I’m going to have to renew my Illinois Drivers License within two weeks. I no longer have access to a car, but I want to be licensed to drive.
I’m just wondering how the Illinois DMV decides whether to give you a road test with a car. Is that done periodically at random? If it is, I might have to rent a car for that day.
Or is that just done once you reach a certain age?
How can I tell if I should go to the DMV in a rented car or a bus?
Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.
You likely know this already, but Illinois doesn’t have a DMV. Services that are handled by the DMV in other states (driver’s licenses, license plates, vehicle titles, etc.) are under the office of the Secretary of State in Illinois.
In answer to your question, I found a FAQ on the Secretary of State’s web site ( http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/drivers/faq.html ):
If this is accurate, you won’t need a road test unless you’re age 75 or above. I would think (though, this is Illinois, so I shouldn’t assume 
) that, if you’re required to take a road test to renew, they’d inform you of that on your renewal notice.
One heads up, you don’t get your license during your visit anymore. They give you a temporary license and mail you your license after a few weeks. Apparently this has something to do with the REAL ID act. Although, apparently even the new ones don’t quite meet all the standards??
Thanks guys (or gals). This helps a lot. Did not know about not getting the license right away.
Huh. I’ve been calling it the DMV all these years and nobody said nothin’.
My license was set to expire in Nov. I recently received mail notification that I could renew my license on-line. A buddy had told me about the wait for a renewed license, so I expected I was going to have to go in for a photo or something. Was surprised when a new license with my old photo appeared in the mail a couple of days later.
I’ve been using the express facility downtown on Washington since 1994. Longest it’s taken from walking in to walking out has been maybe 20 minutes. It’s in the pedway. I take the Red Line to Lake and take the ped all the way there, never have to go outside. Easy peasy. But these days, there are online and mail options as long as you’re not required a vision test. And I and everyone I know calls it the DMV, knowing it’s actually not, but it’s easy universal shorthand.
It’s ok to call it the DMV. Everyone will know what you are talking about. Elston Ave. has really stepped up their game; it used to be I’d take a book along with me. The last 5-6 times I’ve been there it’s been an efficient speedy process.
I agree, Elston has really impressed me with speed and efficiency. In and out in no time at all.
I think I’d heard that one of the REAL ID rules is that all identifying documents need to come from a single secured source in each state. Where each Drivers’ Service facility once had a printer and stacks of card blanks, it now all comes from one location in Springfield. This was to reduce the possibility of ‘real fakes.’
Yeah, it was real cute when I applied for my FOID and it was delayed a week because the printer broke.
I’ve had a driver’s license in IL since 1998 (going on 20 years! :eek:) and the only time I took the driving test was in 1998. They do make me look into a machine and tell them what letters I see though, in case I went blind in the intervening four years.
And yeah, I call it the DMV, too. I know that’s not the official name (my driver’s ed teacher was real clear on that for some reason), but if you type “DMV” into Google maps, it still comes up. For example.
1991 for me, and same experience. Actually, we took driver’s ed back then, and I don’t even remember taking any sort of driving test at the DMV. I’m pretty sure we just had it administered by our drivers ed instructor. But that was 26 years ago, so maybe my memory is hazy.
Anyhow, since then, no road tests, and I’ve only twice had to even go to the DMV to get my license renewed. I just had a renewal last month through the mail, and years and years back I remember just getting a sticker to put on the back of my license as a renewal.
I just had to go in a few months ago when we moved, to show documents proving my new address. The new license came in the mail a week or so later. I haven’t taken the road test, or any other test, since I got my first license more than 30 years ago.
I also agree. Elston really has fixed up. Even the employees are pretty much pleasant now. The one in the loop is even faster. I believe its 100 W Randolph. No driving tests available there though.
Took my first driving test at Elston - in 1976. Haven’t had to drive since.