A suspension is the temporary loss of driving privileges. When the suspension is for a specific length of time, a driver may regain driving privileges after the suspension has ended and a reinstatement fee has been paid. In some cases, the driver’s license will not be returned until other requirements are met.

Offenses for which a driver’s license may be suspended include, but are not limited to:

• Automated Traffic Violations — Failure to pay five or more unpaid automated traffic violations for violating a red-light signal or speeding or a combination thereof in a municipality.
• Causing a Crash in a Construction Zone — Failure to reduce speed or change lanes in a construction zone, which results in property damage to another or injury or death of another.
• Child Visitation Abuse – Suspension upon receipt of a court order indicating the driver has engaged in abuse of a child visitation order.
• Drug/Alcohol Test Failure — Failure of chemical testing following a DUI arrest disclosing a BAC of .08 percent or more, a THC level of either 5 nanograms or more per milliliter of whole blood or 10 nanograms or more per milliliter of other bodily substance or any trace of a controlled substance, or intoxicating compound.
• Drug/Alcohol Test Refusal — Refusal of chemical testing for drugs or alcohol after being arrested for DUI in Illinois or another state.
• Drug or Sex Offense — Committing a drug or sex crime while operating or in direct physical control of an automobile.
• Failure to Appear Violations — Failure to appear in court for any traffic citation.
• Failure to Obey a Railroad-Crossing Signal — Conviction of a second violation for failure to obey a railroad-crossing signal.
• Failure to Pay Child Support — Suspension for nonpayment of child support resulting from a court order or by direction of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.
• Failure to Yield to an Emergency Vehicle Using Audible and Visual Signals (lights and sirens) — Failure to reduce speed and to change lanes away from a stationary emergency vehicle that results in property damage to another or injury or death to another.
• Fraudulent Driver’s License/ID Application — Possessing, displaying or attempting to use an altered driver’s license or ID card; using another person’s license or ID card or allowing another person to use the license; or submitting a fraudulent application or allowing another person to submit documents for a fraudulent application.
• Illegal Possession, Consumption, Purchase of Alcohol, or Accepting Alcohol as a Gift by a person under age 21.
• Illegal Transportation of Alcohol — Illegal transportation of alcohol twice in 12 months if age 21 or older.
• Illegal Transportation Under 21 — Illegal transportation of alcohol while under age 21.
• Mandatory Insurance Violations — Failure to file Financial Responsibility Insurance (SR-22) after receiving court supervision for driving without insurance, or having three or more tickets for driving without insurance.
• Mandatory Insurance Conviction – Driving without mandatory insurance.
• Parking Violations — Failure to pay for 10 or more unpaid parking violations in any municipality.
• Railroad Crossing Violation — Nonpayment of five or more violations.
• School Bus Violations — Failure to stop for a school bus picking up or dropping off children, or failure to pay five or more violations of yielding to a stopped school bus when recorded by a camera.
• Speeding in a Construction Zone — A second violation within two years of the previous violation of speeding in a construction zone when workers are present.
• Theft of Motor Fuel — Dispensing motor fuel into a container or fuel tank and leaving the premises without making payment.
• Tollway Violation — Failure to pay five or more toll violations and/or toll evasions.
• Traffic Crashes — Refusing or neglecting to report a traffic crash.
• Traffic Violations — Three traffic violation convictions during a 12-month period (If the driver is under age 21 at the time of arrest, two traffic violations within any 24-month period).
• Unauthorized Parking in a Space Designated for Persons with Disabilities.
• Uninsured Crashes — Being an at-fault driver in a traffic crash without insurance where damages are owed.
• Zero Tolerance Violation — An alcohol violation by a person under age 21. Driving while a driver’s license is suspended or revoked will result in an extension of the suspension or revocation period and may subject the driver to a period of incarceration.

More information on actions that may cause the suspension or revocation of driving privileges is available in the Illinois Vehicle Code and our other articles.

See also: Driving with Suspended License Laws and Penalties, Driver License Revocation, Driver License Cancellation, Driver License Denial, or see our Illinois Drivers License Laws archive for more information.