Illinois · Written examThe handbook and the course types
| Option | Price | Free to use | Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official sources | |||
Illinois Rules of the Road 2026Official · PDFThe Secretary of State’s handbook for the written exam, in 13 chapters from your license to owning a car. | Free download | The whole handbook, with 86 study questions and their answers | |
| In person | |||
High school driver educationIn person · high schoolsAt least 30 hours in class and six behind the wheel. A combined A or B may exempt you from the SOS driving exam where the school district takes part. | Set by each school | Not listed | |
Commercial driver training schoolsIn person · schools licensed by the SOSSchools licensed by the Secretary of State teach the teen course. For first-time drivers 21 and older, the handbook suggests a driving school for adults. | Set by each school | Not listed | |
Adult Driver Education CourseIn person or online · SOS certified providersThe six-hour course first-time drivers aged 18 to 20 need. Only SOS certified providers count, and some teach it online. | Set by each provider | Not listed | |
Prices and ratings checked November 2026.
What does drivers ed in Illinois include for teens?
An approved course has at least 30 hours of classroom study and six hours of behind-the-wheel training in a regular passenger car. The handbook says most people under 18 learn in high school or at a commercial driver training school licensed by the SOS.
Enrolling is also what opens the door to an instruction permit from age 15. Once you finish the classroom and behind-the-wheel parts at a high school, the SOS is notified and adds a note to your driving record.
The Cooperative Driver Testing Program
High school students who finish an accredited course with a combined grade of A or B may not have to take the SOS driving exam. School districts take part by choice, so ask yours.
After passing a driving exam in the course, you may get a Cooperative Driver Testing Certificate, signed by your instructor and your parent or guardian. It expires the same day as your instruction permit, it can’t be extended, and you hand it in when you apply for your license.
If you leave high school before 18
A student under 18 who drops out can’t have the course completion added to their record unless one of these applies:
- The instructor has written proof that you’re enrolled in a GED or alternative program
- You have a GED
- Before leaving, you passed at least eight courses in the two semesters before
- You have written consent from your parents or legal guardians and the regional superintendent
The local superintendent or chief school administrator may waive conditions in the student’s best interest. To check that a course was completed, call the Illinois State Board of Education at 217-782-4322.
Adult driver education at 18 to 20
If you’re 18, 19 or 20, have never been licensed and didn’t finish an approved high school or commercial school course, you take a six-hour Adult Driver Education Course before you get a license. Only providers certified by the SOS can teach it, in a classroom or online depending on their certification, and a course from an uncertified provider won’t be accepted.
For first-time drivers 21 or older, the handbook sets no course, but it suggests enrolling in a driving school for adults before you apply.
A study plan for the written exam
Five steps through the Rules of the Road:
- Read chapters 3 and 4: the rules for drivers under 21, then the traffic laws, from right of way to parking.
- Learn the sign shapes and colors in chapter 9 and the signals and pavement markings in chapter 10.
- Read chapters 5 and 6 on sharing the road and on alcohol and drugs, then 11 and 12 on safe driving and equipment.
- Note the numbers: speed limits, signaling distances and the no-parking distances in chapter 4.
- Try the study questions at the end of chapters 3 to 12, then the practice test.
Help for parents
The SOS publishes a Parent-Teen Driving Guide to help you teach your teen the skills they need before driving alone. It comes with a voluntary Parent-Teen Driving Contract that sets ground rules between you.
Sources: Illinois Secretary of State. Checked November 2026.
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.
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