Driving Tests

Illinois Graduated License Rules: Curfew, Passengers, Phones

informational·how to guide·Published August 19, 2026

What are the Illinois graduated license rules for a 16- or 17-year-old driver?

Illinois drivers under 18 may not drive from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, or 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights, unless an exception applies. In the first 12 months of the license, or until 18 if sooner, only one passenger under 20 may ride, not counting siblings, stepsiblings, children or stepchildren. Drivers under 19 may not use a phone, even hands-free, except in emergencies.

Where the Illinois graduated license rules come from

The Illinois Secretary of State (SOS) explains the program on its Graduated Driver Licensing page. The law sits in the Illinois Vehicle Code: 625 ILCS 5/6-107 covers the license and the passenger limits, and 625 ILCS 5/6-110 covers the night limit. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Illinois Secretary of State (ilsos.gov) before you drive.

The three phases of Illinois Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL)

The three phases of Illinois Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL)
Phase	Age	What changes
Permit phase	15	Hold the permit at least 9 months. Practice 50 hours, 10 of them at night, with a parent or an adult 21 or older who has a valid license. No driving convictions during the 9 months.
Initial licensing phase	16 to 17	Night limit, passenger limit and phone ban apply. A parent or guardian certifies the 50 hours and gives consent. The teen must have finished a state-approved driver education course.
Full licensing phase	18 to 20	No age-related restrictions, unless the driver did not move up from the initial phase. The phone ban lasts until age 19.

What is the Illinois curfew for teen drivers?

Under 18, the law makes your license invalid for driving at these times: from 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday until 6 a.m. the next day, from 11 p.m. Friday until 6 a.m. Saturday, and from 11 p.m. Saturday until 6 a.m. Sunday. Permit holders follow the same hours. Local curfews may differ, so check your town's rule too. A teen under 18 who breaks the night limit may have driving privileges suspended. Test yourself with the practice question on a Wednesday night drive at 10:30 p.m.

When the night limit does not apply

You are with your parent, guardian or another person in custody or control of you.
You are on an errand for your parent or guardian, without any detour or stop.
You are going to or from work, without any detour or stop.
You are involved in an emergency.
You are in a vehicle on an interstate trip.
You are exercising First Amendment rights, such as religion, speech or assembly.
You are married, were married, or are an emancipated minor.
You are 17, have held your license at least 12 months, and drive as an assigned driver in a qualifying Safe Rides program.

How many passengers can a teen driver carry?

For the first 12 months of the license, or until you turn 18 (whichever comes first), you may carry only one passenger under 20. Your siblings, stepsiblings, children and stepchildren do not count toward that limit. If you are convicted of a moving violation committed in those first 12 months, the limit stays until 6 months in a row pass with no new violation and conviction. The practice question on three unrelated 17-year-old friends shows how the rule works.

Passenger and seat belt rules by phase

Passenger and seat belt rules by phase
Phase	Passenger rule	Seat belts
Permit phase	One passenger in the front seat, and no more in the back seat than there are safety belts.	All occupants must wear them.
Initial license, first 12 months (or until 18)	One passenger under 20, unless the others are siblings, stepsiblings, children or stepchildren. The front-seat rule also applies.	All occupants must wear them.
Initial license, after that, under 18	One passenger in the front seat, and no more in the back seat than there are safety belts.	All occupants must wear them.

Can an Illinois teen use a phone while driving?

No. Cell phone use while driving, including a hands-free device, is banned for every driver under 19. The one exception is an emergency call to a law enforcement agency, a health care provider or an emergency services agency. The ban outlasts the initial licensing phase: an 18-year-old in the full licensing phase cannot make a hands-free call either. Texting while driving is banned at every age. The hands-free practice question for an 18-year-old covers this case.

What does a parent or guardian have to do?

A parent or guardian certifies that the teen finished 50 hours of practice driving, 10 of them at night. The parent or guardian also gives written consent in person at the facility, or the family completes and notarizes the Affidavit/Consent for Minor to Drive form. By law, the license application needs this consent even if the permit application had it. A parent or guardian can contact the Secretary of State to withdraw consent at any time, for any reason, until the driver turns 18. The teen then must reapply, retake the tests and pay the fees.

When do the graduated license limits end?

You are 18 and kept a conviction-free record for the 6 months before your birthday

You move to the full licensing phase (ages 18 to 20) with no age-related restrictions. The phone ban still applies until you turn 19.

You committed a moving violation in the 6 months before your 18th birthday and were convicted

The night limit and the front-seat passenger limit continue after 18, until 6 months in a row pass with no new violation and conviction.

You are 18 to 20 and did not take approved driver education in high school

You must complete a 6-hour adult driver education course before you get a license.

What happens after a teen driver gets a ticket?

A moving violation conviction before age 18 brings a Secretary of State warning letter to the parent and the teen. Two moving violation convictions within 24 months mean a license suspension of at least one month. In the permit phase, a conviction means a 9-month wait before you can apply for a license. The guide to Illinois teen driver penalties covers suspensions, fees and court supervision.

Key takeaways

Under 18, do not drive from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday to Thursday, or from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Local curfews may differ.
For the first 12 months of the license, or until age 18, carry only one passenger under 20, unless the others are siblings, stepsiblings, children or stepchildren.
Every driver under 19 is banned from phone use, even hands-free, except in an emergency.
The night and front-seat limits end at 18 only after 6 conviction-free months before your birthday. A parent or guardian can withdraw consent until you turn 18.
Next step: practice the rules on the free Illinois Class D practice test.

Illinois graduated license rules: common questions

Can my teen drive home from a late school game in Illinois?

Yes, if the drive goes straight home. The night limit does not apply on the way to or from an official school, religious or other recreational activity that adults supervise and that a government agency, a civic organization or a similar group sponsors. The trip must have no detour or stop.

Can my 17-year-old drive friends to school?

It depends on how long your teen has held the license. In the first 12 months, only one friend under 20 may ride; brothers and sisters do not count. After 12 months, a 17-year-old may carry one passenger in the front seat and as many in the back as there are safety belts. Every occupant must buckle up.

Does my teen have to be in school to get an Illinois license?

Yes, for a teen under 18 who is not emancipated. The teen must have graduated from high school, be enrolled in school, college or a course for a State of Illinois High School Diploma, hold that diploma, or receive home instruction. A teen enrolled in school must not be a chronic or habitual truant.

Can a teen passenger get a ticket under the Illinois passenger rule?

Yes. In the driver's first 12 months of the license, or until the driver turns 18, it is an offense for a person aged 15 to 19 to ride along when another passenger under 20 is present. The driver's siblings, stepsiblings, children and stepchildren do not count as that other passenger.

Can I check my teen's Illinois driving record?

Yes. The parent or legal guardian of a person under 18 who holds an instruction permit or a graduated license can view the teen's driving record free online, through the Secretary of State website.