Illinois, at age 15, you can start working towards your provisional license by following the steps described in this article such as: Study the rules of the road workbook with a parent or guardian, then take the written driver exam at the DMV. Pass the test and receive your learner permit. After getting your learner permit, comes completing your Driver’s Education. You must complete 30 hours of in-class instruction as well as a minimum of 6 hours of driving and 6 hours of observation with a Licensed Driving Instructor. You can complete this entire process in My Drive Academy where we compress each of the steps to make it super easy and fast, using updated and highest quality instruction. If you’re ready to start.
After 9 months of practice time, where you will drive with adult supervision for 50 hours. At 16, you can head to the DMV for the road test. Once you pass the test, the provisional license phase begins. You can now drive solo as long as you follow the provisional license restrictions. For the first year, you cannot have more than one passenger under 20.
You cannot drive between the hours of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 p. m. to 6 a.m. Friday and Saturday until you turn 18. After the first year with a safe driving record, passenger restrictions are lifted as long as everyone is buckled up, but the nighttime driving restriction stays in place until 18, and all wireless phone use is prohibited until 19.
Hopefully, this guide has helped you make sense of the ins and outs of graduated driver licensing. For more information and specific rules for your own state, check our video and you will find more free resources on this website as our YouTube Channel. Happy driving!
