Illinois Permit Test: 80% to Pass

Last updated October 20, 2026

Illinois begins the teen instruction-permit phase at age 15 for students enrolled in approved driver education. The Class D written exam contains at least 35 questions and requires 80%. A teen then holds the permit for at least nine months, completes 50 supervised hours including 10 at night and remains conviction-free before the Initial Licensing Phase at ages 16–17.

Independent guide. Road to Permit is not affiliated with or endorsed by a DMV, DPS or other government agency. Use the official state links below when a rule, fee or procedure matters.

Illinois has a separate driver-education rule for many first-time drivers ages 18–20. If an applicant is 18, 19 or 20, has never previously been licensed and did not complete an approved teen driver-education course, Illinois issues the license only after a six-hour Adult Driver Education course from a certified provider. It can be classroom or approved online instruction and does not itself include behind-the-wheel training. See Illinois's age-18–20 route →

The knowledge test
Steps to a license
Requirements and documents
Fees
Under 18
Adults
Appointments and offices
Office locations
After the permit
Practice
What to study
Questions and answers
Official sources

15teen permit age
9 monthsminimum permit hold
50 / 10practice / night hours

Illinois Class D written-exam format

Illinois' Class D written test has a minimum of 35 questions and requires at least 80% correct. Permit issuance also requires vision screening. For teens, testing is tied to approved driver education and a nine-month permit period. Illinois also has a separate six-hour Adult Driver Education requirement for many first-time applicants ages 18–20 who never completed approved teen driver education.

questions on the written test	35+
passing threshold	80%
shape/color/symbol	Signs

Identify signs, signals and pavement markings

Be ready to identify signs by shape, color or symbol and interpret common signals and lane markings.

Answer traffic-law and safety questions

The written exam combines answer-selection and true-or-false questions covering Illinois road rules, safe driving, avoiding crashes and required vehicle equipment.

The steps to a Illinois driver license

Most applicants from age 15 through 17 use an approved driver-education course and certified instructor application, along with parent consent, vision screening and a written test. A teen at least 17 years 3 months old can seek the permit without enrolling in driver education.

Step 1. Study the current Illinois Rules of the Road.
Step 2. Gather the identification documents required for your credential type.
Step 3. Apply for the Class D instruction permit and pay the current fee.
Step 4. Pass the vision screening and Class D written exam.
Step 5. Practice only under the supervision rules that apply to your permit.
Step 6. When eligible, complete the road-test and licensing requirements.

Before you go: requirements and documents

Requirements

Illinois instruction-permit requirements

Illinois teen permit: age 15, driver-ed enrollment, an instructor-certified application, parent consent, ID, $20 fee, vision and written tests.

Open the requirements guide →

Documents

Documents for an Illinois instruction permit

Illinois permit documents: ID from the Secretary of State's groups, the signed application, parent consent for minors and the instructor's certification.

Open the document checklist →

Prepare the required identification groups

Use the current acceptable-identification chart for Group A/B/C/D evidence rather than relying on memory or an old checklist.

Complete the Secretary of State application

For teen driver education, the certified instructor signature must be on the permit application before processing.

Fees

The original Class D permit costs $20. If you get the license before that permit expires, Illinois charges no additional fee for the license.

original permit	$20
permit if you held one before	$10
license 18–20 / 21–68	$5 / $30

See the full Illinois fee guide →

Illinois teen instruction-permit and GDL path

Illinois' teen timeline is built around a long practice phase: approved driver education, nine months on the permit and 50/10 supervised hours before the Initial Licensing phase.

Step 1: permit at 15 with driver education

Obtain parent/legal-guardian consent, enroll in approved driver education and pass vision plus written testing.

Step 2: nine conviction-free months + 50/10

Practice with a qualifying adult age 21+ and document at least 50 hours including 10 at night.

Step 3: Initial Licensing at 16–17

Complete the state-approved course, obtain adult consent and meet the state's driving-exam and document requirements.

First Illinois driver's license for adults

Illinois has an additional requirement for many new drivers aged 18–20: applicants who skipped approved high-school driver education need an adult-education class lasting six hours before they can receive a license.

Ages 18–20 without approved high-school driver ed

Complete the state-approved six-hour Adult Driver Education course before obtaining the driver's license.

Instruction permit for adults is valid one year

Pass the appropriate written and vision tests and use the permit for supervised practice before the driving exam.

New drivers complete written, vision and driving exams

Study the current Rules of the Road and bring the required identity documents and qualifying test vehicle.

Appointments and office visits

Book with a Secretary of State Driver Services facility that handles first permits and licenses (not every Express or limited-service site does), and check its live testing schedule and cutoffs. Some teens can take the road exam through a Cooperative Driver Testing Program school instead.

Select a facility that handles original permits/licenses

Do not assume every Express or limited-service site can issue a first permit or license.

Allow enough time for written and vision testing

Testing cutoffs can occur before facility closing; follow the current location instructions.

