Illinois DUI Suspensions, Revocations and Interlock Driving Permits

Separate the license action from the criminal case

The Secretary of State administers driving privileges, while the court handles the DUI charge. The agency's DUI explanation also makes clear that impairment can support a DUI case below the ordinary 0.08% blood-alcohol threshold. Prescription medication or lawful cannabis use does not authorize impaired driving.

The 2026 Rules of the Road distinguishes the chemical-test suspension from conviction consequences. A driver can face both, and another existing suspension can continue alongside them. Retain the officer's notice, any temporary receipt, the court papers and later Secretary of State correspondence. These documents may identify different dates and obligations because they address different legal actions.

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Chemical-test suspension periods

For a qualifying first offender, failure of chemical testing generally produces a six-month statutory summary suspension; refusal or failure to complete testing produces twelve months. A second or subsequent qualifying offense within five years generally brings twelve months for test failure and three years for refusal. These periods were checked October 20, 2026 against the current Rules of the Road and the Illinois DUI Fact Book.

The usual alcohol test-failure threshold is a BAC of 0.08% or higher. The state publications also describe THC concentrations of at least 5 nanograms per milliliter of whole blood or 10 nanograms per milliliter of another bodily substance, and specified unlawful drugs or intoxicating compounds. The notice and governing provisions determine the particular basis; do not treat the alcohol threshold as the only possible chemical-test ground.

“First offender” is a defined licensing category. Section 11-500 addresses prior convictions, DUI supervision, other-state matters and earlier test-related suspensions, with specified exceptions. A driver who has never been convicted can still have a history relevant to this classification. Have the complete record reviewed when the notice's first-offender status appears wrong.

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When driving must stop

A statutory summary suspension becomes effective on the 46th day after the suspension notice. If the license was valid, the officer's temporary receipt ordinarily allows driving during the preceding 45-day period (checked October 20, 2026). That receipt cannot override another reason the person was already prohibited from driving.

Requesting a hearing does not delay the start of the suspension. Under the judicial-review statute, the driver may request rescission in the circuit court of venue within 90 days after notice (checked October 20, 2026). Track the actual effective date even if the criminal charge remains pending or a hearing has not yet resolved the challenge.

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Cannabis field-sobriety suspensions are different

Illinois also has a field-sobriety suspension for specified cannabis-related investigations. The Secretary of State's suspension FAQ explains that this action may accompany a statutory summary suspension. Submission to field tests that disclose impairment brings a six-month suspension, while refusal or failure to complete the tests brings twelve months; the effective date is the 46th day after notice (checked October 20, 2026).

An MDDP does not authorize driving during a field-sobriety suspension. Someone with both types of suspension cannot use an MDDP issued for the chemical-test action as a solution to the separate field-testing action. Review the description of every suspension, particularly when the paperwork refers to both chemical testing and roadside performance tests.

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Who can obtain an MDDP

The Monitoring Device Driving Permit program serves eligible first offenders during a statutory summary suspension. Applicants must be at least 18 and otherwise have valid driving privileges. A DUI arrest involving death or great bodily harm, specified prior fatal offenses, or another invalidating licensing action can prevent eligibility.

The state sends an application, reviews the returned materials and issues a requirements letter. Preliminary enrollment is not a permit to drive. Complete the requirements and follow the permit's actual validity dates before using an equipped vehicle. The March 2026 MDDP application and instructions describe driving at any time and for any destination while complying with the program, rather than limiting the permit to commuting. This remains subject to any separate court order or license restriction.

The published state charges are $30 per month for monitoring plus an $8 permit fee, payable before issuance (checked October 20, 2026). Installation, rental and servicing charges are set by the approved vendor and are additional. The indigency application can affect eligible vendor costs, but the state instructions say the monitoring and permit charges remain payable.

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Interlock installation and compliance

After MDDP issuance, the published installation period is 14 days (checked October 20, 2026). Use an approved vendor reached through the BAIID Department. Arrange installation for every vehicle you intend to operate under the permit and obtain specific instructions if you cannot meet the installation period. Do not interpret that period as unrestricted personal driving without an interlock.

