Illinois: Minor & Provisional Licensing Questions
12 real, verified Illinois driving-test questions on minor & provisional licensing, each with the correct answer and a full explanation below. Want to practice these interactively instead? Start a Minor & Provisional Licensing practice round.
1. During Illinois's Permit Phase, what are the nighttime driving restriction hours on Friday and Saturday?
Why: Illinois's Permit Phase curfew runs 10 p.m.-6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, but is extended to 11 p.m.-6 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.
2. In Illinois, how long must a 15-17 year old hold an instruction permit before applying for a driver's license?
Why: Illinois requires a driver age 15-17 to hold their instruction permit for at least nine consecutive months before they can apply for a driver's license.
3. How many hours of behind-the-wheel supervised driving does Illinois require before a driver under 18 can get a license?
Why: Illinois law requires at least 50 hours of supervised practice driving, including 10 hours at night, before a driver under 18 is eligible for a license.
4. During Illinois's Permit Phase, how many passengers may a 15-year-old permit holder carry?
Why: The Permit Phase limits a young driver to one front-seat passenger, with back-seat passengers limited to the number of available safety belts.
5. In Illinois, hands-free cellphone use while driving is legal starting at what age?
Why: Illinois bans all wireless/cellphone use, including hands-free devices, for drivers under 19 -- except to contact law enforcement, a health care provider, or emergency services.
6. During the first 12 months of Illinois's Initial Licensing Phase, how many passengers under age 20 may a teen driver carry, absent a family exception?
Why: For the first 12 months of the Initial Licensing Phase (or until the driver turns 18), only one passenger under age 20 is allowed, unless the passenger is a sibling, stepsibling, child, or stepchild of the driver.
7. What happens if an Illinois teen driver gets a traffic conviction during the Initial Licensing Phase, close to their 18th birthday?
Why: Illinois requires a conviction-free driving record for the 6 months before turning 18; a conviction during the Initial Licensing Phase can extend GDL restrictions beyond age 18.
8. A 19-year-old in Illinois applying for a license for the first time, who never took driver's education, must first complete what?
Why: Illinois requires first-time applicants ages 18-20 who never completed an approved driver education program to complete a 6-hour Adult Driver Education Course first.
9. In Illinois, can a parent cancel their 16-year-old's driver's license?
Why: A parent or legal guardian who gave initial consent for a driver age 16-17 may cancel that license at any time, for any reason, until the driver turns 18.
10. In Illinois, what happens to a driver under 21 who is convicted of two or more moving violations within a 24-month period?
Why: A driver under 21 convicted of two or more moving violations within 24 months faces at least a 30-day suspension of driving privileges, with longer suspensions possible depending on severity.
11. What is the penalty in Illinois for taking a driver's license exam on someone else's behalf?
Why: Illinois treats taking any part of a driver's license exam for another person as a criminal offense, carrying a fine and a mandatory minimum of seven days in jail.
12. How often must most Illinois drivers retake the written knowledge exam?
Why: Illinois requires most drivers to retake the written exam every eight years -- but a driver with no traffic convictions on their record is exempt from this repeat testing.
More Illinois Topics
- Defensive Driving (4)
- DUI Laws & Penalties (10)
- Emergency Vehicles, School Buses & Work Zones (5)
- Parking Rules & Technique (4)
- Speed, Right-of-Way & Legal Rules (9)
Rules and requirements change — always confirm current details with Illinois SOSbefore your exam. Take the full Illinois practice test or check the Illinois cheat sheet.