What are the requirements for a Restricted Driving Permit (RDP)?

If your license has been suspended or revoked, your first step you get your license reinstated is to request relief through an administrative hearing. The Illinois Secretary of State may allow you to apply for a restricted driving permit (RDP), also known as an Illinois hardship license, as you are being considered for full license reinstatement or at least a temporary license.

An RDP allows you to drive during certain times of day and in designated areas, but only if you meet the criteria set forth by the Illinois Secretary of State. During your consultation for a RDP, you must prove an extreme hardship exists and you must show that you need a RDP to drive for at least one of the following reasons: (1) work, (2) medical appointments or school (for yourself or immediate family members, or (3) attendance at an alcohol awareness class. If your license has been revoked due to a DUI, you may be required to drive with a BAIID installed in the vehicle for the duration of the RDP.

Once you apply for a RDP, you must then appear before a hearing officer in the Secretary of State's Department of Administrative Hearings, where your driving record is reviewed to ensure that if you were to receive a RDP, you would not threaten public safety and welfare.

Fewer than 10 percent of the people who represent themselves at these administrative hearings with the Secretary of State's office are successful in their first attempt. With a lawyer's assistance, the odds are in your favor. Driver's license reinstatement attorneys at John W. Callahan, Ltd., have helped almost 98 percent of our clients regain their driving privileges back at their first administrative hearing.We offer a complimentary case evaluation at no cost to you. To set up an appointment with a lawyer, call our firm at 1-877-335-6697 or complete an online contact form.