How to get a driver's license in Illinois as an immigrant
Everything a new arrival in Illinois needs to know, from driving on a foreign license to the documents the DMV accepts from non-citizens. Facts are quoted from official sources.
Quick answers
- Drive on a foreign license?
- A nonresident may drive in Illinois with a valid license from their home state or country, carried while driving.
- Deadline after moving
- 90 days after becoming an Illinois resident
- License exchange without tests
- No exchange agreements
- License without immigration status
- Yes
- No SSN?
- Give your SSN; if you are not eligible for one, sign a sworn statement that you are ineligible.
Driving on a foreign license
A nonresident may drive in Illinois with a valid license from their home state or country, carried while driving. Deadline after moving: 90 days after becoming an Illinois resident.
Exchanging a foreign license
No exchange agreements
No foreign-license exchange agreement could be confirmed from an official source; plan on taking the tests.
If your country is not on the list
Take the vision screening, the written test and the road test, like a first-time applicant.
A nonresident who has in his immediate possession a valid license issued to him in his home state or country www.ilga.gov
Documents for non-citizens
Examples of accepted immigration documents:
- Valid passport from your country of citizenship
- Consular identification document
- DHS documents showing lawful status (needed for REAL ID)
License regardless of immigration status
Since July 1, 2024 a standard license is available regardless of immigration status. It replaced the Temporary Visitor Driver's License (TVDL); no TVDLs are issued after that date. It is marked "Federal Limits Apply" and is not a REAL ID. Applicants without lawful status show a valid foreign passport or consular ID and proof of at least one year of Illinois residency.
Social Security number
Give your SSN; if you are not eligible for one, sign a sworn statement that you are ineligible.
ineligible to obtain a social security number regulations.justia.com Proof of residency
Applicants using a foreign passport or consular ID must document at least one year of Illinois residency.
documentation establishing that the applicant has resided in Illinois for a minimum of one year. regulations.justia.com
Step by step
- Gather a valid foreign passport or consular ID, proof of at least one year of Illinois residency, and your SSN or a signed SSN-ineligibility statement.
- Make an appointment and visit a Secretary of State Driver Services facility.
- Pass the vision screening and the written test.
- Bring an insured, safe vehicle and pass the road test.
- Pay the license fee and receive a standard license marked "Federal Limits Apply".
Fees
Class D license: $30 for ages 21-68; $5 for ages 18-20 and 69-80; $2 for ages 81-86; free at 87+. The fee covers three test attempts within one year.
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Checked against official sources on October 31, 2026. Rules change: confirm with the DMV before your visit. This is not legal advice.