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Unpaid traffic tickets can lead to suspension of your driver’s license. Here are some common situations where paying off tickets and fines are required to get your license back:
- You have 5 or more unpaid red light tickets;
- You have 5 or more unpaid speeding tickets;
- You have 5 or more unpaid tollway fines.
Follow the steps below to pay the amount due and reinstate your driver’s license.
Note: as of July 1, 2021 the IL Secretary of State will reinstate driver's licenses that were suspended before July 1, 2021 for failure to pay:
- Tickets for moving violations,
- Red light tickets,
- Speeding tickets, and
- Abandoned vehicle fees
Before suspending your license, the Secretary of State (SOS) will send you a notification of suspension. The notification will list the amount due and the procedures to pay or resolve the tickets. You will have 45 days to pay the fines. If you pay off the tickets or fines within the time listed, SOS will not suspend your license. How to pay the fines may depend on the type of ticket and the court. You might have to appear in court to pay certain fines. Please read your traffic tickets and the notification from SOS carefully. You might also want to contact the Traffic Violations Section of SOS at (217) 785-8619 for more information.
Once you pay the fine for the ticket, you will receive a receipt from the traffic authority. The traffic authority might notify SOS that you have paid the amount due. In other cases, you must mail or bring the receipt to SOS. If you pay the fine within the time period listed in the notice from SOS, you will not need to pay the reinstatement fee. If the time has expired and your license has been suspended, you must pay a $70 reinstatement fee. You might be able to pay the fee online depending on where you are. Otherwise, you need to pay by mail or in person.
It will take some time before your license is reinstated. You can contact SOS to check the status of your license. If your license is still suspended, do not drive. Driving on a suspended license can lead to an increase in the length of the suspension, revocation of your license, jail time, and seizure of your car.
If you believe that the suspension is due to some error, you can contest the suspension. To contest, you will need to file a written request with SOS for an administrative hearing. A $50 fee is required at the time of filing.
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Worried about doing this on your own? You may be able to get free legal help.
Part of the Drivers' rights library, sponsored by Reed Smith.
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