How to get your license reinstated in Illinois
Checked against official Illinois sources · Last reviewed October 5, 2026
Getting a suspended or revoked Illinois license back means clearing every suspension or revocation on your record, paying each reinstatement fee, and, in many cases, having an SR-22 filed. The Illinois Secretary of State handles reinstatement. Paying a fee does not always reinstate your license by itself, so check the letters the Secretary of State sends you for every condition you must meet. [1][2][3][4]
- SR-22 required?
- Yes
- Base reinstatement fee
- $70
- Keep SR-22 for
- 3 years
Step by step
-
Find out what you need to reinstate
The letters the Secretary of State mails you list the conditions you must meet before reinstatement, so keep your address up to date. If your license is suspended or revoked, you can walk in to see an informal hearing officer for a consultation on what you need. No appointment is needed. [3][5]
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Serve the suspension or clear its cause
A suspension lasts for a set time or until you meet certain requirements. A revocation takes away your driving privileges indefinitely, and you can't reapply for at least 1 year. A failure-to-appear suspension clears only after the court that asked for it tells the Secretary of State you resolved the ticket. [6][7]
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Ask about a restricted permit if you must drive
A Restricted Driving Permit (RDP) lets you drive at set times for set purposes, such as work, recovery meetings, or medical, daycare, or school needs, when you have no other way to get there. You must prove a hardship, and a hearing officer can tell you what the hearing requires. The permit costs $8, charged every year. [5][8][9]
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Have your insurer file an SR-22, if required
You need an SR-22 after a revocation, an uninsured-crash or unpaid-judgment suspension, court supervision for a no-insurance charge, or three or more no-insurance convictions. The insurer's home office sends it to the Secretary of State, which can take up to 30 days. Keep it for 3 years from when it is first filed, because if it expires or is cancelled, your license is suspended again. [2]
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Pay every reinstatement fee
Each suspension or revocation has its own fee, $70 for most suspensions, $100 for a no-insurance suspension, $250 for a first DUI summary suspension, and $500 for a revocation or a repeat DUI suspension. You can pay online by card (a processing fee is added), by phone, by mail, or in person. The Secretary of State can process a revocation fee only after a hearing recommends reinstatement and your SR-22 or out-of-state waiver is on file. [3][5][9]
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Confirm your status, then get your license
All reinstatement fees must be paid before you can be issued a new license. For DUI cases, the Secretary of State says reinstatement is valid only once it is entered on your driving record. To check, you can buy a $20 certified copy of your driving record online, at a DMV, or by mail. [3][4][6]
After a DUI arrest or conviction
-
Ask the court for a hearing within 90 days, if you want one
After a DUI arrest, a statutory summary suspension starts 46 days after you get the notice. You have 90 days from the notice to ask the circuit court, in writing, to cancel it. Asking for a hearing does not stop or delay the suspension. [4][10]
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Consider a monitoring device permit on a first offense
A first-time offender age 18 or older may get a Monitoring Device Driving Permit (MDDP) to drive anywhere, at any time, during the summary suspension in a vehicle with a breath alcohol ignition interlock device (BAIID). The application comes in the mail. Once the permit is issued, you have 14 days to install the BAIID, and you pay the monitoring and vendor fees. [6][11]
-
Reinstate after the summary suspension ends
Close any other suspensions or revocations on your record and pay the $250 fee ($500 for a repeat offense). The court that handled your DUI case keeps your license card during the suspension, so contact that court to get it back. [4][6]
-
Expect a revocation after a DUI conviction
A DUI conviction revokes your license for at least 1 year for a first offense, 5 years for a second within 20 years, 10 years for a third, and for life after a fourth. The minimums are longer if you were under 21. You will also need an SR-22 for 3 years from when it is first filed. [6][12]
-
Complete every step to reinstate after revocation
You must see a Secretary of State hearing officer (an informal hearing for a first offense, a formal hearing for more), get an alcohol/drug evaluation and finish any treatment it calls for, and complete a remedial education program. You also must file an SR-22, pay the $500 fee, and pass the written, vision, and driving tests. [4]
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Plan for an interlock after 2 or more DUI convictions
With 2 or 3 DUI convictions, you must get an RDP, drive only vehicles with a BAIID, and keep a BAIID on all vehicles registered in your name for 5 years in a row before full reinstatement. With 4 or more, you can apply for an RDP only after 5 years of revocation. [8]
Not legal advice. Rules change; confirm your own requirements with Illinois Secretary of State, Safety & Financial Responsibility Section (Springfield) before you drive.
SR-22 rules in Illinois · If your SR-22 lapses · Reinstatement in other states
Sources
- Illinois Secretary of State - Safety and Financial Responsibility Law (official agency page, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
- Illinois Secretary of State - Financial Responsibility (SR-22) Insurance (official agency page, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
- Illinois Secretary of State - Driver's License Reinstatement Fees (pay online) (official agency page, accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- Illinois Secretary of State - Reinstatement of Driving Privileges (DUI suspension or revocation) (official agency page, accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- Illinois Secretary of State - Administrative Hearings: How Do I? (official agency page, accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- Illinois Secretary of State - Drivers Frequently Asked Questions (official agency page, accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- Illinois Secretary of State - Losing Your Driving Privileges (official agency page, accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- Illinois Secretary of State - Restricted Driving Permit (RDP) (official agency page, accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- 625 ILCS 5/6-118 Fees (statute, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
- 625 ILCS 5/2-118.1 Opportunity for hearing; statutory summary suspension or revocation (statute, accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- Illinois Secretary of State - Monitoring Device Driving Permit (MDDP) (official agency page, accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- 625 ILCS 5/7-305 Suspension until proof furnished (statute, accessed Oct 5, 2026)