Illinois Adult Driver Education FAQ
This page collects cross-cutting questions about Illinois adult driver education that do not belong to any single page on this site. For the core requirement, see Illinois Adult Driver Education Requirements; for eligibility, see Who Needs Illinois Adult Driver Education; for price, see Illinois Adult Driver Education Cost. Every answer here traces to a dated source, or carries an unverified marker when our research corpus does not resolve it; the Illinois SOS Driver Services page is the authority behind most of the sourced answers. Back to Illinois Adult Driver Education for the full site overview.
Is Illinois Adult Driver Education the Same as Teen Driver's Ed?
No. Teen driver education for ages 15-17 is delivered through Illinois secondary schools under 105 ILCS 5/27-24.1, while adult driver education under 625 ILCS 5/6-107.5 applies only to first-time applicants ages 18-20 through SOS-certified online providers.
The two programs do not overlap in either statute or delivery channel. A secondary school's driver education program approval under the teen statute does not make that school a certified provider of the adult course, and an SOS-certified adult driver education provider under Part 1066 is not automatically authorized to deliver the teen program either.
Can the Illinois Adult Driver Education Course Be Completed on a Phone?
Yes. 92 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1066 requires only that delivery be online and does not restrict the device used, so a phone or tablet works as long as the specific provider's own platform supports it.
State rule sets the delivery channel (online) and the content requirement (the 20 topics in Section 1066.45); it does not dictate hardware. Confirm device compatibility with your chosen provider directly, since one certified provider's platform may work better on a phone browser than another's.
What If I Already Completed Driver's Ed in Another State?
Yes, an exemption exists: the Illinois SOS accepts proof of a completed out-of-state high school driver education course (such as a certified transcript or report card showing a passing grade) in place of the Adult Driver Education Course.
The Illinois SOS's own Adult Driver Education FAQ states that the course is required only for an applicant who has never taken any type of driver education course, in high school or through a commercial driving school - so a driver education course already completed in another state, including a high school program, counts toward that exemption the same way an Illinois course would. Bring acceptable proof (a certified transcript, report card, or completion letter showing a passing grade) to your SOS Driver Services appointment rather than assuming you must retake the course. This corrects an earlier version of this page, which assumed no such exemption was documented.
Does the Military Have a Different Requirement?
No. 625 ILCS 5/6-103 requires the adult driver education course of every first-time applicant age 18 to 20 with no listed exception for military service, and neither SOS page this site checked documents a separate accommodation for this specific course.
The governing paragraph of 625 ILCS 5/6-103 bars the Secretary of State from issuing a license "to any person at least 18 years of age but less than 21 years of age unless the person has ... successfully completed" the Section 6-107.5 course, with no carve-out for military status written into that clause. Some Illinois programs carry separate military accommodations - for example, active-duty service members get testing waivers for an initial commercial driver's license and an expired-license grace period while stationed outside Illinois - but that accommodation applies to different license actions, not to this specific course requirement.
Sources
| Fact | Value | Authority | URL | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult driver education statute | 625 ILCS 5/6-107.5 | Illinois General Assembly | https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/ILCS/Fulltext?DocName=062500050K6-107.5 | 2026-06-07 |
| Teen driver education statute (distinct program) | 105 ILCS 5/27-24.1 | Illinois General Assembly | https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?Name=0060050000060001070050 | 2026-06-07 |
| Online-only delivery, no device restriction | 92 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1066 | Illinois General Assembly (JCAR) | https://www.ilga.gov/agencies/JCAR/EntirePart?titlepart=09201066 | 2026-06-07 |
| Regulator of record | Illinois Secretary of State (SOS), Driver Services | Illinois Secretary of State (SOS) | https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/drivers/driver-education/ade.html | 2026-07-12 |
| Out-of-state driver education exemption | Course required only if applicant has never taken any driver education course, in high school or through a commercial driving school, in any state; a completed out-of-state high school course (with certified transcript/report card) satisfies the exemption | Illinois Secretary of State (SOS) | https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/drivers/driver-education/adefaq.html | 2026-09-14 |
| Provider decertification effect on students | No provider may operate if its certification is suspended, revoked, canceled, or not renewed; a completion from a provider not on the certified list will not be accepted | 92 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1066; Illinois Secretary of State (SOS) | https://www.ilga.gov/agencies/JCAR/EntirePart?titlepart=09201066 | 2026-09-14 |
| Certificate of Completion delivery | Emailed to the student; printed and carried to a Driver Services facility | Illinois Secretary of State (SOS) | https://www.ilsos.gov/departments/drivers/driver-education/adefaq.html | 2026-09-19 |
| No military exception in the license-issuance clause requiring this course | 625 ILCS 5/6-103, the paragraph conditioning license issuance for ages 18-20 on completing Section 6-107.5, has no military carve-out | Illinois General Assembly | https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ILCS/details?MajorTopic=TRANSPORTATION&Chapter=VEHICLES&ActName=Illinois%20Vehicle%20Code.&ActID=1815&ChapterID=49&ChapAct=625+ILCS+5%2F&SeqStart=84800000&SeqEnd=85800000 | 2026-09-19 |
| Statutory age-window wording ("at least 18 ... but less than 21") | Does not specify whether measured at application, completion, or issuance | Illinois General Assembly | https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ILCS/details?MajorTopic=TRANSPORTATION&Chapter=VEHICLES&ActName=Illinois%20Vehicle%20Code.&ActID=1815&ChapterID=49&ChapAct=625+ILCS+5%2F&SeqStart=84800000&SeqEnd=85800000 | 2026-09-19 |
Frequently asked questions
Who pays the $5-per-student transmission fee?
The certified provider pays it to the SOS out of its own revenue; it is not billed separately to the student. See Illinois Adult Driver Education Cost for the full fee breakdown.
What happens if my chosen provider loses SOS certification while I am mid-course?
92 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1066 states that no provider may remain in operation if its certification is suspended, revoked, canceled, or not renewed, and the Illinois SOS states that a completion from a provider not on its certified list will not be accepted. The specific mechanics for a completion already earned before a mid-course decertification are not spelled out in our sources, so that narrower point stays ; contact the SOS or the provider directly if you have reason to think a provider's status may be changing.
Do I get a printed certificate when I finish?
Yes. The Illinois SOS emails you a Certificate of Completion at the address you gave your course provider; you print it and bring it to a Driver Services facility. See After the Illinois Adult Driver Education Course for the full sequence.
Can I get a refund if I stop the course partway through?
Refund policy is set individually by each provider and is not documented with a dated source for any of the four providers in this site's research; confirm directly with the provider before paying if a refund matters to your decision.
What if I turn 21 while I am partway through the course?
625 ILCS 5/6-103 bars license issuance to "any person at least 18 years of age but less than 21 years of age" without the completed course, but the statute text does not itself say whether that age window is measured at application, at course completion, or at issuance. Confirm the exact timing directly with the Illinois SOS if you expect to turn 21 before finishing.
Is there a customer support phone number if I have trouble with the online course?
Support channels and hours are set individually by each provider and are not documented with a dated source in this site's research; check the specific provider's own site for their current support options before enrolling.