Illinois DUI Laws
Illinois DUI Defense
What you're facing, what the deadlines are, and the questions your attorney needs to answer — specific to Illinois (IL) law.
BAC Limit
0.08
Enhanced BAC
0.16
Higher penalties above this
Lookback Period
Lifetime (for Secretary of State records)
Prior offenses count within
46 days (petition for hearing)-Day DMV Hearing Deadline
In Illinois, you have 46 days (petition for hearing) days from your arrest to request an administrative DMV hearing. Miss this deadline and your license suspension goes into effect automatically — even if the criminal case is later dismissed.
First Offense Penalties in Illinois
Implied Consent & Test Refusal
Like all 50 states, Illinois has an implied consent law — by driving on Illinois roads, you've already agreed to submit to a chemical test (breath, blood, or urine) if an officer has probable cause to believe you're impaired.
Refusal Penalty
12-month license suspension
Illinois-Specific Detail
Illinois offers a Monitoring Device Driving Permit (MDDP) that allows driving with an IID during the suspension period. This is one of the more favorable IID programs in the country.
Is your Illinois DUI defense on track?
The Defense Milestone Score checks 10 critical defense behaviors specific to DUI cases. Takes 2 minutes. Instant results.
Take the Free Defense ScoreDUI Defense Playbook — $97
26 questions your DUI attorney hopes you never ask, a case stage roadmap, red flag checklist, and a case progress scorecard. Instant PDF download — calibrated for Illinois DUI defendants.
Important: This page provides general legal information about Illinois DUI laws as of the date of publication. Laws change frequently. This is not legal advice. Consult a Illinois-licensed attorney for guidance specific to your case.