The Illinois permit test has at least 35 questions under state rules (92 Ill. Adm. Code 1030.80), and you need 80% correct to pass. Official source. Page updated 2026-10-16.
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Key Illinois DMV rules and numbers
These are key rules and numbers from the Illinois handbook, a few per topic so they fit on one printed page. We favor rules that state a specific number. Every fact below comes from our free Illinois DMV practice test question bank, which has 500 questions across 9 topics, checked against the Illinois handbook (last verified 2026-09-07).
Speed limits
- The school-zone limit described in the handbook is 20 mph. (Handbook, p. 24)
- The manual ties the school-zone duties to several conditions together: the zone must be marked, school must be in operation, children must be present, and the relevant time is between 6:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. (Handbook, p. 25)
- Illinois’s general speed table assigns 65 mph to highways with four lanes unless another limit is posted. (Handbook, p. 24)
- The Illinois table gives other highways and rural areas a default limit of 55 mph, unless a sign sets a different limit. (Handbook, p. 24)
- Alleys carry the lowest default speed limit in the Illinois list: 15 mph unless a different limit is posted. (Handbook, p. 24)
Right of way
- At an Illinois railroad crossing with a posted stop sign, a flashing signal, or a lowered gate, you must stop within 15 to 50 feet of the crossing. (Handbook, p. 33)
- A school bus gives warning at least 100 feet before a stop, or 200 feet in rural areas, using flashing lights on the front and rear. (Handbook, p. 33)
- Illinois requires a driver to yield when a pedestrian is in an unmarked crosswalk on the driver’s side and no traffic-control signals are operating there. (Handbook, p. 27)
- After passing on a two-lane highway, Illinois requires the driver to wait until the entire vehicle just passed is visible in the rearview mirror before moving back to the right-hand lane. (Handbook, p. 28)
- Illinois gives pedestrians the right of way in a crosswalk. (Handbook, p. 80)
Alcohol and DUI
- For a driver under 21, any trace of alcohol while operating a motor vehicle brings a minimum three-month suspension. (Handbook, p. 52)
- A driver under age 21 who is convicted of DUI faces revocation of driving privileges for at least two years when it is a first conviction. (Handbook, p. 52)
- When a person under 21 is convicted of possessing, consuming, purchasing, or receiving alcohol while an occupant of a motor vehicle, Illinois imposes a suspension of at least six months. (Handbook, p. 20)
- Illinois makes it illegal to drive with a THC concentration of 5 nanograms or more per milliliter of whole blood, or 10 nanograms or more per milliliter of another bodily substance. (Handbook, p. 48)
- If a driver refuses a breath test, or an officer believes a blood test may show drugs, the driver can be held financially liable for up to $500 of the blood test costs if found guilty of DUI. (Handbook, p. 49)
Signals and markings
- Illinois requires a continuous turn signal at least 100 feet before turning in a business or residential area, and at least 200 feet before turning in other areas. (Handbook, p. 30)
- In an urban area, a white stop line is usually painted 4 feet before the crosswalk. (Handbook, p. 80)
- A right turn at a red light is allowed unless a sign prohibits it, but the driver must first come to a complete stop. (Handbook, p. 77)
- A constantly lit red arrow normally blocks the movement shown by the arrow. (Handbook, p. 78)
- A steady yellow light warns that the signal is changing from green to red. (Handbook, p. 77)
Parking
- Illinois prohibits standing or parking within 30 feet of a STOP sign, YIELD sign, or traffic control signal. (Handbook, p. 36)
- Illinois prohibits standing or parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, whether or not someone is in the vehicle, and in front of any public or private driveway. (Handbook, p. 35)
- Illinois prohibits parking, whether the vehicle is occupied or not, within 50 feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing. (Handbook, p. 36)
- Illinois tells drivers parking on a street with traffic in both directions to park with the right side wheels parallel to the curb and no more than 12 inches from it. (Handbook, p. 35)
- Illinois bans standing or parking within 20 feet of a fire station driveway, and the same 20 foot distance applies to a crosswalk at an intersection. (Handbook, p. 36)
Safe driving
- For people age 19 and older, Illinois allows hands-free devices or Bluetooth technology, but the general ban on handheld cellphones, texting, and other electronic communications while operating remains. (Handbook, p. 22)
- Illinois requires drivers and passengers in both front and back seats who are age 8 or older to wear safety belts, even when air bags are present. (Handbook, p. 23)
- Illinois requires a child to remain properly secured in a rear-facing child restraint until age 2, with an exception when the child weighs more than 40 pounds or is more than 40 inches tall. (Handbook, p. 24)
- Illinois requires every child under age 8 to be properly secured in an appropriate child safety restraint system. (Handbook, p. 23)
- Bright lights must be dimmed 500 feet before meeting an oncoming vehicle and 300 feet before passing a vehicle. (Handbook, p. 87)
Road signs
- The round yellow advance warning sign with a black X and the letters RR means a highway railway crossing is ahead, and in rural areas it may be placed up to 750 feet before the crossing. (Handbook, p. 63)
- A STOP sign requires a complete stop at the stop line when one is marked. (Handbook, p. 63)
- The Illinois YIELD sign means you must let all traffic and pedestrians go before proceeding. (Handbook, p. 63)
- Illinois uses DO NOT ENTER signs on one-way streets and other roadways where entry is prohibited. (Handbook, p. 65)
- A WRONG WAY sign means the vehicle is traveling against the permitted direction. (Handbook, p. 66)
Laws and paperwork
- An approved driver education course has two required components: a minimum of 30 hours studying in the classroom and six hours of behind-the-wheel training in a regular passenger vehicle. (Handbook, p. 16)
- For the permit phase, Illinois lists a Sunday-through-Thursday restriction from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. (Handbook, p. 18)
- An Illinois instruction permit is valid for up to 24 months. (Handbook, p. 16)
- Illinois requires at least 50 hours of supervised behind-the-wheel driving for drivers under 18, with 10 of those hours completed at night, in addition to driver education. (Handbook, p. 16)
- Holders of a Class D license may operate rental vehicles up to 26,000 pounds when transporting their own personal property or that of an immediate family member for nonbusiness purposes within the state of Illinois. (Handbook, p. 4)
Emergencies
- In a business or residential area, Illinois requires a continuous turn signal for at least 100 feet before turning. (Handbook, p. 30)
- Illinois prohibits photography and wireless or cellphone use within 500 feet of an emergency scene, except in circumstances allowed by law. (Handbook, p. 25)
- Illinois gives a driver 30 minutes after a crash occurs to report it. (Handbook, p. 55)
- Illinois requires a reduced speed to continue until the driver is safely past stationary emergency vehicles. (Handbook, p. 25)
- If moving to a lane away from a stationary emergency vehicle is not possible, Illinois requires the driver to reduce speed and proceed with caution. (Handbook, p. 25)
Want the reasoning behind these rules? Study the handbook, chapter by chapter, in 17 short lessons quoted from the Illinois manual.
Signs
Sign shape and color carry meaning before you even read the words. A red octagon always means stop, a red-bordered triangle pointing down means yield, and yellow diamonds warn of a hazard ahead. For every sign image used in our practice test, with the exact meaning and explanation, see the full road sign glossary.
Keep studying
This cheat sheet is a summary, not a substitute for practice. Test yourself with the free Illinois DMV practice test, which explains the reasoning behind every answer, or see Illinois DMV facts and fees before test day.