Illinois Driver Point System
Illinois uses a sliding-scale point system that's unusual among U.S. states. A single moving-violation conviction can be worth anywhere from 5 to 50 points, depending on the speed over the limit or the seriousness of the offense. Hit certain conviction counts in 12 or 24 months and the Secretary of State can suspend or revoke a license — even before the points are formally tallied.
How the system works
The Illinois SOS assigns points in tiers based on the offense and, for speeding, on how far over the limit the driver was traveling. Points stay on the record for record-keeping purposes for 4-5 years for most violations and 7 years for major ones. The point total drives the length of any future suspension and feeds into the "negligent driver" determination.
Common point values
| Violation | Points |
|---|---|
| Speeding 1-10 mph over | 5 |
| Speeding 11-14 mph over | 15 |
| Speeding 15-25 mph over | 20 |
| Speeding 26+ mph over | 50 |
| Failure to stop at stop sign | 20 |
| Failure to yield right of way | 20 |
| Improper lane change | 15 |
| Improper turn | 15 |
| Following too closely | 25 |
| Reckless driving | 55 |
| DUI conviction | 55 |
| Drag racing | 55 |
| Fleeing/eluding officer | 50 |
| Driving on suspended license | 30 |
| Passing stopped school bus | 50 |
Suspension thresholds
The Illinois SOS uses a conviction-count rule rather than a pure point threshold for suspensions:
- Adult drivers: three or more moving-violation convictions within a 12-month period results in a 2- to 12-month suspension. The exact length depends on the total point value.
- Drivers under 21: two or more moving-violation convictions within a 24-month period results in a minimum 30-day suspension and a mandatory family hearing.
- CDL holders: federal disqualification rules apply on top of state points — two serious traffic violations in 3 years bring a 60-day CDL suspension.
Suspension length by point total
| Total points | Suspension |
|---|---|
| 0-14 | 2 months |
| 15-44 | 3 months |
| 45-74 | 6 months |
| 75-89 | 9 months |
| 90-99 | 12 months |
| 100-109 | Revoked |
| 110+ | Revoked |
Reducing or avoiding points
Illinois doesn't offer a point-reduction class in the way some states do, but there are two common ways to keep points off the record:
- Court supervision. A first-time minor traffic offender can request court supervision rather than a guilty plea. If completed (typically 3-6 months without further violations), the offense isn't reported as a conviction on the public abstract or to insurance — but it does appear on the internal SOS record. Court supervision is limited to one moving violation per 12 months for adults and two per lifetime for drivers under 21.
- Defensive driving course. Drivers under 21 who complete an approved defensive driving course after a first moving conviction can avoid the second-conviction suspension. See our traffic school guide for the national context.
How to check your point total
Pull a current Illinois driving abstract — either the certified or uncertified version — for $12 from the SOS portal. The abstract lists each conviction and the points assigned. Insurance companies typically pull a copy of this same record at renewal.
For a comparison with other state point systems, see the national point system guide.