Illinois Rules of the Road 2026 (DSD A 112): study guide

Key rules by chapter

A few of the rules from each chapter that come up in our practice questions:

1. Illinois Driver's License

• New residents with a valid out-of-state license must get an Illinois license within 90 days or before that license expires, whichever comes first.
• Illinois drivers must report an address change to the Secretary of State within 10 days of moving.
• A corrected driver's license or ID card must be applied for within 30 days of a legal name change.

2. Driver's License Exams

• Applicants get three attempts to pass each exam within one year from the date the application fee was paid.
• Anyone found cheating fails the exam and may not retake it for 30 days.
• Taking any part of the exam for someone else is a criminal offense punishable by a fine and a mandatory minimum of seven days in jail.

3. Drivers Under Age 21

• First-time applicants aged 18-20 who were never licensed and never completed driver education must complete a six-hour Adult Driver Education Course from a provider certified by the Secretary of State.
• Applicants who are at least 17 years and 3 months old may apply for an instruction permit without taking driver education.
• Drivers aged 15-17 must hold the permit for at least nine consecutive months before getting a license.

4. Traffic Laws

• Signing a ticket only acknowledges that you received it; it is not an admission of guilt. Don't refuse to sign.
• Holding the device while using speakerphone is not hands-free and violates Illinois law.
• Handheld use is allowed only to report an emergency, while parked on the shoulder, or while stopped because traffic is obstructed with the vehicle in neutral or park.

5. Sharing the Road

• When crossing anywhere other than a marked or unmarked crosswalk, pedestrians must yield to drivers, though drivers should still be ready to stop.
• If a red light doesn't turn green after 120 seconds, a motorcyclist may go through after yielding to oncoming traffic.
• Allow at least three to four seconds behind a motorcycle so the rider has room to maneuver in an emergency.

6. Driving Under the Influence (DUI)

• You can be convicted of DUI with a BAC under .08% if your driving ability is impaired.
• It is illegal to drive with 5 nanograms or more of THC per milliliter of whole blood, or 10 nanograms or more per milliliter of other bodily substance.
• Cannabis may be transported only in a sealed, odor-proof, child-resistant container, and no one may use cannabis in the vehicle.

7. Traffic Violations/Crashes

• A crash report is required for death, bodily injury, or property damage over $1,500. The threshold is $500 if any vehicle is uninsured.
• When any vehicle involved is uninsured, a report is required if property damage is more than $500.
• The handbook says a driver has 30 minutes to report a crash after it occurs, and police should be notified immediately.

8. Driver's License Revocation, Suspension, Denial and Cancellation

• A suspension temporarily removes driving privileges, while a revocation withdraws them indefinitely; you may usually reapply after at least one year.
• Three traffic violation convictions within 12 months can lead to suspension; for drivers under 21 it's two within 24 months.
• Zero tolerance applies to drivers under 21 with an alcohol concentration greater than 0.00 but less than 0.08, and it leads to suspension.

9. Roadway Signs

• A temporary STOP sign erected by highway authorities must be treated just like a permanent STOP sign.
• The yellow, three-sided pennant sign marks the beginning of a no-passing zone and is posted on the left side of the road.
• Pink may be used for traffic incident signs warning of unplanned incidents such as crashes and natural disasters.

10. Traffic Signals and Pavement Markings

• The round RR advance warning sign may be placed up to 750 feet before the crossing.
• A driver may never leave the roadway to avoid a traffic signal.
• A steady red arrow prohibits that movement until a green arrow appears. Exceptions: a right turn, or a left from a one-way onto a one-way moving left, after stopping completely and yielding.

11. Safe Driving Tips

• At 55 mph a vehicle travels about 81 feet per second, so three seconds is about 243 feet.
• Doubling your speed quadruples your vehicle's stopping distance.
• If fog is too dense, pull off the roadway and stop. The handbook warns against creeping along at 5-10 mph.

12. Equipment For Safe Driving

• Besides sunset to sunrise and whenever rain, snow or fog require wipers, headlights should also be used when you cannot see objects 1,000 feet away.
• The foot brake must stop a vehicle traveling 20 mph within 30 feet; the parking brake must do it within 55 feet.
• Vehicles must have a horn that can be heard from 200 feet.

13. Owning a Vehicle

• Illinois minimum liability limits are $25,000 for one person, $50,000 for more than one person, and $20,000 for property damage.
• The minimum property damage liability coverage in Illinois is $20,000.
• In Illinois, plates stay with the owner, not the vehicle. The seller removes and keeps them.

How to study the handbook

Read one chapter, then take a practice test. Every answer explanation names the handbook section it comes from, so when you get one wrong, go back to that section. Pay most attention to exact numbers and to the rules specific to Illinois, which are where most people lose points.