About 90 days before the license expires, an Illinois driver should receive a renewal notice from the Secretary of State’s office with information on what documents must be provided and what tests are necessary. The driver may renew the license up to one year before a two- or four-year driver’s license expires. A driver may renew up to six months before a one-year driver’s license expires.

Drivers may not receive a renewal notice if they fail to notify the Secretary of State’s office of a change of name or address. It is the driver’s responsibility to renew the license before expiration, regardless of whether a renewal letter is received. A driver holding a temporary visitor driver’s license will not receive a renewal notice. A driver’s license is valid for four years and expires on the driver’s birthday except in the following cases:

• Drivers under age 21 — license expires three months after their 21st birthday.
• Drivers ages 81-86 — license valid for two years.
• Drivers ages 87 and older — license requires annual renewal.
• Drivers holding a temporary visitor driver’s license — expires in three years or upon the expiration of immigration documents.

More information on renewing a CDL or motorcycle license is available by checking the Illinois Motorcycle Operator Manual, the Rules of the Road for Non-CDL Vehicles or the Commercial Driver’s License Study Guide. More information on renewing and a list of acceptable documents for a temporary visitor driver’s license is available by referring to the Temporary Visitor Driver’s License Quick Guide or visiting www.cyberdriveillinois.com.

Standard Driver License Renewal

To renew a driver’s license, applicants must:

1. Visit a Driver Services facility and present their renewal notice.
2. Take the appropriate exam(s), if applicable.
3. Pay the appropriate fee and have a new photo taken.

Upon payment and successful completion of any required testing, the Secretary of State will issue a temporary, secure paper document, which is valid for 90 days and should be used as the document for driving purposes and proof of identification.

Following fraud checks, a permanent driver’s license or identification card will be printed at a centralized location and mailed to the applicant, usually within 15 business days, to the address provided by the applicant at the Driver Services facility.

If applicants do not receive the permanent driver’s license or identification card after 15 business days of visiting a facility, they can check the status at www.cyberdriveillinois.com or call 217-782-7044.

Safe Driver Renewal Program

The Safe Driver Renewal Program enables drivers with a clean driving record to renew their driver’s licenses from home and visit a Driver Services facility only once every eight years. An eligible driver will receive a notice in the mail detailing how to complete the renewal process online, by phone or by mail. To be eligible for Safe Driver Renewal, a driver must:

• Be ages 22-74;
• Not hold a commercial driver’s license (CDL) or school bus driver permit;
• Not hold a temporary visitor driver’s license (TVDL);
• Have no traffic infractions, sanctions, crash reports or medical report review requirements;
• Have Social Security information verified through the Social Security Online Verification System.