VII.  Driver's license     1.  Obtaining driver's license     2.  Written test     3.  Behind-the-wheel test     4.  Learning how to drive To drive legally in Illinois, you must have a valid drivers license. You might already have a drivers license from your home country. If you are here for short stays and do not plan on establishing residency, you may drive on your unexpired home country license. While in Illinois, even on your home country's license, you will be required to maintain a level of auto insurance. Check with your home insurance carrier before you leave to see if they have a sister company in the US that can adapt your insurance coverage for driving in the US. The Illinois drivers license has the format of a credit card and serves not only as a license to operate a vehicle on public streets, but also as a picture ID. It contains a drivers license number, expiration date, your name and address, height, weight, sex, birth date and some data regarding the license classification, and, if you want to, your social security number. When applying for a drivers license you have the option to sign an organ donor card which will be placed on the back of your drivers license card and be a part of the organ donor registry.
1.	Obtaining the drivers license In order to apply for an Illinois drivers license, you have to go to a driver services facility, where you are required to pass a written test, an eye exam and a driving test, also known as behind-the-wheel test. You are allowed three attempts to pass any of the tests within a year. The fee to obtain a driver's license is $20; cash and check are accepted. The following driver services facilities are in the Fermilab area:   Aurora facility: 339 E. Indian Trail Rd. Aurora, IL 60505 Tel.: (630)896-4883 Elgin facility: 595 S. State Elgin, IL 60120 Tel.: (847)697-2112 Naperville facility: 931 W. 75th Street, Suite 161 Naperville, IL 60565 Tel.: (630)369-9283 West Chicago facility: 1280 Powis Road West Chicago, IL 60185 Tel.: (630)293-1320 Hours for all facilities: Mon: closed Tue: 9:00 am - 7:00 pm Wed: 8:00 am - 5:30 pm Thu: 8:00 am - 5:30 pm Fri: 8:00 am - 5:30 pm Sat: 8:00 am - 5:30 pm Sun: closed (Expect to wait in line a significant amount of time.)   Because the drivers license also serves as a picture ID with your address on it, it is necessary to submit a minimum of three forms of identification proving your name, date of birth, Illinois residency, social security number and signature for comparison. Documents that are accepted are: To prove name and date of birth: certified birth certificate (you should always bring your birth certificate!) valid INS documents (I-94, I-20, IAP-66, I-797), valid driver's license from your home country, valid ID card from your home country, valid passport. To prove residency: utility bill, letter from bank or other official institution addressed to you, not older than 60 days; if not available, send yourself a letter and keep the envelop to prove that the mailman was able to deliver this letter to you, vehicle title containing your address, rent receipt or lease agreement, check book with address on checks. To verify your Social Security Number: Social Security Card. You can call the facility in advance and check whether the documents you are going to submit are sufficient. A central toll-free information line is 1-800-252-8980. At the driver services facility you will have to complete some forms regarding personal information and also answer a few medical questions about any potential physical or mental condition and any medication that may impair your safe driving. If you answer "yes" to any of those questions, a current and completed report from your doctor verifying your medical ability to safely operate a vehicle is necessary. After you have paid the $20 fee and passed a simple eye exam, you will have to take the written test. Provided that you pass the written test, the next step will be the behind-the-wheel test. Arriving back at the driver services facility, your picture will be taken and the license will be issued. Depending on the driver's age, the background of the picture is either red, if under 21, or blue, if older. The whole procedure of obtaining an Illinois drivers license can take half a day, if the facility is crowded. Back to top
2.	Written test The written test consists of approximately 20 questions regarding the Illinois Rules of the Road plus some questions on traffic signs, their shape, color and meaning. The questions are multiple-choice type. After you have completed the questions, you will get the result within a few minutes. Depending on the importance of the question, approximately three mistakes will be tolerated. To prepare for the test you should read the brochure "Rules of the Road" at least twice and answer the questions. The test questions in the manual give you a good picture of how the real test looks like. You will find that most rules are not very different than the traffic laws of every other country. Special attention, however, should be paid to rules concerning school buses, driving under the influence of alcohol, and the fees that apply for any violation of those rules. Even if you are older than 21, you also need to prepare the chapter and those question dealing with regulations for drivers younger than 21. The booklet "Rules of the Road" is available in the Fermilab Users' Office on the 1st floor of Wilson Hall, at the driver services facilities (see addresses above) and online at www.sos.state.il.us/depts/drivers/rr/ruleroad.html. Note: The Illinois Rules of the Road apply also within the Fermilab site. It is a special concern to the Security Guard that drivers on Fermilab roads drive safely and follow the traffic rules, especially the stop signs! Back to top
3.	Behind-the-wheel test To demonstrate your ability to drive, you will have to take a behind-the-wheel test after you have passed the written test. In the past not everybody with a valid drivers license from a foreign country was required to take the driving test - especially in the Naperville facility. To take the driving test you must provide a regular, licensed vehicle that is equipped as required by law. Make sure that on the way to the facility the car is driven by someone who has a valid license! Nobody else but you and the examiner is allowed in the vehicle during the test - including children. The test is failed if any violation of traffic law or any dangerous action is committed. Do not forget to wear safety belts during the driving test, check your vehicle controls, such as parking brake and mirrors, before you start the car. Together with the examiner you will take a short trip around a few blocks. The behind-the-wheel test will include driving backwards, turning around in an alley on the left side of the street, and parking and starting uphill as well as downhill. During the test you should carefully obey all signs, controls and rights-of-way, observe lane markings and give turn signals correctly. Some examiners may seem unfriendly. To improve the situation you should be friendly, obey his or her commands without discussion, and not try to make any inappropriate joke or other comments. Remember, you are the one who needs a driver's license, the examiner does not care if you pass or not. Back to top
4.	Learning how to drive Even if you did not drive a car back in your country, you may want to learn how to drive since a car is often the only possible way of transportation in the U.S. You are not required to take particular classes if you are older than 18. You only have to find someone to teach you how to drive. The procedure to obtain a drivers license will be the same as explained above. Most people in the U.S. learn how to drive at age 15 to 17, while they are in school. Therefore, driving schools for adults are not as common as they may be in your home country. Some high schools offer driver education classes for adults, too. To find out about classes you should check with a local high school, the school superintendent's office, a community college or a commercial driving school. If a private person teaches you how to drive, you are not allowed to use public streets (including the Fermilab site!). You must use private parking lots and driveways instead. If you do not drive and do not want to learn how to drive, you should apply for an identification card that you can use as picture ID, just like everybody else uses their driver's license. You need to submit the documents as listed above at the direvers facility and pay a $4 fee. Carrying around an Illinois identification card is much more convenient than taking your passport with you at all time. Back to top