The Illinois Secretary of State, not the court, is the agency that suspends and revokes driving privileges. This article covers the common reasons a license is suspended or revoked in Illinois, how a suspension differs from a revocation and a cancellation, and the steps reinstatement involves. It is one of the procedures behind how Illinois traffic tickets and penalties work.
Who suspends a license in Illinois
Driving privileges in Illinois are administered by the Secretary of State, who receives reports of convictions and other events from the courts and then acts on the driving record. Under 625 ILCS 5/6-206, the Secretary of State can suspend or revoke driving privileges without a preliminary hearing when the record shows one of the grounds listed in that section. A court decides guilt on the underlying traffic or criminal charge; the license consequence follows separately when the conviction is reported.
The same office also cancels licenses in a narrower set of situations, such as a false statement on an application or ineligibility, under 625 ILCS 5/6-201. Cancellation is different from suspension and revocation, and the routes back differ too.
The most common reasons for an Illinois license suspension
Section 6-206 lists dozens of grounds, but a handful account for most suspensions and revocations:
- Repeat traffic convictions. Three convictions for moving violations within any 12-month period can trigger a suspension under
625 ILCS 5/6-206; for a driver under 21, two convictions within a 24-month period can do the same. A disposition of court supervision on an Illinois speeding ticket is not a conviction, so it does not count toward this total. - Driving under the influence. A DUI arrest usually leads to a statutory summary suspension, and a conviction leads to revocation. The testing rules are in
625 ILCS 5/11-501.1. - Refusing or failing a chemical test. By driving in Illinois a person is treated as having consented to breath, blood, or urine testing after a DUI arrest. A refusal, or a result of 0.08 or more, brings a summary suspension under the implied-consent rule in
625 ILCS 5/11-501.1. - Unpaid child support. A driver found in contempt for failing to pay court-ordered child support can have driving privileges suspended, with a limited family financial responsibility permit available under
625 ILCS 5/7-702.1. - Driving without insurance or an unsatisfied judgment. Driving uninsured, or owing money after an uninsured crash, is among the reasons the Secretary of State lists for suspension, according to Illinois Legal Aid’s reinstatement guide.
Other grounds in Section 6-206 include leaving the scene of a crash, fleeing a police officer, fraud involving a license or identification card, and certain drug offenses committed while driving.
DUI and the statutory summary suspension
DUI is the reason most people encounter first, and it works differently from a conviction-based suspension. A person who drives in Illinois is deemed to have consented to chemical testing after a DUI arrest, under 625 ILCS 5/11-501.1. It is illegal to drive with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more, and a driver can still be charged when impaired below that level, as the Illinois Secretary of State’s DUI page explains. The arrest also begins a separate criminal case, which opens with an Illinois DUI arraignment.
When a driver refuses testing or tests at 0.08 or above, the officer reports it and the summary suspension takes effect on the 46th day after the notice, separate from anything that happens in the criminal case. The length of the summary suspension depends on whether the driver is a first offender and whether testing was refused.
## Suspension, revocation, and cancellation are not the same
The three terms carry different consequences. A suspension removes driving privileges for a set period and ends on an eligibility date, after which the driver completes reinstatement requirements. A revocation removes privileges with no set end date; driving privileges do not come back automatically, and a hearing with the Secretary of State is required. A cancellation, under 625 ILCS 5/6-201, voids the license for a reason such as ineligibility or a false application, and the driver must first fix the underlying problem.
Driving while a license is suspended or revoked is itself a separate criminal offense. A first violation is generally a Class A misdemeanor under 625 ILCS 5/6-303, and repeat violations or violations tied to a DUI-related revocation carry mandatory jail time and felony classifications.
## How an Illinois suspension or revocation ends
The path back depends on why privileges were lost and whether the loss was a suspension or a revocation. A suspension can end after the eligibility date once the driver satisfies the requirements and pays a reinstatement fee. A revocation requires a hearing before the Secretary of State: an informal hearing for most non-DUI cases, or a formal hearing, which carries a $50 non-refundable request fee, for DUI-related and more serious cases, as Illinois Legal Aid describes.
Get your driving record
Order a court purpose abstract from the Secretary of State, which shows why the license was suspended or revoked and the eligibility date. As of 2026 the abstract costs about $22, available online at ilsos.gov or in person, per Illinois Legal Aid.
Identify your eligibility date
The eligibility date on the notice or abstract is the earliest date reinstatement steps can begin. It does not restore the license on its own.
Satisfy the underlying requirement
Resolve what caused the action: pay overdue child support, complete a required driver safety or DUI treatment program, or file SR-22 insurance if the record calls for proof of financial responsibility.
Request a hearing if the license was revoked
Revocations require a hearing. Informal hearings are held at Secretary of State facilities without an appointment; formal hearings must be scheduled and carry a $50 non-refundable fee, according to Illinois Legal Aid.
Pay the reinstatement fee
After the requirements are met and any hearing is approved, pay the reinstatement fee online, by phone, or in person to restore full or restricted driving privileges.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out exactly why my license is suspended in Illinois?
The Secretary of State issues a court purpose abstract that lists the status of the license, the reason for the suspension or revocation, and the eligibility date. As of 2026 it costs about $22 online at ilsos.gov or in person at any Secretary of State facility, according to Illinois Legal Aid.
How long does an Illinois license suspension last?
It depends on the reason. Suspensions run for a set period and end on an eligibility date printed on the notice or driving record. Revocations under 625 ILCS 5/6-206 have no fixed end date and require a hearing before driving privileges can return.
Can I drive for work while my license is suspended?
Illinois offers limited permits in some situations, including a Restricted Driving Permit and, for child-support suspensions, a family financial responsibility driving permit under 625 ILCS 5/7-702.1. Eligibility depends on the reason for the suspension and a showing that no reasonable alternative transportation exists.
What happens if I drive while suspended?
Driving while a license is suspended or revoked is a separate offense, generally a Class A misdemeanor for a first violation under 625 ILCS 5/6-303. Violations connected to a DUI revocation carry mandatory jail time and can be charged as felonies.
Is a suspension the same as a revocation?
No. A suspension is temporary and ends on an eligibility date once requirements are met. A revocation has no set end date and requires a hearing before the Secretary of State, described by Illinois Legal Aid.
Sources
- 625 ILCS 5/6-206 (Discretionary authority to suspend or revoke)
- 625 ILCS 5/11-501.1 (Statutory summary suspension; implied consent)
- 625 ILCS 5/6-303 (Driving while license suspended or revoked)
- 625 ILCS 5/7-702.1 (Family financial responsibility driving permits)
- 625 ILCS 5/6-201 (Authority to cancel licenses)
- Illinois Secretary of State: Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
- Illinois Legal Aid: Getting your driver’s license back