What to bring to the Illinois Secretary of State permit test

For the learner's permit and knowledge test

• Acceptable identification documents proving name, date of birth, Social Security number, residency and signature (standard: 1 residency document; REAL ID: 2 residency documents plus proof of identity/lawful status)
• Secretary of State application; for ages 15-17 enrolled in driver education it must carry the certified instructor's signature (the instructor may submit it)
• Proof from the driver education provider of enrollment in (or start within 30 days of) an approved course, for ages 15-17
• Parent/legal guardian consent for applicants under 18
• Instruction permit fee ($20)

Fees

• Instruction permit: $20

The vision test

Minimum visual acuity 20/40 with or without corrective lenses; acuity between 20/41 and 20/70 is limited to daylight driving only. At least 140 degrees of peripheral vision. A Vision Specialist Report from an optometrist, ophthalmologist or physician dated within 6 months may be submitted instead of the DMV screening.

Bring your glasses or contact lenses if you wear them to see clearly.

For the road test

• Instruction permit
• Acceptable identification (see the handbook's Acceptable Identification Documents chart)
• Affidavit/Consent for Minor to Drive, if a parent or guardian can't come
• Cooperative Driver Testing Certificate, if applicable
• 50-hour driving log with proper signature (under 18)
• A properly licensed, equipped and insured vehicle in the right weight class, with valid front and rear plates and registration sticker, driven to the facility by a licensed driver
• Proof of insurance (required at the time of the exam)

What happens on the road test

After you pass: your permit

• Hold it for at least 9 consecutive months (ages 15-17). The SOS lists no minimum holding period for applicants 18 and older. before the road test.
• Log 50 hours of supervised driving, 10 of them at night.
• Age 15-17: you must be enrolled in an approved driver education course, or start one within 30 days (at least 30 hours of classroom and 6 hours behind the wheel). At 17 years 3 months or older, a permit may be issued without driver education
• You must drive with a parent, legal guardian or responsible adult 21 or older who holds a valid license, has at least 1 year of driving experience and sits in the front passenger seat (or with a driver education instructor)
• Nighttime driving restriction: Sunday-Thursday 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.; Friday-Saturday 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. (local curfews may differ)
• Passengers are limited to one in the front seat and the number of safety belts in the back seat
• Drivers under 19 may not use a wireless phone while driving, even hands-free, except to contact police, a health care provider or emergency services in an emergency
• No driving infractions, underage alcohol convictions or court supervisions during the 9-month permit phase
• The permit is valid 24 months (2 years) for applicants under 18 and 1 year for applicants 18 and older. Written and vision test results are valid until the permit expires
• A moving-violation conviction during the permit phase means a nine-month wait before you can apply for a driver's license. Permit holders can't get a hardship permit, and anyone caught driving without a permit can't get a license until 18

Before you go

Take a practice test or two the day before, and the exam simulator to check you can pass in the real format. Bring originals, not photocopies, unless the Secretary of State says copies are accepted.