Illinois Road Test: What to Bring, What's Tested, Automatic Fails
What do you need to pass the Illinois road test?
Bring a properly licensed, insured car with valid plates, a valid registration sticker and proof of insurance. Only the examiner rides with you. Graded tasks include a controls check, backing, an alley turnabout, and parking and starting on a hill. Any traffic violation or dangerous action is an automatic fail. One application fee covers a limited number of attempts, so ask the Secretary of State (SOS) how many tries you have.
Where the Illinois road test rules come from
The vehicle rules, the graded tasks and the automatic fail rule come from the Illinois Rules of the Road handbook, the 2025 edition from the Illinois Secretary of State (SOS). The SOS appointments page covers DMV appointments. The SOS driver's license page covers the road test at age 87 and older. The adult driver education FAQ and the Road Safety and Fairness Act page from the SOS also support this guide. The saved handbook is from 2025, so this guide does not give its exact distances, equipment standards or number of attempts. Check the current handbook or ask the SOS. It is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Illinois Secretary of State (ilsos.gov) before you drive.
What your car must have on test day
- A proper vehicle license and the required working equipment (see the next section).
- The same weight class as the license you apply for.
- Insurance, with proof of insurance shown at the exam.
- Valid front and rear Illinois license plates and a valid registration sticker. A car registered in another state must meet that state's registration rules.
- A driver with a valid license or permit must drive the car to the facility.
Equipment the handbook lists for the car
Your car needs this working equipment: a foot brake and a parking brake that are strong enough to stop the car, headlights, red taillights, right and left turn signals on the front and rear, a rearview mirror, a horn, and wipers that clear ice, snow and moisture. The 2025 handbook also gives distance standards for the brakes, the lights, the mirror and the horn. Check these standards in the current handbook. Test yourself on the free question about the vehicle to bring for an Illinois driving exam.
Who and what may be in the car
| Person or item | During the driving exam |
|---|---|
| The examiner | The only person allowed with you. Both of you must wear safety belts. |
| Parent, friend or instructor | Not allowed in the car. Only the examiner may be with you. |
| Children and pets | Not allowed in the car, and not allowed to stay alone in the facility. If you bring them, bring someone to care for them. |
Driving tasks the examiner grades
- Controls check: the parking brake and mirrors. Make all adjustments to seats, safety belts, mirrors and other equipment before the car moves.
- Backing: back up at a slow speed, straight and smooth. Turn your head to the right and watch to the rear.
- Turnabout: use an alley on the left side of the street. Turn on your left signal before you enter the alley, back out, and stay on your side of the street.
- Hills: park uphill and start uphill from a parked position, then park downhill and start downhill from a parked position.
- General driving: obey signs, traffic control devices, rights of way and lane markings, and use your turn signals correctly.
How to handle the hill parking tasks
- 1Facing downhill with a curb
Turn the front wheels toward the curb so the car rolls toward the curb.
- 2Facing uphill with a curb
Turn the front wheels away from the curb. The question on uphill parking beside a curb uses this rule.
- 3No curb
Turn the wheels toward the side of the road where you are parked.
- 4Secure the car
Put the gear selector in park and set the parking brake if necessary.
- 5Pull out
Release the parking brake, give the correct signal, check for oncoming traffic and go when it is safe.
What fails you at once
You fail the exam automatically if you commit any traffic violation or any dangerous action while you take it. This applies to the whole exam, not only to the tasks in the list above.
Do you have to take the Illinois road test?
Booking, retakes and what to carry
One application fee covers a limited number of attempts for each exam. Ask the SOS for the current number before you book. If your plans change, you can cancel or modify a DMV appointment on the SOS appointments page. If you apply before age 18, bring your instruction permit, acceptable ID, the consent affidavit if it applies, the Cooperative Driver Testing Certificate if it applies and your 50-hour driving log with the proper signature. The guide to documents for the Illinois DMV lists the ID you can bring.
Key takeaways
- Bring an insured car with valid front and rear Illinois plates, a valid registration sticker and proof of insurance.
- Only the examiner may ride with you. Children and pets may not be in the car or stay alone in the facility.
- Any traffic violation or dangerous action fails the exam at once.
- One application fee covers a limited number of attempts for each exam. Ask the SOS for the current number.
- Next step: practice the rules on the free Illinois Class D practice test.
Illinois road test: common questions
Can my parent ride with me during the Illinois road test?
No. Only the examiner may be with you during the driving exam, so a parent, friend or driving instructor cannot sit in the car. Your parent can still bring the car: a driver with a valid license or permit must drive it to the facility.
Can I use a friend's car for the Illinois road test?
Any car you bring must be properly licensed, insured, in the same weight class as your license, with valid plates and a valid registration sticker, and driven to the facility by a driver with a valid license or permit. Everyone who takes a drive exam must show proof of liability insurance on the vehicle.
How many times can I take the Illinois road test?
The number of tries is limited. The 2025 handbook links the attempts to the date you paid your application fee. The written exam and the driving exam each count as an exam, so each one has its own attempts. Ask the SOS for the current number and the time limit.
Is parallel parking on the Illinois road test?
The official list of graded tasks names hill parking, not parallel parking. Learn the curb rule anyway. On a two-way street, park with the right-hand wheels parallel to and near the curb. On a one-way street, you can park near the right or left curb. The handbook gives the exact distance.
Do I have to retake the road test when I renew my Illinois license?
If you have an accident recorded on your driving record, the SOS may require the written or road exams. Drivers 79 to 86 no longer need a routine road test based only on age. As of July 1, 2026, all drivers 87 and older must take a driving exam and renew yearly. Every renewal at a facility includes a vision screening; online renewal does not.
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