Renewing Your License

Safe Driver Program Renewals

If you're a good driver in Illinois, renewing your driver's license every four years is a snap. You may qualify for the Safe Driver Sticker Renewal program.

This program allows online renewal using a simple form and the 14-digit renewal authorization number included in your renewal letter. You can renew online every other time.

You will need to:

• Provide the renewal authorization number from your renewal letter.

• Verify that all information is correct.

• Pay the renwal fee by electronic check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express. This will be $10 plus a $1.75 processing fee if paying by card.

• After payment, a confirmation page will be displayed. Print this out for your records.

• When your renewal sticker arrives in about two weeks, affix it to the back of your license.

Under the Safe Driver program, you can also renew by telephone or by mail. If you've qualified, you will receive a letter stating so approximately 60 days before your license expires.

You may participate in this program only once every eight years; at your next renewal, you will have to present yourself at a local Secretary of State's driver services office.

Who Doesn't Qualify

Here are some of the major reasons a driver cannot use the Safe Driver Sticker Renewal Program:

• The Safe Driver program does not apply for commercial driver license holders, or for school bus permit license holders.

• Your license can't be under suspension, revoked, canceled, or otherwise restricted in Illinois or in any other state.

• You must not have been in any accidents during the last four years.

• You must not have any medical or vision condition that has manifested during the time since your last renewal or license issue.

• Your legal name or gender must not have changed.

• You cannot have moved after receiving your Safe Driver program renewal offer letter.

The Safe Driver Sticker

After you renew online under the Safe Driver program, you will receive a sticker to attach to your existing driver's license. You will not receive a new license card, which is why all the information on file for you must still be correct at the time of the renewal.

Questions?

If you want to verify that your electronic application was received and is being processed, you can contact the Safe Driver program using an online form. Someone from the Safe Driver program will get back to you with an answer to your question or verify that your form was received.

Renewing in Person

If you don't qualify to renew online, you will need to go to your local Secretary of State's driver services office and renew in person. Even safe drivers must do this every eight years.

Bring any documentation you may need to support requested changes in address, name, gender, qualifications, or endorsements. Also bring the $10 renewal fee.

Renewing a Commercial License

Those with a commercial driver's license (CDL) have different renewal procedures.

Military Personnel

Each state’s motor vehicle agency will have different renewal policies for drivers in the military. Check out our Drivers in the Military page to find out how to handle your license renewal while you are stationed out of state.