In Illinois, drivers licenses and related services are conducted through the Illinois Secretary of State Office (SOS), not a department of motor vehicles, as many other states have. SOS offices are located in cities and towns across Illinois, and most offices keep the same hours of operation. Approved third-party vendors can also help you with certain DMV transactions.
Illinois DMV Hours and Services
SOS offices in Illinois are open Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5:30 PM and on Saturdays from 7:30 AM to 12:00 PM. Offices are closed on state holidays and occasionally at other times, so check with the office where you need to do business to be sure they will be open when you go there.
To find a complete list of SOS offices in Illinois, go the main SOS website at CyberDriveIllinois.com and use the office location finder page by entering your zip code. You can also access a list of SOS offices in each county in Illinois on the site.
Driver Services at Illinois SOS Offices
Illinois SOS offices provide driver and vehicle-related services, including:
- issuing drivers licenses and learner’s permits
- issuing Motorcycle licenses
- issuing commercial drivers licenses (CDL)
- providing State ID cards to Illinois residents
- vehicle registration and title transactions
- issuing restricted local drivers licenses
The Illinois SOS website also includes a list of approved driver education courses for high school students, adults, and those seeking commercial drivers licenses. Illinois requires people who are between the ages of 18 and 20 who have never had a drivers license or who do not have a certificate of completion from a driver education class to enroll in a six-hour Adult Driver Education Course.
Whatever service you need at an Illinois SOS office, you can save time and frustration by making an appointment in advance online or by phone. Be sure to arrive about 10 minutes before your appointment time to receive the fastest service.
You can also save time by using the SOS online service to conduct many driver- and vehicle-related transactions, such as the renewal of drivers licenses and vehicle registration.
Illinois also works with private businesses, local municipal governments and agencies, and fire departments, licensing them to provide DMV related services at their facilities. These services include conducting driver road skill test for many types of drivers licenses.
Contacting the Illinois SOS Department
The main website for the Illinois SOS is found at CyberDriveIllinois.com. At this page, you can
- check drivers license status
- apply for vehicle title and registration renewal
- reinstate a drivers license
- access a state-wide SOS facilities finder
To contact the main office by phone from inside Illinois call (800) 252-8980. To reach the Illinois SOS office from outside the state, call (217) 785-3000.
The mailing address for the Illinois SOS main office is 213 State Capitol, Springfield, IL 62756.
