Will I be eligible for a restricted driver’s permit to get to work?

One of the most common questions that people ask me is will they be eligible for a restricted drivers permit to get to work. If you are an Illinois resident and you have recently been revoked for a DUI, you will be eligible immediately for a restricted drivers permit from the Secretary of State if this is your first DUI conviction. If you live outside the State of Illinois but were driving on an Illinois drivers license when you picked up a DUI conviction, you will not be eligible for a restricted drivers permit through Illinois in the other state until one full year has passed with the Illinois revocation.

In order to get a restricted driving permit you will need to have a hearing in Illinois either through a formal hearing or an informal hearing depending on how many total DUI convictions and/or arrests you have had in your life. Typically, if this is your first arrest and first conviction, you will be eligible for an informal hearing with the Secretary of State. If this is your second DUI arrest but your first conviction, you will be eligible for a formal administrative hearing.

I have been helping people get their license cleared for more than 15 years in Illinois. If you need any assistance or have any questions about the Secretary of State license reinstatement process, feel free to contact my office with any questions you have.

– Posted by driver's license lawyer John W. Callahan