Driving with an expired license in Illinois is illegal from the day after the license expires. Illinois law requires a valid license to drive and gives no grace period. A license expired more than 1 year is a Class B misdemeanor with up to 6 months in jail and a fine of up to $1,500. A shorter lapse is generally a petty offense with a fine of up to $500. An unlicensed driver who is also uninsured faces mandatory vehicle impoundment.
Table of contents
- What Is the Penalty for Driving With an Expired License in Illinois?
- Can Police Impound Your Car for an Expired License?
- Is There a Grace Period for an Expired License in Illinois?
- Is an Expired License the Same as Driving Without a License in Illinois?
- How to Renew an Expired Driver's License in Illinois
- Do You Have to Retake the Test if Your Illinois License Expired?
- When Does an Illinois Driver's License Expire?
- Can Your Car Insurance Be Canceled for an Expired License in Illinois?
No. Illinois has no grace period for driving on an expired license. Illinois law requires a valid license to drive (625 ILCS 5/6-101). An expired license is not a valid license. Police can ticket you the day after your license expires.
The penalty depends on how long the license has been expired. A license expired more than 1 year is a Class B misdemeanor with up to 6 months in jail and a fine of up to $1,500. A shorter lapse is generally a petty offense with a fine of up to $500.
What Is the Penalty for Driving With an Expired License in Illinois?
The penalty is a petty-offense fine or a Class B misdemeanor, depending on how long your license has been expired (625 ILCS 5/6-601). The table compares an expired-license ticket with the other "no valid license" charges in Illinois:
Your situation when stopped | Offense class | Maximum penalty |
|---|---|---|
License expired 1 year or less | Petty offense* | Fine of up to $500 |
License expired more than 1 year | Class B misdemeanor | Up to 6 months in jail, a fine of $75 to $1,500, and up to 2 years of probation |
Never issued a license | Class B misdemeanor | Up to 6 months in jail, a fine of $75 to $1,500 |
License suspended or revoked | Class A misdemeanor | Less than 1 year in jail, a fine of up to $2,500, and an extended suspension or revocation |
*Section 6-601 makes an expired license a misdemeanor only after the license has been expired for more than 1 year, so a shorter lapse falls under the Vehicle Code's default petty-offense penalty (625 ILCS 5/6-601(a)-(b)). The Class B and Class A sentences come from 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-60 and 5/5-4.5-55.
Attend your court date. Since July 1, 2025, a failure-to-appear license suspension applies only to traffic offenses punishable by jail. A Class B expired-license charge (a license expired more than 1 year) is punishable by jail, so a missed court date on that charge can still lead to a suspension.
Can Police Impound Your Car for an Expired License?
Yes, if you are also uninsured. Illinois law says an unlicensed driver who has no insurance "shall have his or her motor vehicle immediately impounded by the arresting law enforcement officer" (625 ILCS 5/6-101(d)). Keep your car insurance active while you renew your license to avoid the mandatory impound.
Is There a Grace Period for an Expired License in Illinois?
No. Illinois law makes 3 narrow exceptions:
Temporary paper license: An in-person renewal gives you a temporary secure paper license. The paper license is valid for 90 days while the Secretary of State mails your card.
Military deferral: Active-duty service outside Illinois defers your license expiration until 120 days after you return. The deferral also covers your spouse and dependent children. Carry the free Military Deferral Certificate with your expired license (625 ILCS 5/6-115(d)).
New residents: A new Illinois resident can drive for the first 90 days of residency on a valid, current license from the previous home state or country (625 ILCS 5/6-102).
Is an Expired License the Same as Driving Without a License in Illinois?
Yes. Illinois charges an expired license and a never-issued license the same way, as driving without a valid license under 625 ILCS 5/6-101. A license expired more than 1 year carries the same Class B misdemeanor as never having a license. Driving on a suspended or revoked license is a separate, more serious charge under 625 ILCS 5/6-303.
How to Renew an Expired Driver's License in Illinois
The fastest option is an online renewal, but only if your license expired one year ago or less. Illinois sets no deadline to renew an expired license.
Expired 1 year or less: You can renew online with the PIN or Renewal Authorization Number from your Secretary of State renewal letter. Online renewal is not available to drivers under 21. Drivers 79 and older must renew in person. Online renewal is also not available when your last renewal was remote, when you need a vision or medical report, or when you apply for a REAL ID.
Expired more than 1 year: You must renew in person and retake the license exams.
Renewing in person: Every driver who renews at a Secretary of State facility takes a vision screening and leaves with the temporary paper license.
A late renewal does not extend the license term. A 4-year license renewed late still expires 4 years after the old expiration date, not 4 years after the renewal date (625 ILCS 5/6-115(a)). The Secretary of State mails a renewal letter 60 to 90 days before your license expires. You do not need the letter to renew in person.
Do You Have to Retake the Test if Your Illinois License Expired?
Only if your license has been expired for more than 1 year. The Secretary of State must test your eyesight, your knowledge of traffic signs, and your knowledge of Illinois traffic laws. The Secretary of State can also require a driving test (625 ILCS 5/6-109(a)-(b)).
When Does an Illinois Driver's License Expire?
Under 21: 3 months after your 21st birthday
Ages 21 to 80: Every 4 years
Ages 81 to 86: Every 2 years
Age 87 and older: Every year, with a driving test at each renewal. The driving-test age rose from 79 to 87 on July 1, 2026.
You can renew up to 1 year before a 4-year or 2-year license expires. You can renew up to 6 months before a 1-year license expires.
Can Your Car Insurance Be Canceled for an Expired License in Illinois?
No, not after your policy has been in force for 60 days. Illinois law limits the reasons an insurer can cancel a policy after the first 60 days (215 ILCS 5/143.19). An expired license is not one of those reasons. A license suspended or revoked within the past 12 months is one of those reasons. During the first 60 days of a new policy, an insurer can cancel for almost any reason. An insurer that nonrenews a policy at the end of a term must give at least 30 days' written notice (215 ILCS 5/143.17). Renew your license before you drive again.
To learn how insurers treat an expired license when you buy or renew a policy, read can you get car insurance with an expired license.
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