You can drive in Illinois before you turn 18. But there are some restrictions. This article explains the main ones.​

Night driving ban for drivers under 18

If you are under the age of 18, you cannot drive during these hours:

• Sunday - Thursday: 10 pm - 6 am
• Friday - Saturday: 11 pm - 6 am 

There are some exceptions. You can drive during the above hours if you are:

• Driving with a parent, guardian, or another person in custody of the minor,
• Running an errand after being asked by a parent or guardian,
• Traveling between states,
• Going to or from work, or an official school, religious, or other recreational activity supervised by adults,
• Driving related to an emergency,
• Exercising first amendment rights, or
• Married or emancipated.

There is also a general curfew law. The curfew law applied to teenagers 16 years of age and under. It starts one hour later. The same exceptions apply to the general curfew law. 

Passengers in the car

All drivers, including drivers under 18, are responsible for making sure their passengers follow certain safety requirements. This includes:

• Making sure all passengers wear seat belts at all times,
• Not having more than one passenger in the front seat, and
• Not having more passengers in the back seat than there are seat belts.

Also, for the first 12 months after getting a driver's license, drivers under 18 cannot have more than one passenger under the age of 20 in the car. The driver's siblings or children do not count toward that limit. This limit on having only one passenger under the age of 20 ends after the driver has had their driver's license for 12 months, or when the driver turns 18, whichever occurs first.

Cellphones

If you are under 19, you are not allowed to use a cellphone while driving, even if you use a hands-free device.