Read the MDDP terms and conditions before signing. The camera, starting samples, running retests and service visits are parts of the program. If someone else uses an equipped vehicle, that person's activity can still create a report you must explain. Preserve relevant service records and answer a violation letter as directed instead of assuming the vendor will resolve the licensing issue.

The state's interlock overview describes extensions, cancellation and other consequences for violations. A limited employer exemption may be available for an employer-owned vehicle used for work, but it requires approval. Self-employment, a family-owned business, personal use and take-home arrangements can prevent that exemption; installing a device in a personal car does not independently create an exemption for the work vehicle.

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A conviction can cause revocation

Illinois normally revokes driving privileges for at least one year after a first DUI conviction, with a two-year minimum when the driver was under 21. A second conviction within twenty years produces a minimum five-year revocation; a third brings at least ten years, and a fourth or later conviction produces lifetime revocation. These minimum periods were checked October 20, 2026 against the underage provisions, agency DUI materials and the revocation statute.

The minimum is an eligibility measure, not an automatic license-return date. A revocation continues until the person obtains the required relief. Courts can impose additional criminal penalties, and serious injury, a death, a child passenger or other aggravating circumstances can change the case. A successful court-supervision disposition and a DUI conviction also have different effects; neither should be assumed to erase a separate test suspension.

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Restricted permits and full restoration

After revocation, a Restricted Driving Permit may be available through the applicable hearing process. It authorizes only the driving approved on the permit. The current program describes a continuous five-year interlock period for drivers with two or three DUI convictions seeking full reinstatement, and possible restricted relief after the qualifying waiting period for lifetime-revoked drivers (checked October 20, 2026). The latter route does not convert lifetime revocation into an ordinary unrestricted license.

Review DUI reinstatement requirements for the action on your record. Ending a first statutory summary suspension requires a $250 reinstatement fee; later such suspensions require $500. Revocation carries a $500 reinstatement charge, separate from hearing, examination and license-issuance costs (checked October 20, 2026). Evaluation, treatment, hearing approval and financial-responsibility certification may also be required.

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Commercial drivers and the final status check

The Illinois commercial-license requirements apply independently to CDL holders. An eligible commercial driver may receive an MDDP for a noncommercial vehicle, but it does not restore authority to operate a commercial motor vehicle. Before returning to any driving, use the certified driving record and the state's decision letters to confirm that the applicable action ended and that the intended vehicle and trip are authorized.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can Illinois suspend my license while the DUI charge is still pending?
A chemical-test suspension operates independently of the prosecution and can take effect before the court reaches a final result on the criminal charge.

Does requesting rescission let me keep driving beyond the suspension date?
The judicial challenge does not stay the statutory summary action, so continued driving requires an applicable valid permit or a court result removing the suspension.

Is an MDDP available for a cannabis field-sobriety suspension?
The Secretary of State excludes that suspension category from MDDP relief, including when a separate chemical-test suspension exists at the same time.

Can I drive my employer's truck without an interlock because the trip is for work?
Only a specifically approved exemption can authorize qualifying employer-vehicle use, and an MDDP never grants commercial-motor-vehicle privileges.

Will a DUI revocation expire automatically when the minimum year has passed?
Reaching an eligibility date allows the appropriate restoration process to be considered; the revoked privilege does not become valid solely through elapsed time.

Are vendor interlock charges included in the MDDP payment to Illinois?
The permit and state monitoring payment are separate from the vendor's installation, rental and service charges, so obtain the vendor's complete pricing before arranging installation.

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More Illinois SOS guides

The other Illinois SOS guides, 52 of them:

Where this subject meets the courts and the county records: how an arrest is recorded in Illinois, the Illinois criminal history and looking up an Illinois court case.

DUI in the largest Illinois counties, each with the local court and office that holds the file: Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane and McHenry.