Getting Your Driver's License

Posted July 1, 2025 • By Arjun Verma

Getting your license is both a major milestone and a huge legal responsibility. Make sure you know what the law says about teens driving. 

Phase 1: The Learner’s Permit (15 years old)

In Illinois, you can get your learners permit at 15 years old if you are in a drivers-ed course, either at your high school or a commercial driving school, such as TopDriver. To get your permit, you must first pass a written rules of the road test and a vision exam, show ID documents (birth certificate, proof of residency, Social Security number) and have parent or guardian consent. With a permit, you can drive with a licensed adult age 21+ in the front seat. You must hold your permit for at least 9 months and log 50 hours of supervised driving (including 10 at night) in order to get your license.

Phase 2: Initial Licensing Stage (16-17 years old)

If you’ve held your permit for 9 months, completed your driving hours, and passed both the written and on the road tests, you’re eligible for an initial driver’s license at age 16. However, this license comes with restrictions, such as a curfew, which says that you can’t drive between 10 p.m.–6 a.m. (Sun–Thurs) and 11 p.m.–6 a.m. (Fri–Sat). In addition, there are passenger limits that are you can only have 1 passenger under 20 who isn’t a sibling or family member for the first 12 months or until you turn 18 (whichever comes first). There is also a zero tolerance for alcohol, meaning if there is any alcohol in your system, it is an automatic license suspension.

Phase 3: Full License (18+ years old)

At 18, if you’ve had no serious traffic violations, your license upgrades to a full, unrestricted license. However, violations like speeding, texting while driving, or DUI can lead to license suspension or revocation.

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