Check License Status Illinois 2026: Records and Suspensions

How can you check your license status in Illinois?

The handbook lists these ways in:

Buy your driving record online at ilsos.gov, or at select facilities (the Facility Finder on ilsos.gov shows which)
Write to Secretary of State, Abstract Unit, 2701 S. Dirksen Pkwy., Springfield, IL 62723, with your full name, date of birth, license number and the fee, and show proper identification
Under 18 with a permit or graduated license: your parent or guardian may see your record online at no cost, with a personal identification number (PIN) from the SOS
Under 21 with a permit: you or your parent may enter your permit number on the SOS website to see whether your driver education completion is on your record

Waiting for a card you applied for is a different check, and the state ID page explains it.

What your record holds

The SOS keeps the traffic violations and crashes you build up while licensed in Illinois, and convictions in other states go on it too. A driving under the influence (DUI) conviction stays on your record permanently, and some revocations, suspensions, denials and cancellations can as well.

Suspended, revoked, canceled or denied

The four words mean different things:

Term	What it means
Suspension	A temporary loss of driving privileges; you pay a reinstatement fee when it ends
Revocation	Privileges withdrawn with no end date; you may be able to reapply after at least a year
Cancellation	The license ends because of an error or because you’re not entitled to it
Denial	You can’t apply for a license for a time; it can apply to drivers under 18

Driving while suspended or revoked extends the suspension or revocation and may bring jail time.

What may get your license suspended

The handbook’s list of causes includes:

Three traffic violation convictions in 12 months, or two in 24 months if you were under 21 when arrested
Failing or refusing a chemical test after a DUI arrest
Driving without insurance
Five or more unpaid automated red-light or speeding violations
A second speeding violation in two years in a work zone with workers present
Failing to stop for a school bus
Refusing or neglecting to report a crash

Under 21, the two-conviction suspension lasts at least 30 days, and any trace of alcohol while driving brings at least three months.

Suspensions for missed court dates

If your license was suspended for failing to appear in court between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2024, the suspension is cleared. A suspension for failing to appear before January 1, 2020, stays until you resolve the ticket with the court and pay a reinstatement fee.

Driving during a suspension or revocation

In some cases the SOS allows driving on a special permit:

Restricted Driving Permit (RDP): set times and routes, for work, school, child care or medical care; not under 16
Monitoring Device Driving Permit (MDDP): for a first-time DUI offender, with a breath alcohol ignition interlock device fitted; not under 18
Occupational Driving Permit: for professional drivers suspended for three moving violations, not commercial drivers
Probationary License: at 21 and older, after three moving violations in 12 months, with a driver improvement course
Family Financial Responsibility Driving Permit: after a child support or visitation suspension, on a judge’s order or a state agency’s direction

Sources: Illinois Secretary of State. Checked November 2026.