With the recent advent of the Graduated Driver Licensing program in Illinois, getting a driver's license has become more complicated for teens. There are many new restrictions and requirements at several points in the licensing process.

All teens need to take an approved driver education course. This course may be offered by your school district. You can also take these courses privately at approved driver education schools.

There is a $50 fee for taking the course at a public school. This fee must be waived if the student's family is unable to pay. Some districts have received permission from the State to charge more than $50, so check directly with your school district before you enroll.

Course Requirements

The curriculum used by any driver education course is set by the State of Illinois. Driving schools are also subject to the provisions of the Illinois Vehicle Code.

The Illinois State Department of Education is the supervising body for all in-school driver education programs. These courses must include at least 30 hours of classroom instruction and six hours of behind-the-wheel instruction―where you do the driving.

If you show good driving skills, you might be able to skip up to three hours of the six-hour behind-the-wheel training. But this is at the discretion of the driving instructor.

Teens enrolled in private schools may take the driver education course at a public school in their school district.

Grades count; students must be doing well in school to be allowed to take driver education classes. This means receiving a passing grade in at least eight courses over the past two semesters.

In addition to completing the driver education course, you must get another 50 hours of behind-the-wheel driver training supervised by a parent or other responsible adult. Then you can apply for your driver's license.

Graduated Licenses: A New Look

Once you do receive your Illinois driver's license, it won't look like the unrestricted license that adults get. Illinois has recently redesigned the licenses of drivers under 21 to reduce the possibility of underage drinking. The new designs are in a vertical format, rather than the traditional horizontal or "landscape" format used on licenses for older drivers.

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