Confirm road-exam availability before the visit

All new drivers are generally required to take a driving exam under the current Rules of the Road; check the facility's live testing schedule.

Open the appointment guide →

Illinois permit, written-test and road-test locations

Illinois Secretary of State facilities vary by service. A convenient location may handle renewals but not the original permit or driving exam you need.

Find the right office

Use an Illinois Secretary of State Driver Services facility for original permits/licenses and required exams.

Open office locations →

Check the service first

Office types, appointment rules and testing availability can differ by location. Confirm the exact service before you travel.

Check appointment rules →

After the permit: prepare for the road test

Illinois' driving exam measures normal traffic control and safe vehicle operation, not tricks. The test vehicle must be legal, insured and safe before the examiner begins.

Bring a properly licensed and insured vehicle

The vehicle must have required equipment, valid registration/plates and proof of insurance at the exam.

A licensed driver must bring the vehicle

The applicant cannot drive illegally to the facility before qualifying; the vehicle must be driven there by someone with a valid license/permit as applicable.

Expect everyday traffic maneuvers

The examiner evaluates controls, observation, turns, intersections, stopping, lane use and safe compliance with traffic law.

Open the full road-test guide →

Practice for the Illinois knowledge test

Illinois missions are live in Road to Permit: practice Illinois questions in the game, the first five missions free. Use the 2026 Illinois Rules of the Road and Secretary of State GDL pages as the source of truth. Focus on the written test (at least 35 questions, 80% to pass), nine-month teen permit hold, 50/10 supervised practice, clean permit record, first-year passenger limits and the separate six-hour Adult Driver Education rule for many ages 18–20.

Start Illinois practice free →

Illinois road signs for the permit exam

Sign recognition is an explicit written-exam skill in Illinois. Learn both the visual cue and what the law requires you to do after recognizing it.

Study road signs →

How to study Illinois Rules of the Road

Illinois' basic written exam combines sign identification with traffic-law and safety questions. Use the current Rules of the Road rather than old third-party summaries.

Open the handbook study guide →

What to study

Use the official handbook as the source of truth, then practice the same subjects in short sessions. These are the major study areas covered across the official guide and Road to Permit resources.

Study sign shape, color and symbol
Study traffic laws and safety rules
Know vehicle-equipment and crash-prevention topics
Teen applicants: learn GDL rules too
Study Illinois's permit and Initial Licensing phases separately
Use the handbook as the source of truth
What to study first
Use the official review workbook
Recognize shapes first

Illinois permit test: questions and answers

What is the Illinois knowledge-test format?

Illinois's licensing rules set the Class D written test at no fewer than 35 questions, with 80% answered correctly to pass. The 2026 Rules of the Road describes what it covers: traffic signs, signals and pavement markings, plus multiple-choice and true/false questions on traffic laws and safe driving.

What do I need before I apply in Illinois?

Which documents should I prepare?

For an Illinois instruction permit, prepare the current Secretary of State identification documents and application. Younger teens ordinarily need instructor certification and parent or guardian consent; applicants at least 17 years 3 months old may use the permit route without driver education.

How much does the permit or first license cost?

The original Class D permit costs $20. If you get the license before that permit expires, Illinois charges no additional fee for the license.

Where do I make an appointment?

How old do I have to be for an Illinois teen instruction permit?

Generally age 15 while enrolled in or within 30 days of active participation in approved driver education.

How many questions are on the Illinois Class D written test?

At least 35 questions.

What score do I need?

At least 80%.

How long must an under-18 driver hold the permit?

At least nine months.

How many supervised practice hours are required?

At least 50 hours, including 10 at night.

Who can supervise practice?

A parent, guardian, family member or person acting as a parent, age 21 or older, licensed for that vehicle and with at least a year of driving experience, seated beside the teen.

How long is an under-18 Illinois instruction permit valid?

Up to two years.

Can someone age 17 years 3 months apply for a permit without driver education?

Yes, Illinois lists that age as the point at which a permit application can be made without taking a driver-education course.

What are the statewide teen nighttime restrictions?

Sunday through Thursday nights run from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.; the Friday and Saturday restriction runs from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Local rules may differ.

What is the first-year passenger rule?

The rule normally allows only one passenger younger than 20 until the first anniversary of licensing or the driver's 18th birthday, whichever comes sooner. Certain close family members do not count toward this limit.

Who needs Illinois's six-hour Adult Driver Education course?

Many first-time applicants ages 18–20 who have never been licensed and did not complete an approved teen driver-education course.

Does the six-hour adult course include behind-the-wheel training?

No. It is classroom or approved online instruction; the applicant still must pass the road test.

Can a teen's driver-education school administer the road exam?

Some state-certified programs in Illinois's Cooperative Driver Testing Program may do so for qualifying students.

Complete Illinois driver guide

Open the exact part of the licensing process you need. Every page below is backed by official state sources.

Official sources

Last updated October 20, 2026. Procedures and fees can change, so check the official page before you apply.