Illinois Adult Driver Education Requirements
This page lays out exactly what Illinois requires of a first-time driver's license applicant age 18-20: the statute behind the requirement, the hour minimum, what the curriculum has to cover, and why it is a one-time obligation rather than something you repeat at renewal. For who specifically must comply versus who is exempt, see Who Needs Illinois Adult Driver Education. For the step-by-step process of completing it, see How Illinois Adult Driver Education Works. Back to Illinois Adult Driver Education for the full site overview.
What Are the Illinois Adult Driver Education Requirements?
Illinois requires every first-time driver's license applicant age 18, 19, or 20 to complete a 6-hour, SOS-certified, online-only adult driver education course under 625 ILCS 5/6-107.5, with no separate in-person or classroom component.
The requirement sits alongside the other standard steps of a first-time Illinois license application - the written knowledge test, a vision screening, and the road skills test - but it is distinct from all three. It has to be completed through a provider the Illinois SOS has certified under 92 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1066; a course from an uncertified provider, however similar in content, does not satisfy this requirement because its completion record cannot be transmitted to the SOS.
How Many Hours Does the Illinois Course Require?
The Illinois SOS-certified adult driver education course requires exactly 6 hours of online instruction under 92 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1066, which authorizes online-only delivery and does not permit a shorter, in-person substitute.
Six hours is the full requirement; there is no reduced-hour option for an applicant who has prior driving experience from another state or country, and no provider can legally certify a completion in fewer hours than the rule sets. Because delivery is entirely online, the 6 hours can be spread across multiple sessions rather than completed in a single sitting, as long as the provider's platform tracks total time and only issues a completion once the full 6 hours are logged.
What Statute and Rule Govern This Requirement?
The requirement is set by 625 ILCS 5/6-107.5, and the certification and curriculum standards providers must meet come from 92 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1066, specifically the 20 required topics listed in Section 1066.45.
625 ILCS 5/6-107.5 is the section of the Illinois Vehicle Code that actually creates the obligation for first-time applicants ages 18-20. 92 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1066 is the administrative rule that governs how a provider becomes and stays SOS-certified, including the fees and bond described on How Illinois Adult Driver Education Works. Reading the statute and the rule together explains both why the requirement exists and why the certified-provider list is as short as it is.
What Topics Must the Course Cover?
Section 1066.45 lists 20 required curriculum topics, including Illinois traffic laws, right-of-way rules, road signs, distracted driving, impaired driving, railroad crossings, and sharing the road with cyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians.
A certified provider's course has to touch every one of these 20 areas; a course that only covers some of them is not compliant with Part 1066 even if it runs the full 6 hours. Providers are also required to update their content within 60 days of any new Illinois law that changes the rules of the road, so the curriculum a student sees should reflect the current statute book, not an outdated version, regardless of when the provider was originally certified.
Do I Have to Repeat the Course When I Renew My License?
No. Illinois adult driver education is a one-time requirement tied to a first-time license application; once a certified provider transmits your completion to the SOS, you never repeat the course at any later renewal.
This distinguishes it from courses tied to a specific violation or a specific renewal cycle, which can recur. Once the SOS has your completion record on file from your first-time application, that record does not expire and does not need to be refreshed, even if you let your license lapse and later reinstate it, as long as you are reinstating the same license rather than applying as a first-time applicant again.
Sources
| Fact | Value | Authority | URL | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statutory mandate | 625 ILCS 5/6-107.5 | Illinois General Assembly | https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/ILCS/Fulltext?DocName=062500050K6-107.5 | 2026-06-07 |
| Hour requirement | 6 hours, online-only | 92 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1066 | https://www.ilga.gov/agencies/JCAR/EntirePart?titlepart=09201066 | 2026-06-07 |
| Required curriculum topic count | 20 topics | 92 Ill. Adm. Code 1066.45 | https://www.ilga.gov/agencies/JCAR/EntirePart?titlepart=09201066 | 2026-06-07 |
| Curriculum update cadence after a law change | 60 days | 92 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1066 | https://www.ilga.gov/agencies/JCAR/EntirePart?titlepart=09201066 | 2026-06-07 |
| One-time requirement, not repeated at renewal | Confirmed | Illinois Secretary of State (SOS) | https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/drivers/driver-education/ade.html | 2026-07-12 |
| Out-of-state license exemption | Applicant surrenders the out-of-state license and takes applicable Illinois tests; no Adult Driver Education Course proof required | Illinois Secretary of State (SOS) | https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/drivers/drivers-license/drlicid.html | 2026-09-14 |
| Foreign State license surrender requirement | 625 ILCS 5/6-101(b) requires surrendering a "Foreign State" license, ID card, or permit before Illinois issues one; term not defined as domestic-only or international | Illinois General Assembly | https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ILCS/details?MajorTopic=TRANSPORTATION&Chapter=VEHICLES&ActName=Illinois%20Vehicle%20Code.&ActID=1815&ChapterID=49&ChapAct=625+ILCS+5%2F&SeqStart=84800000&SeqEnd=85800000 | 2026-09-19 |
Frequently asked questions
Does the 6-hour requirement change if I have a foreign or out-of-state license?
For an out-of-state U.S. driver's license: no, based on our sources. The Illinois SOS requires you to surrender that license and take the applicable Illinois tests, but does not require Adult Driver Education Course proof if you already hold a valid out-of-state license. For a foreign license specifically, 625 ILCS 5/6-101(b) requires surrendering a "Foreign State" license, identification card, or permit before Illinois will issue one, but that statute does not itself define "Foreign State" as domestic-only or as including a non-US country, and it does not separately address the Adult Driver Education Course exemption; confirm your specific situation directly with the Illinois SOS.
Can I split the 6 hours across several days?
Yes. Because the course runs entirely online under Part 1066, providers typically let you log in and out across multiple sessions; the requirement is the total 6 hours, not a single continuous sitting.
What happens if a provider's curriculum does not cover all 20 required topics?
That provider would not be compliant with Section 1066.45, which is one reason to confirm a provider's current SOS certification rather than assume any online driver-ed product satisfies this specific Illinois requirement.
Is the 6-hour requirement the same for every first-time applicant regardless of age?
No. It applies specifically to first-time applicants ages 18, 19, and 20. See Who Needs Illinois Adult Driver Education for the full breakdown of who is covered and who is exempt.
Where can I read the actual statute and rule text myself?
625 ILCS 5/6-107.5 is published on the Illinois General Assembly's website, and 92 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1066 is published on the Illinois Administrative Code site.
Does completing this course cost anything at the state level?
No fee is charged to the student by the state for this specific requirement; provider certification fees ($500 application, $50,000 surety bond, $5-per-student transmission fee) are paid by the provider, not the applicant. See Illinois Adult Driver Education Cost for what providers themselves charge students.