Illinois Driving Points are the hidden cost of a speeding ticket — they pile up on your license, and enough of them in a set time window will suspend your right to drive. This guide explains the Illinois point system in plain English: exactly how many points a speeding ticket adds at each speed bracket, how many illinois driving points trigger a suspension, how long points stay on your record, and how to check and reduce them.
All figures are estimates for general guidance, verified against Illinois sources as of June 2026.
In This Illinois Guide:
How Illinois Driving Points Work
Illinois uses a POINT SYSTEM administered by the Illinois Secretary of State (not a traditional DMV). Points ranging from 5 to 55 are assigned to moving violations. Accumulating enough convictions within a set period triggers license suspension or revocation based on total points.
Illinois Driving Points by Speed Bracket
Here is how many illinois driving points a speeding ticket typically adds, based on how far over the limit you were going:
| How Fast Over the Limit | Points Added |
|---|---|
| 1-10 mph over | 5 (Illinois assigns 5 points for speeding 1-10 mph over the limit) |
| 11-20 mph over | Illinois uses different brackets than 11-20. Speeding 11-14 mph over is 15 points; speeding 15-25 mph over is 20 points. So 11-20 mph over ranges from 15 to 20 points depending on exact speed. |
| 21+ mph over | Illinois uses different brackets than 21+. Speeding 21-25 mph over is 20 points; speeding 26-34 mph over is 50 points; speeding 35+ mph over is 50 points. So 21+ mph over ranges from 20 to 50 points depending on exact speed. |
How long points last: Points remain on an Illinois driving record for 4 to 5 years for standard violations. Points that resulted in a license suspension or revocation remain on record for 7 years.
How Many Illinois Driving Points Until Suspension?
In Illinois, For drivers age 21 and older, 3 moving violation convictions within 12 months triggers a license suspension. The suspension length depends on total accumulated points: 15-44 points = 2-month suspension; 45-74 points = 3-month suspension; 75-89 points = 6-month suspension; 90-99 points = 9-month suspension; 100-109 points = 12-month suspension; 110+ points = license REVOCATION.
For drivers under 21, 2 moving violation convictions within 24 months triggers suspension, with lower point thresholds. Each new speeding ticket pushes you closer to that limit, which is why watching your illinois driving points matters even when a single ticket seems minor.
How to Check and Reduce Your Illinois Driving Points
How to check your points: Order a Driving Record Abstract online through the Illinois Secretary of State at apps.ilsos.gov/drivingrecord. The fee is 21 (20 plus 1 payment processor fee). You can purchase, download, and print a certified PDF copy of your own record. You may request a public abstract or a court-purposes abstract (which includes confidential information like court supervision dispositions). The record is available to print immediately and can be reprinted for 5 days after purchase.
How to reduce your illinois driving points: Illinois does NOT allow drivers to remove existing points from their record by taking a defensive driving course. However, many drivers can prevent points from being added in the first place by requesting court supervision and completing a defensive driving or traffic safety course.
You must request permission from the court before your court date — typically no later than 5 business days before. If granted supervision and the course is completed, the violation does not result in a conviction and no points are added.
Illinois limits how often you may use the traffic school option within a 12-month period. Check with your local court for eligibility. Additionally, voluntarily completing a defensive driving course may qualify you for an insurance discount of up to 10 percent. See our Illinois traffic school guide for the full point-reduction process.
Reinstating a suspended license: To reinstate a suspended license in Illinois, you must wait out the full suspension period, pay the applicable reinstatement fee, and meet all requirements set by the Secretary of State. Reinstatement fees vary by reason: 70 for safety responsibility or parking/tollway suspensions, 100 for mandatory insurance conviction suspensions, 250 for a first statutory summary suspension (DUI-related), and 500 for revocations or repeat DUI suspensions.
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Fees can be paid online at apps.ilsos.gov/reinstatementfees. For revocations, a formal hearing before the Secretary of State’s Administrative Hearings Department may be required.
