Getting Your License Back After a DUI in Will County
After a DUI suspension, the Secretary of State will not restore your license until you pay a reinstatement fee. It is $250 for a first suspension and $500 for repeat offenses. After a revocation it is $500, plus a hearing and proof of insurance filed as an SR-22 that you keep for three years.
Your deadlines
- Day 46. Your statutory summary suspension starts, counted from the day you got the notice.
- Day 90. The last day to file a petition to rescind that suspension.
What happens next
- Find out whether you have a suspension or a revocation. A suspension ends after a set time. A revocation does not end on its own.
- Check your driving record for any other open suspension. Every other hold must be closed first.
- For a suspension, wait out the minimum period and pay the fee to the Secretary of State.
- For a revocation, ask for a hearing, finish the alcohol and drug evaluation and the remedial education class, and file proof of insurance.
- Pay the $500 fee and pass the driver's license exam.
Your driving privileges return only after the Secretary of State enters the reinstatement on your driving record. A receipt is not enough on its own.
Suspension or revocation: which one you have
A suspension takes your privileges for a set time or until you meet certain requirements. A revocation takes them for an indefinite period, and you may not reapply for at least one year. The two follow different paths back.
An arrest can bring a statutory summary suspension, which starts on the 46th day after notice. A conviction can bring a revocation. Illinois law says the Secretary of State shall revoke the driving privileges of anyone convicted of DUI. That is why the result of the court case matters so much for your license.
What the fees are
| Situation | Reinstatement fee |
|---|---|
| Statutory summary suspension, first time | $250 |
| Second or later DUI suspension | $500 |
| Revocation after a DUI conviction | $500 |
| Zero tolerance suspension for drivers under 21 | $70 |
These amounts come from the Vehicle Code fee table and the Secretary of State's own pages. You can pay online or mail a check or money order to the Secretary of State, DUI Section, 2701 S. Dirksen Pkwy., Springfield, IL 62723. Write your license number on it. Fees can change, so check the Secretary of State's site before you send money.
Arrested for DUI? Call Jeff now.
The license clock starts the day you get the notice. During office hours, Jeff answers the phone himself.Office hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 AM to 6 PM, Saturday 10 AM to noon. After hours, leave your name, number and the best time to call back.
Jeff McCarthy, Inspired Law Group, 136 E 9th St, Lockport, IL 60441
Getting back after a revocation
A revocation takes more work than a suspension. The Secretary of State lists these steps.
- Appear before a hearing officer. A first offense gets an informal hearing. Repeat offenses get a formal hearing.
- Take an alcohol and drug evaluation. If it shows a problem, you must prove you completed the recommended treatment.
- Finish a remedial education program.
- File proof of financial responsibility.
- Pay the $500 fee.
- Pass the written, vision and driving exams and pay the application fee.
The minimum revocation time is one year for a first conviction, five years for a second within 20 years, and ten years for a third. A fourth conviction bars a full license for life; a restricted permit may be possible after 5 years under strict conditions. If you were under 21 at the time of the first conviction, the minimum is two years.
The SR-22 insurance filing
An SR-22 is a certificate that your insurance company sends straight to the Secretary of State to show you carry coverage. The Secretary of State requires it for revocations, among other cases. You keep the insurance for three years.
- Call a company that writes SR-22 policies in Illinois. Not every company does.
- The certificate can take up to 30 days to process.
- If the policy lapses or is cancelled, your record is suspended again until the filing is restored.
- Renew at least 45 days before the policy ends.
The Secretary of State also allows a $70,000 deposit with the State Treasurer or a bond in place of the insurance filing. Most people use the insurance route.
How Jeff helps you get your license back
Reinstatement comes last, and the charge decides how long you wait to get there. Jeff works on the case with your license in mind from the first call.
- He checks whether the stop, the arrest and the test hold up, because a conviction is what triggers a revocation.
- He looks at the date on your suspension notice so you know exactly when it starts and ends.
- He reviews whether you qualify for a driving permit while you wait.
- He explains how each plea offer would change your license, before you answer it.
- He lists the paperwork you will need, so the hearing or the fee payment is not delayed by a missing form.
No lawyer can promise how a license case ends. Jeff tells you what he sees in your facts.
Sources
Reviewed by Jeff McCarthy, Attorney, Inspired Law Group, 136 E 9th St, Lockport, IL 60441.
Questions people ask about license reinstatement
Short answers first. Jeff McCarthy reviews every answer on this page.
The Secretary of State charges $250 after a first statutory summary suspension and $500 for repeat offenses. A revocation costs $500. A zero tolerance suspension for drivers under 21 costs $70.
The Secretary of State says the insurance behind an SR-22 must be maintained for three years. If it lapses, your license is suspended again.
Yes. The Secretary of State lets you pay online or by mail. Mail goes to the DUI Section in Springfield, and your license number should be on the check or money order.
After a revocation, yes. A first offense gets an informal hearing and repeat offenses get a formal one. A summary suspension does not need a hearing to end, but you must pay the fee.
A suspension lasts for a set time or until you meet certain steps. A revocation lasts indefinitely, and you cannot reapply for at least one year.
No. The Secretary of State must receive the fee and enter the reinstatement on your record first. Any other open suspension must also be closed.
Keep reading
Ready for clarity, direction, and legal protection? Fill out the form and let’s begin.
Every case comes down to its facts and its deadlines. Talk with Jeff McCarthy so you can:
- Get clear on your legal options.
- Avoid costly mistakes.
- Know what happens next, and when.
