Teen Time At DMV As Secretary Of State Sets Aside Summer Saturday Mornings For New Drivers

DES PLAINES, IL — For some kids, Saturday morning means cartoons. For Illinois teens this summer, it means exclusive service hours at a dozen DMV facilities.

According to the Secretary of State's Office, Illinois DMVs tend to experience a big increase in the number of customers during the summer.

Much of that traffic is driven by teen drivers transitioning from an instruction permit to a full-blown driver's license, which requires an in-person visit from teens and a parent.

About 9,000 current permit holders will become eligible for a license this summer, according to the secretary of state's office.

The new Teen Summer DMV program involves the opening of 12 more DMV offices from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturdays from June 1 to Aug. 31.

The following locations will offer teen service hours: Addison, Aurora, Bethalto, Belvidere, Bridgeview, Chicago West, Des Plaines, Elgin, Joliet, Lake Zurich, Plano, St. Charles.

The new hours will allow for an extra 1,000 appointments a week, while also freeing up weekday appointments for others who are required to visit the DMV.

During those house, the office will have a selfie station for newly licensed drivers with tips about data protection and other advice.

"We'll provide information your teen needs to know before getting behind the wheel, including what instructions come with their new driver's license and why, importantly, distracted driving can be deadly," Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said in a video.

Giannoulias said teen-only DMV hours offers a chance for working parents who are unable to get time off during the week to make an appointment without waiting.

“Getting your first driver’s license is an exciting milestone, and we want to ensure the experience is as easy as possible for Illinois teens and their parents," Giannoulias said in a statement.

New drivers headed to the DMV need to bring their birth certificate, physical Social Security card, two forms of proof of address, their instructional permit logbook and any road test waiver form from their high school they may have.

Air travelers have less than a year to get a Real ID compliant card if they want to use their driver's license as valid identification for domestic air travel.

The secretary of state's office encouraged teen driver's to apply for a Real ID when they get a license, even though they are not required until May 5, 2025.

According to an office spokesperson, anyone outside of ages 15 to 19 who needs DMV services can either go to a facility that is usually open on Saturday or they can wait until 7 a.m. on the day of the appointment to see if there are open times at a teen service facility.

Parents and teens can call the teen summer DMV hotline at 800-252-8980 to schedule an appointment at any of the above locations.