Changes have come to Illinois roads, and starting July 1, 2026, senior drivers will no longer be expected to take an annual driving test when they are renewing their driver’s licenses. The change is part of a bipartisan effort to modernize the more archaic system of driver’s license requirements for elderly citizens. The good news is that residents in Illinois between the ages of 79 to 86 will not be expected to undergo a driving test to renew their license. A commonsense approach led to this decision being taken.
Understanding the change coming into effect on July 1, 2026
Currently, in Illinois, drivers older than 79 years of age and those between 79-80 need to take a driving test when renewing their license. Citizens aged 81 to 86 years will need to take a test every two years, and citizens aged 87 need to take an annual road test.
As it currently stands, and before this law, all citizens who are aged 79 to 80 years old are expected to take a driver’s test when renewing their license. There is a possibility that once the law gets signed by Governor JB Pritzker, HB 1226, the age threshold for those taking annual driving tests would increase to 87, but as a starting point drivers between the age of 79 and 86 would be excluded from taking these tests at the time of their license renewal.
As opposed to having to take a full driving test, all drivers between this age will need to pass a vision screening. If an individual has a history of violations, a written text may be required. These new rules will come into effect in July 2026, giving the Secretary of State’s office a chance to implement this law. The whole premise of doing away with this rule is to get rid of such archaic practices, especially since older drivers are said to be the safest on the roads.
Understanding the bill
Older adults in Illinois were expected to take a driving test due to their age; however, this is the only state that has that requirement. When looking at statistics from the Illinois Department of Transportation, the 2023 crash rate for drivers aged 75 and older was just 24,61 per 1,000 licensed drivers, proving to be far lower than other age groups. The low rate is not new; it has been a consistently low rate since 2018. The Secretary of State’s 2023 study on Age-Related Driving Abilities brings forward the conclusion that older drivers are the safest.
Bill sponsors Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) and Representative Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) stressed that the new law entails fairness and lowered standards. As per the bill, family members, including spouses, children, and grandparents, are expected to submit concerns if they feel their loved ones are not medically fit to drive. This rule has changed as well as previously, only medical professionals, state attorneys, and police officers were able to do this.
Illinois is in favor of better road policies
The Road Safety and Fairness Act was able to gain bipartisan support in both legislative chambers. It had 86 co-sponsors in the House and 35 in the Senate. This bill had been endorsed in Illinois by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, who looked at the importance of considering road safety whilst respecting older adults’ independence and dignity.
While House Bill 1226 in the Illinois General Assembly is said to be effective from July 1, 2026, and seems relatively new, its origins can be traced back to Representative Keicher, who was aware of how unfair this testing requirement was. Lawmakers, thus far, have been in favor of allowing the elderly to undergo rigorous testing in favor of the safety of others. Older citizens in Illinois can now finally look forward to renewing their license without having to undergo repeated road tests that assess their safety on the roads. Perhaps it’s time such overdue policies get revisited and revised as well, and Illinois lawmakers have seriously made a good start.
