Roadwise States Illinois Driving lessons Renewal and expiration Illinois driving lesson · Your Driver's License
Renewal and expiration A 3-minute lesson from the Illinois course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Read time 3 minutes
Course unit Your Driver's License
Checkpoint questions 6
Source pages 11, 12 Your license expires on your birthday, and how long it lasts depends on your age. Renewing on time is your job. The Secretary of State sends a reminder, but you must renew even if it never arrives.
About 90 days When the renewal notice usually arrives before your license expires
Handbook p. 11 ↗ Know the rule
You may not get a renewal notice if you failed to report a name or address change. It is the driver's responsibility to renew before expiration, whether or not a renewal letter arrives.
Handbook p. 11 ↗ To renew your license: Visit a DMV and present your current license/ID, or Renew online at ilsos.gov if you received a PIN renewal notice Take any required exam(s) Pay the fee and have a new photo taken Handbook p. 11 ↗ Know the rule
If you cannot surrender your current license or ID card, you must present proof of signature.
Handbook p. 11 ↗ Know the rule
To change your address at renewal, bring one residency document for a standard card or two for a REAL ID.
Handbook p. 11 ↗ Know the rule
If you are renewing a REAL ID and are not a U.S. citizen, you must present current documentation of lawful status.
Handbook p. 11 ↗ 90 days How long the temporary secure paper license/ID is valid after you renew
Handbook p. 11 ↗ 15 business days Usual time for the permanent card to arrive by mail
Handbook p. 12 ↗ Know the rule
The post office will not deliver your card if the address has a forwarding order or any mail hold. If it hasn't arrived after 15 business days, check the status at ilsos.gov or call 217-782-7044.
Handbook p. 12 ↗ Put it into practice
You're 19. Your license won't run a full four years. It expires three months after your 21st birthday, so plan to renew then.
Check your understanding Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
How long is a standard Illinois driver's license valid, in most cases? Two years Eight years Four years Five years Answer: Four years
A standard Illinois license is valid for four years, expiring on your birthday.
Handbook p. 11 ↗ A driver turns 21 partway through their license term. When does that license expire? On their 21st birthday One year after their 21st birthday At the normal four-year mark 3 months after their 21st birthday Answer: 3 months after their 21st birthday
Licenses for drivers under 21 expire three months after the 21st birthday.
Handbook p. 11 ↗ About how many days before your license expires does the Secretary of State typically send a renewal notice? 90 days 180 days 10 days 30 days Answer: 90 days
A renewal notice is typically sent about 90 days before expiration.
Handbook p. 11 ↗ A driver ages 81-86 renews their Illinois license. How long is it valid for? Three years One year Four years Two years Answer: Two years
Drivers ages 81-86 receive a two-year license instead of the standard four-year term.
Handbook p. 11 ↗ A driver turns 87 while holding a valid license. After that birthday, how often must they renew? Every three years Every year Every four years Every two years Answer: Every year
Drivers 87 and older must renew their license annually.
Handbook p. 11 ↗ A temporary paper driver's license/ID issued after passing your renewal tests is valid for how long? 120 days 60 days 30 days 90 days Answer: 90 days
The temporary secure paper credential is valid for 90 days while the permanent one is produced.
Handbook p. 11 ↗ Previous lesson REAL ID and the documents you need Next lesson Changes, fraud, medical reports and records More in Your Driver's License About the source Roadwise’s Illinois course uses the driver handbook edition supplied with this study pack. This lesson cites source pages 11, 12. The linked PDF is a third-party mirror of the handbook, rather than a government-hosted page.
Open the handbook source PDF · View the source edition
For current application requirements, fees, appointments, and the format that applies to your age or license type, check Illinois’s SOS. Roadwise provides study material and does not issue permits or licenses.