Revoked vs. Suspended Driver’s License: The Difference in Illinois

 Posted on July 05, 2017 in Your Rights

Section 6-303 of the Illinois Code makes it illegal to drive a motor vehicle if your driver’s license is revoked or suspended. But what is the difference between a revoked license and a suspended license?

An article from The Balance summarizes the key difference well by noting that “a suspended license is bad and a revoked license is very bad—a suspended license is a temporary hardship, but a revoked license is permanent.” Consider the following additionaldifferences that differentiate a revoked driver’s license from a suspended driver’s license in Illinois.

Key Differences

The main difference between a revoked driver’s license and a suspended license is that suspensions have an end date while revocations mean an indefinite loss of your driving privileges. This is because a suspended driver’s license can be reinstated after you have attended a reinstatement hearing with a Secretary of State hearing officer and have complied with all post-hearing requirements.

A revoked driver’s license, on the other hand, can never be reinstated. However, this does not mean necessarily mean that you will never be allowed to drive again. If your Illinois driver’s license has been revoked, then you are allowed to apply for a new driver’s license after the specified period of revocation has passed (unless a lifetime revocation has been placed on your driving privileges).

Other important differences between a revoked and a suspended driver’s license include:

• Why the DMV Limited Your Driving Privileges: The Illinois Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) suspends driver’s licenses for a wide variety of reasons (for example, traffic violations, failure to appear in court, parking violations, driving under the influence (DUI), failure to pay child support, etc.). However, the DMV only revokes a driver’s license for serious violations (for example, committing a criminal DUI, stealing a vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident, being convicted of drag racing, etc.).

• Applicable Fees: The fee charged to reinstate a suspended Illinois driver’s license is usually substantially lower than the fee charged in connection with revoked licenses. How much the reinstatement fee for a suspended license is varies depending on the reason for the suspension but is often $70 (although it can be as much as $500), while the fee for a revoked license is usually $500.

Unsure if Your Driver’s License is Revoked or Suspended?

If you are unsure if your Illinois driver’s license is revoked or suspended, feel free to check the status of your license by visiting the DMV’s website. Even if your driver’s license is valid it is a good idea to periodically check your driving record just to make sure that everything is in order.

Reach Out to Us Today for Help

Losing your driving privileges can greatly impact your life. Day-to-day tasks like getting to work, picking your kids up from school, and even going to the grocery store are suddenly much more challenging. However,do not lose hope. There may be a way to get you back on the road sooner than expected. For example, you may be able to obtain a restricted driving permit if you agree to use a breath-alcohol ignition interlock device.

At The Law Offices of Christopher M. Cosley, our experienced Rolling Meadows driver’s license reinstatement lawyers have a high success rate when fighting to obtain restricted driving permits and full reinstatement of driver’s licenses on behalf of our clients. Let us fight for you.

Sources:

http://www.ilgagov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=062500050K6-303

https://www.thebalance.com/suspended-vs-revoked-license-527274