Losing your driving privileges in Illinois can disrupt every aspect of your daily life, from getting to work to handling basic errands. Whether you’re facing a suspension or revocation, understanding the differences between these two types of license actions is crucial for determining your path forward.
Illinois law treats suspensions and revocations very differently. Both involve a loss of your driving privileges, but the specific action taken against your license determines how long you’ll be off the road and what you’ll need to do to get back behind the wheel legally.
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Driver’s License Suspension
A suspension is a temporary removal of your driving privileges that expires after a specific period. Once your suspension period has passed, you can typically restore your license by paying a reinstatement fee to the Illinois Secretary of State and meeting any other specific requirements.
Common reasons for license suspensions include accumulating too many convictions (and points) on your driving record, being convicted of certain traffic violations, or failing to pay traffic fines. One of the most common situations leading to a license suspension is an arrest for driving under the influence (DUI).
If you submit to chemical testing and are over the limit, your license will be suspended for six months if it’s your first offense. If you refuse, your license will be suspended for one year. This is called a statutory summary suspension — an administrative penalty separate from the criminal DUI charge.
The suspension period varies depending on the violation and whether you have any priors. During this time, you cannot legally operate a motor vehicle unless you qualify for and obtain a monitoring device driving permit.
Driver’s License Revocation
A revocation is far more serious than a suspension. When your license is revoked, your driving privileges are terminated indefinitely. Unlike a suspension, a revocation doesn’t automatically expire after a set period. Instead, you may be eligible to apply for reinstatement after a predetermined time has passed, but you can’t simply pay a reinstatement fee to get your license back — and there’s no guarantee your reinstatement request will be approved.
Revocations result from serious offenses like DUI convictions or from accumulating multiple serious traffic violations. However, revocations aren’t limited to driving-related offenses. You can also get your license revoked for not meeting certain financial obligations, such as failing to pay child support. The primary motive behind license revocation is road safety, but the state can use the threat of revocation as a way to encourage drivers to meet their financial and legal responsibilities.
Getting your license back after a revocation is a more complex process requiring an administrative hearing. During this hearing, you must prove you are worthy of having a driver’s license, and you will not pose a threat to others.
Determining Your Eligibility for Reinstatement
Before taking steps toward getting your license back after a revocation, you must understand whether you are eligible.
Unfortunately, the Secretary of State will allow you to go through every stage of the process even if you were never eligible to get your license back to begin with. You can gather your documentation, prepare answers to the questions the hearing officer will ask, attend the hearing itself, and wait anxiously for the result, only to receive a denial. Understanding whether you are eligible first can save you a lot of time, stress, and uncertainty.
That’s why your first step should be to obtain your driving abstract. This is a complete record of your driving history, detailing any traffic violations, driving-related offenses, suspensions, revocations, and — crucially — eligibility dates. You can get your driving abstract online, in person (at an Illinois DMV), or by mailing an Abstract Request Form to the Illinois Secretary of State.
Understanding your driving abstract is key. Not only does it outline when you are eligible for reinstatement, but it also details any open or pending cases. Any unresolved violations, even if they’re only minor, can lead to a denial, so you must get these cleared first.
Understanding the Financial Impact
Both suspensions and revocations come with financial consequences beyond the fines you might have to pay as part of your penalty. When your license is suspended, you’ll need to pay a reinstatement fee to restore your driving privileges. These fees vary depending on the reason for your suspension and can range from modest amounts to several hundred dollars.
The costs associated with reinstating a revoked license are more complex. Assuming the outcome of your reinstatement hearing is positive, and you are granted driving privileges (whether full or restricted), you will need to meet several administrative requirements before you can get back behind the wheel, and these can be costly:
- Paying a reinstatement fee: The Illinois Secretary of State imposes a $500 fee for each revocation, which you must pay to restore your license.
- Getting SR-22 insurance: SR-22 is a certificate confirming you possess the minimum liability insurance required. Because drivers who have had their license revoked are considered riskier by insurance companies, you can expect to pay a higher premium.
- Installing a Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device (BAIID): You may need to install a BAIID in your vehicle, which requires you to provide a breath sample before driving your car. There is an initial fee to install the device, plus monthly monitoring and rental fees.
- Getting a vehicle: If your license has been revoked for several years, you may no longer own a vehicle. This is an important financial obligation to consider before you begin the process of getting your license reinstated.
Importantly, you have just 120 days to fulfill these obligations. If you’re unable to get everything in order within this time, your license won’t be reinstated, meaning all of that time, effort, and cost is essentially wasted.
Do You Need an Attorney?
If you’re looking to get your revoked license reinstated, you’ll need to attend an informal or formal hearing to prove that you have taken responsibility for your actions and no longer pose a threat to yourself or others on the road. The Secretary of State doesn’t require you to have legal representation in these proceedings, and many drivers have successfully gone it alone. However, the process is complex; one small mistake or inconsistency can derail your application and lead to a denial.
An experienced Illinois driver’s license reinstatement attorney can help you avoid common pitfalls, ensure you meet all requirements, and improve your chances of success.
If your license has been suspended, speaking to an attorney is equally important to understand your options. Waiting out the suspension period is not your only option. An attorney may be able to secure a permit so you can continue to drive once the suspension takes effect or even challenge your suspension so you can keep your driving privileges.
With patience and a clear understanding of the process ahead, you can work toward restoring your driving privileges and regaining the freedom that comes with them.