Driving Tests

How to Get an Illinois Instruction Permit: Age 15 Steps (2026)

informational·how to guide·Published October 2, 2026

How old do you have to be to get an Illinois instruction permit?

You can start the Illinois permit phase at age 15, with a parent or guardian's consent, while you are enrolled in an approved driver education course. You must also pass a vision screening and the written exam and pay the $20 fee. A permit for a driver under 18 is valid for 24 months, and you must hold it at least nine months before a license.

Where the Illinois permit rules come from

The Illinois Secretary of State (SOS) runs the permit program. This guide uses the SOS Graduated Driver Licensing page, the SOS instruction permit page and the law, 625 ILCS 5/6-107.1. The fee comes from the SOS driver's license fee page. Some exam, vision and practice details come from the SOS handbook, Illinois Rules of the Road (2025 edition). The saved copy is from 2025, so this guide does not give its exact vision limits or its number of exam attempts. Check the current handbook or ask the SOS. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Illinois Secretary of State (ilsos.gov) before you drive.

Which permit path fits your age?

You are 15 to 17 and have not finished driver education

Enroll in an approved driver education course, or show that you will start within 30 days. A parent or guardian must consent to the permit. The question page on the youngest age for an Illinois teen permit tests this rule.

You are 17 years and 3 months or older

You can apply for a permit without taking a driver education course.

You are 18 or older

You get a permit that is valid for one year. If you are 18 to 20 and did not take approved driver education, you must complete a six-hour Adult Driver Education course before you get a license.

How to get an Illinois instruction permit

1
Enroll in an approved driver education course
If you are 15 to 17, the school gives you a document that says you are enrolled or will start within 30 days. The permit application needs the certified instructor's signature. The course has a behind-the-wheel part, and you use your permit in it.
2
Get your parent or guardian's consent
A parent or legal guardian must consent to your permit.
3
Gather your documents
Bring proper identification documents and a Secretary of State application. The school or you may submit the application. The guide to Illinois DMV documents explains what to bring.
4
Pay the fee
The original Class D instruction permit costs $20 (U.S. dollars) as of 2026.
5
Pass the vision screening
The screening checks your visual acuity and your side (peripheral) vision. The table below explains the checks. Ask the SOS for the current limits.
6
Pass the written exam
The exam covers signs, signals, markings and traffic laws in multiple-choice and true-or-false questions. The number of attempts for one fee is limited, so ask the SOS how many tries you have.

What the Illinois vision screening checks

What the Illinois vision screening checks
Check	What you need
Visual acuity	How sharply you see, with or without glasses or contacts
Lower acuity	The 2025 handbook limits some drivers with lower acuity to daylight driving
Peripheral vision	How well you see to the side, with or without corrective lenses
Instead of the screening	A Vision Specialist Report from a licensed optometrist, ophthalmologist or physician. Ask the SOS how recent the report must be

How much is an Illinois permit and how long does it last?

An original Class D permit costs $20. A renewal permit costs $10, and a corrected or duplicate permit costs $5. If you get your license before the permit expires, you may not need to pay another fee.
A permit for a driver under 18 is valid for 24 months (two years). A permit for a driver 18 or older is valid for one year. Your test results stay valid until the permit expires.

Who can ride with you and how much you must practice

In the behind-the-wheel part of driver education, an adult instructor sits beside you and you use your permit.
Outside the course, your supervisor must be 21 or older, hold a license for the type of vehicle you drive and have at least one year of driving experience. For a driver under 18, the law limits this to a parent, legal guardian, family member or person in loco parentis. The question page on who may supervise a teen permit holder tests this rule.
Your supervisor must sit in the front passenger seat next to you.
Before a license at 16 or 17, you need at least 50 hours of supervised driving, 10 of them at night, in addition to driver education. Track the hours on the SOS 50-hour practice driving log.
If you are under 18, hold the permit at least nine months before you get a license.

Illinois permit phase rules to follow

Night limits for drivers under 18: Sunday to Thursday from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Local curfews may differ.
Passengers: one in the front seat, and no more in the back seat than the number of safety belts. Everyone must wear a belt.
Phones: drivers under 19 may not use a phone, even hands-free, except in an emergency.
Convictions: do not get a traffic conviction during the nine-month permit phase.
Driving without a permit: you cannot get a license until you are 18.
Unresolved traffic citations: a person under 18 who has them cannot get a permit or a license.

What comes after the permit

At 16 or 17, you apply for your license with the permit, your identification documents, the Affidavit/Consent For Minor To Drive if it applies, and your practice log. The Illinois graduated license rules cover the curfew, passenger and phone limits that follow.

Key takeaways

You can start at age 15 with a parent or guardian's consent and an approved driver education course. From 17 years and 3 months, you can skip the course for the permit.
The permit needs the $20 fee, a vision screening and the written exam.
A permit for a driver under 18 is valid for 24 months. Hold it at least nine months and log 50 hours of practice, 10 at night.
Your supervisor must be 21 or older, licensed for the vehicle, have one year of experience and sit beside you.
Next step: practice for the written exam on the free Illinois Class D practice test.

Illinois instruction permit: common questions

Can I get an Illinois permit at 15 without driver education?

No. At 15 to 17 you must be enrolled in an approved driver education course, or show that you will start within 30 days. The school gives you a document as proof. Only from age 17 years and 3 months can you apply for a permit without the course.

Can I drive at night with my parent on an Illinois permit?

Yes. For permit holders under 18, the night limits run Sunday to Thursday from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. The law does not apply these limits when your parent or guardian is with you. It also lists other exceptions, such as an emergency. Local curfews may differ.

Can my 20-year-old friend ride with me on my permit?

No. Your supervisor must be 21 or older, hold a license for the vehicle you drive and have at least one year of driving experience. The law names a parent, guardian, family member or person in loco parentis, and that person must sit beside you.

What happens if I get a ticket while I have my Illinois permit?

A moving violation conviction during the permit phase starts a nine-month wait before you can apply for a driver's license. To get court supervision for a traffic violation, you must appear in court with a parent or legal guardian and attend traffic safety school. If you are under 18, you cannot get a license while a citation is unresolved.

Can I use my phone with a hands-free device on a permit?

No, not if you are under 19. Illinois bans phone use while driving for drivers under 19, and this includes hands-free devices. The only exception is an emergency call to a law enforcement agency, a health care provider or an emergency services agency.

What if I need glasses to pass the vision screening?

Glasses and contacts are allowed. The screening checks your acuity and your peripheral vision with or without them. You can also bring a Vision Specialist Report from a licensed eye doctor or physician. Ask the SOS for the current vision limits and how recent the report must be.