The Illinois permit test, explained

The short answer

The Illinois written exam has 35 questions, 15 of them on traffic signs, and you need 80 percent (28 right) to pass. You can get an instruction permit at 15 if you are enrolled in an approved driver education course and a parent or guardian consents. You also pass a vision screening, and the permit costs $20.

Source: Rules of the Road Workbook, Illinois Secretary of State

In Illinois the permit phase is long. You hold the permit for at least nine months before you can get a license, and you log 50 hours of practice with an adult.

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This text was written with AI help, checked against the Illinois Secretary of State’s pages and approved by Fri Vei AS. Last updated .

Checked against the Illinois Secretary of State · Report a mistake

Drivoku is not connected to the Illinois Secretary of State (SOS), which runs driver licensing in Illinois. Every fact below links to the SOS page or publication it comes from, checked on November 4, 2026.

The Illinois permit test at a glance

Illinois instruction permit and written exam
Minimum age15, enrolled in an approved driver education course (SOS)
Number of questions35, of which 15 are sign identification (SOS workbook)
Passing score80 percent (28 of 35)
Also neededA vision screening and a parent’s or guardian’s consent (SOS)
Permit fee$20 (SOS fees)
Valid forUp to two years
Held forAt least nine months before a license

How many questions are on the Illinois permit test?

Thirty-five. The SOS Rules of the Road Workbook says 15 of them are about identifying traffic signs. The SOS describes the rest as multiple-choice and true-or-false questions on traffic laws, safe driving, crash prevention and vehicle equipment, plus signals and pavement markings. You need 80 percent, which is 28 of 35, so you can miss 7. A passing result stays valid until your permit expires.

Do you need driver education for an Illinois permit?

Yes, if you are 15 to 17. You must be enrolled in an approved driver education course, or start one within 30 days. From 17 years and 3 months you may apply for a permit without a course (instruction permit requirements).

What to bring

  • A parent or legal guardian, who consents to your permit.
  • The application signed by your certified driver-education instructor.
  • Proof of identity and the completed application, as the SOS lists on its instruction permit page.
  • The $20 fee for an original instruction permit (SOS fees).

If you are under 18 and have unresolved traffic citations, the SOS will not issue you a permit.

Rules for teen drivers in Illinois

Illinois, like every state, uses graduated driver licensing. From the SOS page on the graduated driver’s license and the Rules of the Road:

  • Permit phase: hold the permit for at least nine months with no driving convictions, and practice at least 50 hours, 10 of them at night, with a parent or another licensed adult aged 21 or older.
  • Initial licensing phase (16 and 17): no driving from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday to Thursday, or from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. For the first 12 months, or until you turn 18, at most one passenger under 20, with some exceptions listed in the Rules of the Road.
  • Phones: drivers under 19 may not use a phone while driving, not even hands-free, except in an emergency.

What Drivoku covers for Illinois

Our free permit practice test, the road signs quiz and the questions below cover road rules and signs that apply in every state, with signs from the national sign manual. They do not cover Illinois’s own laws, such as its curfew hours. The Illinois Rules of the Road has those.

Practice five questions every state shares

Five shared road rules

Answer one question at a time. You see the answer and the reason after each one. Nothing you pick is saved or sent anywhere.

Question 1 of 5

  1. Intersections and turns

    You face a steady circular green and plan a permitted left turn. An oncoming car is close enough to conflict with your turn. A pedestrian is also lawfully crossing your turning path. What must happen before you turn?

    • The pedestrian clears your path; the car must yield
    • The oncoming car passes; the pedestrian must wait
    • You signal; the car and pedestrian must then yield
    • You yield until each conflict clears Right

    The right answer is D: You yield until each conflict clears

    WhyOn a circular green, left turns yield to conflicting oncoming vehicles and pedestrians lawfully in the crosswalk.

    Source: MUTCD Section 4A.03 Meanings of Steady Vehicular Signal Indications, UVC § 11-402 Vehicle turning left (model law)

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  2. Lanes

    You are on a road with four lanes and two-way traffic, with a center line between the directions. When may you cross that center line?

    • To pass a slower car ahead of you
    • Whenever your side of the road is busy
    • To make a safe, permitted left turn into a driveway, alley, or private road Right
    • To use the oncoming lanes as a shortcut past traffic

    The right answer is C: To make a safe, permitted left turn into a driveway, alley, or private road

    WhyOn a four-lane two-way road, never drive left of center to pass; turning left into a driveway is allowed.

    Source: UVC § 11-301(c) Drive on right side of roadway - exceptions (model law)

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  3. Speed and space

    On a clear, dry highway you drive so slowly that a long line of cars builds up behind you, though no hazard or law requires it. What does the law say?

    • You may drive any slow speed you choose
    • You must match the fastest car's speed
    • Do not block the normal flow of traffic Right
    • You must pull over and stop completely

    The right answer is C: Do not block the normal flow of traffic

    WhyDo not drive so slowly that you impede normal traffic, unless the slow speed is needed for safety or to obey the law.

    Source: UVC § 11-805 Minimum speed regulation (model law)

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  4. Pavement markings

    A white arrow painted in your lane curves left. What does it tell you?

    • Left turns are forbidden here
    • This lane is for left turns Right
    • The road curves left up ahead
    • You may turn left or go straight

    The right answer is B: This lane is for left turns

    WhyA lane-use arrow shows the movements allowed or required in that lane.

    Source: MUTCD Section 3B.23 Lane-Use Arrows

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  5. Sharing the road

    Red lights are flashing at a railroad crossing, but the gate is still raised and you cannot see a train. No officer is directing traffic. What should you do?

    • Stop before the tracks; wait until the lights stop and it is safe Right
    • Cross slowly while watching for a train in both directions
    • Continue across because the raised gate permits travel
    • Stop only if a train becomes visible near the crossing

    The right answer is A: Stop before the tracks; wait until the lights stop and it is safe

    WhyFlashing crossing lights mean stop before the tracks; a raised gate does not cancel them.

    Source: UVC § 11-701(a) Obedience to signal indicating approach of train (model law)

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Each topic's level is free in the app. Pro lets you practice every topic as much as you want.

In the app, questions you miss come back until you get them right. 5 questions a day are free.

45 free questions on this website and 379 in the app, checked against the MUTCD, the Uniform Vehicle Code and Texas law, with the reason for every answer. About the app

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Fifteen of the 35 questions are signs, so learn them with the road signs library and our guide to sign shapes and colors. Other states: permit test by state.

Common questions

How many questions are on the Illinois permit test?

35, and 15 of them are about identifying traffic signs. You need 80 percent, which is 28 right.

Can you get a permit at 15 in Illinois?

Yes, if you are enrolled in an approved driver education course and a parent or guardian consents.

How much is an instruction permit in Illinois?

The SOS lists $20 for an original Class D instruction permit.

How long do you have to hold a permit in Illinois?

At least nine months, with at least 50 hours of practice, 10 of them at night, before you can get a license at 16 or 17.

Sources

(5)
  1. Rules of the Road Workbook, Illinois Secretary of State
  2. Instruction permit requirements, Illinois Secretary of State
  3. Graduated driver’s license, Illinois Secretary of State
  4. Illinois Rules of the Road (2026), Illinois Secretary of State
  5. Fees, Illinois Secretary of State