License Reinstatement During the COVID Crisis 2020

The COVID crisis has impacted everyone in Illinois.  From the loss of jobs to death of friends and family members, this crisis has hurt us immensely.  In my field, the field of Illinois driver's license reinstatement law, we have been impacted through the serious delay in getting our client's licenses reinstated after a DUI conviction hampers their record.

Many of our applications for license reinstatement hearings that we submitted in early March haven't been scheduled yet.  All of the hearings we had scheduled through April 30, 2020, have been cancelled and we are waiting for new dates - most of them likely will be heard in June or July.  We have also seen several of our application fee checks just clear the bank so this means that there is some movement on scheduling hearings - so there is hope.

What I would say to potential clients is that if you are looking to clear up your drivers license in the near future, you should move on it quickly as there will be a huge backlog of applications and cases once the Secretary of State opens up.  

I have also had many clients ask me if their permits expire before they can have their hearing what should they do?  The Secretary of State has stated that "Expiration dates for driver's licenses, identification (ID) cards, vehicle registrations and other transactions and document filings will be extended at least 90 days after Driver Services Facilities reopen. Illinois may also issue permits for the transportation of emergency response/relief supplies. This includes IRP and other commercial vehicles."  This means that potentially the Secretary of State will honor permits 90 days after their expiration date.  

If you have any questions about reinstating your Illinois driver's license after being convicted of a DUI and you need either a formal or informal administrative hearing OR you live outside of Illinois and want to lift the hold that Illinois has on your driver's license, you can contact John W Callahan anytime.