Insurance Points vs DMV Points in Illinois
Insurance companies in Illinois use their own internal point or rating systems that are completely separate from the Secretary of State’s point system. Even if you avoid official state points through court supervision, your insurer may still raise your rates based on the underlying ticket or driving record inquiry. Your insurance point total and the state’s point total are tracked independently. A ticket can raise your premium for years — compare cheaper car insurance at Car Cover Guide if a ticket has pushed your rate up.
How Illinois Driving Points Actually Work
A point system is the state’s way of tracking risky driving. Each moving violation adds a set number of points to your license, and the points stay on your record for a fixed period before they drop off. If you collect too many Illinois driving points inside that window, the DMV suspends your license — which is why even a minor speeding ticket matters if you already have points.
It is important to separate two different kinds of points. DMV points are what the state uses to suspend your license. Insurance points are a separate system your insurer uses to set your premium, and they often last longer than DMV points. A single speeding ticket can therefore cost you twice: once toward a possible suspension, and again as a higher insurance bill.
Some states do not use points at all and instead apply a surcharge or simply track convictions, but the practical effect is the same — more violations mean a higher chance of losing your license and paying more to drive.
Keeping your Illinois driving points low protects more than your license — it protects your wallet. Drivers with a clean record qualify for the best insurance rates, while each added violation can move you into a higher-risk tier. If a ticket has pushed your points up, acting quickly to reduce or contest it is usually worth the effort.
What to Do About Your Illinois Speeding Ticket
Once you have a Illinois speeding ticket, you generally have three choices, and the right one depends on the points involved, your driving record, and your insurance:
- Pay it — the fastest option, but paying is an admission of guilt that adds points and can raise your premium for years.
- Fight it — contesting can get the ticket reduced or dismissed, especially if the officer does not appear or the evidence is weak. See how to fight a speeding ticket in Illinois.
- Take traffic school — if you qualify, a state-approved course can keep points off your record. See the Illinois traffic school guide.
Before deciding, it helps to know the full cost — use our speeding ticket cost calculator and the Illinois points guide to see how close a ticket puts you to a suspension. There is no single right answer for everyone; the best choice depends on how many points the ticket adds, what your record looks like, and how much your insurance would rise.
Other Illinois rules to know: Illinois is administered by the Secretary of State (SOS), not a DMV. Speeding 26+ mph over the limit in Illinois is a criminal misdemeanor (Class B), not just a traffic ticket — it can result in arrest, a criminal record, and mandatory court appearance. Speeding in a school zone or construction zone carries 20 points regardless of speed.
Drivers under 21 face stricter rules: only 2 convictions in 24 months triggers suspension, and the point thresholds for suspension length are lower (10-34 points = 1 month, 35-49 = 3 months, 50-64 = longer, 80+ = revocation). Illinois does not have a formal point-reduction mechanism — the only way to avoid points is through court supervision before conviction.
Official Illinois Sources & Resources
- Illinois DMV: https://www.ilsos.gov
- Illinois Point Schedule: https://www.ilsos.gov/publications/pdf_publications/dsd_dc19.pdf
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: nhtsa.gov
- Cornell Legal Information Institute: law.cornell.edu/wex
Statute reference: 625 ILCS 5/6-204 (Illinois Vehicle Code, Chapter 6 — The Illinois Driver Licensing Law)
This Illinois driving points guide was last verified against official sources in June 2026. Always confirm your current point total with the Illinois DMV.
More Illinois Traffic Ticket Guides
- Illinois Speeding Ticket Cost
- How to Fight a Speeding Ticket in Illinois
- Illinois Traffic School & Dismissal
- Speeding Ticket Cost Calculator
- All 50 States
Disclaimer: This guide is informational only and is not legal advice. Fines, points, and procedures are estimates for general guidance and change when state laws change. Always verify the exact amount and process with your state DMV or the court listed on your citation, and consult a licensed traffic attorney in your state for advice on your specific situation.