Illinois suspends your license based on points, not ticket count
You don't lose your license after a set number of tickets in Illinois — you lose it after you accumulate enough points. The Illinois Secretary of State assigns points to each traffic violation you're convicted of, and when your total reaches a threshold, your license gets suspended. A single serious violation can cost you enough points to trigger suspension when ready, while minor tickets add up more slowly.
The point system exists because not all violations are equal. Speeding 10 miles over the limit and reckless driving both result in tickets, but they carry very different point values. Understanding which violations cost how many points helps you see how close you are to suspension and what violations pose the biggest risk.
Key Takeaways
- Illinois suspends your license when you reach 12 points within a 12-month period, or 18 points within a 24-month period.
- Serious violations like reckless driving, DUI, or driving with a suspended license carry 6 to 50 points and can trigger suspension from a single conviction.
- Minor violations like speeding or improper lane use carry 5 points or fewer, so you'd need multiple convictions to reach suspension.
- You can request a hearing with the Secretary of State before your suspension takes effect, and you may be able to reduce points through traffic school in some cases.
- Your point total resets after 12 months with no new violations, so a clean driving record is the fastest way to avoid suspension.
How the Illinois point system works
Every traffic violation in Illinois carries a point value assigned by the Secretary of State. When you're convicted of a violation — whether you plead guilty, pay the fine, or lose in court — those points are added to your driving record. The points stay on your record for a set time, usually five years, even if you don't accumulate enough to trigger suspension.
The Secretary of State tracks your points in two separate windows. If you reach 12 points within any 12-month period, your license is suspended. If you reach 18 points within any 24-month period, your license is also suspended. You only need to hit one of these thresholds to lose your license — the state doesn't wait for you to hit both.
Common violations and their point values
Minor violations typically carry 5 points or fewer. Speeding 1 to 10 miles over the limit costs 5 points. Improper lane use, following too closely, and failure to yield cost 5 points each. Speeding 11 to 14 miles over the limit also costs 5 points. These violations add up slowly, so you'd need multiple convictions within 12 months to reach the 12-point threshold.
Mid-level violations carry 10 to 15 points. Speeding 15 to 25 miles over the limit costs 10 points. Reckless driving costs 15 points. Driving with a suspended or revoked license costs 12 points. A single conviction for reckless driving or driving with a suspended license puts you very close to suspension.
Serious violations carry 20 points or more and often trigger suspension when ready. DUI (driving under the influence) costs 50 points. Leaving the scene of an accident costs 20 points. Driving with a revoked license (as opposed to suspended) costs 20 points. Aggravated speeding — typically defined as 26 miles or more over the limit — costs 20 points.
When your license gets suspended
Once the Secretary of State determines you've reached the suspension threshold, they send you a notice by mail. This notice tells you the suspension date, which is usually at least 10 days after the notice is mailed. You have the right to request a hearing before the suspension takes effect, and you should do this if you believe the points were recorded incorrectly or if you have circumstances the state should consider.
Your suspension lasts a minimum of three months for a first suspension. If you've been suspended before, the length increases — a second suspension is typically six months, and a third or subsequent suspension is one year. During suspension, you cannot legally drive, and driving with a suspended license adds 12 points to your record and can result in criminal charges.
How to request a hearing before suspension
When you receive the suspension notice, it includes instructions for requesting a hearing. You typically have 10 days from the date the notice was mailed to submit your request. You can request a hearing by mail, phone, or online through the Secretary of State's website. The hearing is conducted by a hearing officer, not a judge, and you can present evidence or testimony about why your license should not be suspended.
A hearing doesn't may provide your suspension will be canceled, but it gives you a chance to challenge the accuracy of the points on your record or to explain circumstances the state may not have considered. If you win the hearing, the suspension is canceled. If you lose, the suspension takes effect as originally scheduled.
Reducing points through traffic school
Illinois allows you to reduce points on your record by completing a defensive driving course, but only under specific conditions. You must have been convicted of a violation that carries 5 points or fewer. You can only use traffic school once every five years. If you complete an approved course, the Secretary of State removes up to 4 points from your record.
Not all violations are may be able to access for traffic school reduction. Violations like reckless driving, DUI, or driving with a suspended license cannot be reduced through traffic school. You also cannot use traffic school if you've already used it within the past five years. Check with the court that handled your ticket to confirm whether your specific violation is may be able to access and to find an approved course in your area.
How your point total resets
Your points don't disappear after a set time, but they stop counting toward suspension after 12 months without a new conviction. If you receive a ticket on January 15 and don't receive another ticket for 12 months, that first ticket's points no longer count toward the 12-point threshold on January 16 of the following year. However, the violation still appears on your driving record for five years.
This means a clean driving record is your fastest path away from suspension. If you're close to the threshold, avoiding any new violations for 12 months will drop you below the suspension limit. If you do receive another ticket, the clock resets for all your violations — you're back to counting all points from that new conviction date.
What happens after your suspension ends
When your suspension period ends, you don't automatically get your license back. You must explore for reinstatement through the Secretary of State. The reinstatement process requires you to pay a reinstatement fee (currently $100 for a first suspension, higher for subsequent suspensions) and to provide proof of financial responsibility, usually in the form of an SR-22 insurance certificate. Your insurance company can file this for you.
You may also be required to pass a written test or vision test before reinstatement is granted. The specific requirements depend on why your license was suspended and whether you've had previous suspensions. Once you've met all requirements and paid the fee, the Secretary of State will reinstate your license, and you can legally drive again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I drive during my suspension if I get a restricted license?
Illinois does not issue restricted licenses for point-based suspensions. You cannot legally drive for any reason during your suspension period. Driving with a suspended license is a separate criminal offense that adds 12 points to your record and can result in jail time and fines.
Do out-of-state tickets count toward my Illinois suspension?
Yes. Illinois reports violations to your home state and receives reports from other states through the National Driver Register. Out-of-state violations are assigned Illinois point values and added to your record the same way in-state violations are.
What if I pay a ticket but don't go to court — do I still get points?
Yes. Paying a fine is treated as a conviction by the Secretary of State, and points are added to your record. If you want to avoid points, you must contest the ticket in court and win, or work with the prosecutor to have the charge reduced or dismissed.
Can I get points removed from my record before they expire?
Points cannot be removed early except through traffic school, which removes up to 4 points and can only be used once every five years for violations carrying 5 points or fewer. Otherwise, points remain on your record for five years from the conviction date.
How do I check how many points are on my license right now?
You can check your driving record through the Illinois Secretary of State's website or by visiting a Driver Services facility in person. You can also request a copy of your record by mail. Your record shows all violations and points from the past five years.