Supervising a New Driver in Illinois: Parent's Guide
If your teen is going through Illinois's graduated licensing system, your supervised-driving role is built into the law. Here's what your teen needs to log, what restrictions apply, and where parents most commonly slip up.
GDL stages and supervised-driving requirements
- Earliest permit age
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15
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road 2025, Chapter 3: Graduated Driver Licensing Program, Permit Phase, p. 18
- Permit holding period (months)
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9
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road 2025, Chapter 3: Graduated Driver Licensing Program, Permit Phase, p. 18
- Supervised driving hours required
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50
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road 2025, Chapter 3: Graduated Driver Licensing Program, Permit Phase, p. 18
- Of which, night hours
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10
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road 2025, Chapter 3: Graduated Driver Licensing Program, Permit Phase, p. 18
- Earliest intermediate license age
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16
- Intermediate curfew — start time
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10 p.m. (Sun-Thu); 11 p.m. (Fri-Sat)
- Intermediate curfew — end time
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6 a.m.
- Intermediate passenger restriction
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During the first 12 months of licensing in the Initial Licensing Phase, or until the driver turns 18 (whichever comes first), the number of passengers is capped at one person under age 20. Siblings, stepsiblings, children, or stepchildren of the driver do not count against that limit. After that first 12 months (or after turning 18), the restriction loosens to one passenger in the front seat plus the number of safety belts in the back seat. A traffic conviction during the Initial Licensing Phase can extend these restrictions past the driver's 18th birthday.
- Earliest full license age
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18
- Minimum age — learner permit
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15
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road 2025, Chapter 3: Obtaining an Instruction Permit, p. 16
- Minimum age — driver license
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16
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road 2025, Chapter 1: Age Restrictions, p. 4
Phone laws for new drivers
- Handheld phone — banned for all drivers?
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yes
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road 2025, Chapter 4: Distracted Driving, p. 22
- Texting — banned for all drivers?
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yes
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road 2025, Chapter 4: Distracted Driving, p. 22
- Hands-free also banned for minors?
-
yes
Seatbelt and passenger rules
- Seatbelt law enforcement
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primary
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road 2025, Chapter 4: Safety Belt Law, p. 23
- Seats required to belt
-
all seats
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road 2025, Chapter 4: Safety Belt Law, p. 23
- Child seat — age threshold
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under 8
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road 2025, Chapter 4: Child Passenger Protection Act, pp. 23-24
- Booster seat — weight threshold
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40 pounds
Source: Illinois Rules of the Road 2025, Chapter 4: Child Passenger Protection Act, pp. 23-24
The Illinois Permit-Phase Coaching Plan, free.
The parent's-eye view of the permit phase: Illinois's GDL numbers, the supervised-hours ladder, how to coach mistakes without breaking confidence, and a test-week plan.
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