Curfew in Illinois: Teen Nighttime Driving Restrictions

The Illinois Secretary of State has strict laws for teens including nighttime driving restrictions and required obedience to local curfews.

What Time is Curfew in Illinois?

In Illinois, all drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from driving:

• Sunday – Thursday between the hours of 10:00 P.M. and 6:00 A.M., AND
• Friday – Saturday between the hours of 11:00 P.M. and 6:00 A.M.

During these hours, the minor’s driver’s license is invalid under Illinois law 625 ILCS 5/6-110. All drivers under the age of 18 are also required to obey local curfews, which may be more restrictive than these hours.

Defenses to Curfew and Nighttime Driving Violations

There are limited exceptions to nighttime driving restrictions, which include the following, and may be verified by the police officer:

• If the minor is accompanied by their parent or guardian
• Involved in an emergency
• On the way or returning from work (without making a detour or stop)
• On an errand at the direction of their parent or guardian (without making a detour or stop)
• On the way or returning from an official school, religious or other recreational activity supervised by adults and sponsored by a governmental agency, a civic organization, or another similar entity that takes responsibility for the minor (without making a detour or stop)

Penalties for Curfew/Nighttime Driving Violations

While violating these restriction may not seem like a serious offense, a first conviction will result in a driver’s license suspension for a period of 2 months. Other penalties including fines, traffic safety school and community service may also be imposed as part of any sentence.

A sentence of court supervision may only be obtained, at the judge’s discretion, after appearing in court with a parent or legal guardian and their attorney if one is retained. An in-person traffic school course must be completed by anyone under the age of 18 who receives a sentence of court supervision.

Illinois Ticket Defense Attorneys

The traffic ticket attorneys at The Davis Law Group, P.C. regularly assist teen drivers and their families with curfew violations and other teen driving offenses. The Illinois Secretary of State holds teen drivers to a very high standard through their Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program. Convictions can have a lasting impact on future driving privileges. Our traffic attorneys can help avoid a driver’s license suspension, insurance increases and high fines.

Our attorneys primarily handle traffic tickets throughout the Chicago Area including Cook County, Lake County and DuPage County. Call us today to discuss your case. We are happy to provide a free initial consultation.