reinstatement in Illinois typically costs between $70 and $500, depending on the nature of the offense. You may need to request an administrative hearing or satisfy other court requirements before your driving privileges will be returned, and your

Illinois car insurance

rates may go up.

Like most of the best things in life, you don’t realize how precious your driver’s license is until you lose it. If you’ve just misplaced your Illinois license, getting a replacement is fairly easy—but if your driving privileges were suspended or revoked by a court, you may have a longer (and more expensive) path to get back behind the wheel.

To help you out, we've created a guide to driver’s license reinstatement in Illinois. We’ll cover some common reasons for a

driver's license suspension

or revocation, along with the process for winning your license back.

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Why you might need a license reinstatement in Illinois

The Office of the Illinois Secretary of State authorizes license suspensions for a variety of offenses, including some that don’t involve your car at all. Here are a few common reasons why your license could be suspended or revoked in Illinois:

DUI:

Driving under the influence

is a serious offense anywhere, and under Illinois’s Zero Tolerance law, the penalties can be especially severe for offenders under age 21.

Moving violations as a teenage driver: Illinois takes young drivers’ safety seriously. For new drivers, the penalties for a variety of traffic offenses include license suspension.

Failure to appear or pay tickets: If you’ve let a fine (or a few fines) slide or missed a court date, your license could be snatched as a consequence.

Failure to pay child support: Under the “Deadbeats Don’t Drive” policy, you could have your license suspended if you’re behind on child support payments by 90 days or more.

Driving without insurance:

Illinois car insurance laws

require all drivers to carry certain amounts of

liability coverage

and

uninsured motorist coverage

. If you’re caught driving without it, your license could be the price.

How to get a license reinstatement in Illinois

The first step to getting your license reinstated in Illinois is to pay a mandatory reinstatement fee. You can check the complete

fee schedule

on the Secretary of State’s website, but the most common reinstatement fees are outlined here:

$70 for most reinstatements

$100 for a mandatory insurance conviction reinstatement

$250 for a first reinstatement for a DUI-related offense

$500 for a second reinstatement for a DUI-related offense

$500 for any revocation

You can

pay your reinstatement

fee online or mail a check, money order, or cashier’s check to the following address:

Secretary of State

Driver Services Department

2701 S. Dirksen Pkwy.

Springfield, IL 62723

If you’d prefer to pay the fee in person, use the

Secretary of State Facility Finder

to locate an office that accepts reinstatement fees.

Keep in mind, though, that just paying your fee won’t always lead to an instant reinstatement. Depending on the circumstances of your suspension or revocation, you may need to satisfy additional requirements set by a court. Here are a couple of examples:

If your

license is suspended

due to a lack of insurance, your

license plates

may also be suspended. You’ll have to pay a separate fee to Vehicle Services before you can get back on the road.

If the suspension or revocation involved either a fatality and/or multiple DUI offenses, you’ll need

a formal hearing

before you can get your license back (be sure to factor in a $50 filing fee).

For other moving violations, you may need a consultation with an

informal hearing officer

to move forward with a reinstatement.

For all revocations, you must submit an SR-22 insurance certificate (more on those in a minute!)

MORE:

Can you get car insurance with a suspended license?

How to get a restricted driving permit in Illinois

There are two possible results after an informal hearing for an Illinois license reinstatement:

Full reinstatement, or

Issuance of a restricted driving permit (RDP)

An RDP allows a driver with a suspended license to drive on a restricted basis, such as to and from work or school. Drivers under age 16 aren’t eligible, but other drivers can request an RDP from a hearing officer in the Department of Administrative Hearings. To get one, you’ll need to:

Prove that a hardship requiring the permit exists

Show a professional drug/alcohol evaluation

Have a

driving record

that demonstrates you’re not a public danger

Get a breath alcohol ignition interlock device (BAIID) if you have two or more alcohol-related offenses on your record

MORE:

High-risk car insurance: Everything you need to know

What is an SR-22 certificate?

For all Illinois driver’s license revocations, you must provide the Secretary of State with an

SR-22 insurance certificate

before your license can be reinstated. This legal document certifies that you’ve met the state’s minimum insurance requirements, and you’ll need to maintain it for three consecutive years.

The cost to file the certificate varies from $0 to $50, but the premium you’ll pay with an SR-22 certificate is typically much, much steeper.

MORE:

How to fill out and file an SR-22

How to save money on car insurance in Illinois

Even if you’ve got some serious trouble spots on your Illinois driving record, you can find the lowest rate on car insurance once your license is reinstated by downloading the

Jerry

app.

Jerry won’t judge you for your record—we’ll just find the lowest possible rate on the insurance coverage you need based on your driving history, vehicle, location, and other factors. We're a

top-rated broker app

that finds you personalized quotes from a pool of dozens of top providers.

Just how much could you save by using Jerry? The results differ from person to person, but the average savings reported by Jerry users is over $800 a year—which could make a significant difference after an Illinois driver’s license reinstatement.

“I saw an ad for
Jerry
on Instagram and decided to give it a try. I have a terrible driving record, but Nathan still helped me. Before, almost no one wanted to insure me. Now, I have a great policy and save $200/month. I’m one happy gal!” —Terri C.

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