That teenager of yours is so proud and there is a piece of plastic in their wallet that has given them this emotional boost. No, it’s not a credit card you’ve given them though, if you have given them a credit card, hopefully you’ve put some reasonable restraints on their use of the credit card. This piece of plastic gives your teenager the right to operate a vehicle on the roadways. That piece of plastic is a Driver’s License.

In today’s American culture, a Driver’s License is often the only rite of passage that signifies that someone has come of age – that they’re no longer a child. Of course, if you’ve driven for a while, you can’t help but realize that, at any age, a driver’s license hardly proves maturity – remember that guy flying up on your rear bumper, honking his horn, flashing his lights and making an obscene gesture? And all because he thought it was his turn at the last stop sign when you went.

Mature or not, the laws allow that a teenager has a right to apply for a Driver’s License. Maturity will have more to do with how easily they obtain a Driver’s License and how likely they are to avoid putting themselves into situations where they can get hurt and/or hurt someone else.

What is required to obtain a Driver’s License?

The process starts with receiving a Learner’s Permit. To receive their driving permit, teenagers, as young as 15, must be enrolled in a driver’s education course that is approved by the state or prove that they will begin a driver’s education course within 30 days.

A Driver’s Education program has to include 30 hours in the classroom studying the Rules of the Road and other important aspects of driving. It also must include six hours of instruction behind the wheel.

Someone at least three months past their 17th birthday can receive a Learner’s Permit without taking a Driver’s Ed class.

A teenager aspiring to receive a Driver’s License must also show an ID with proof of age, proof that they have a Social Security card, two documents that establish their residence in Illinois and proof that they’ve enrolled in a Driver’s Ed class.

Having submitted all the required documentation, they need to take a written Permit Exam (it’s a good idea to study The Rules of the Road), pass a vision test and pay a $20 fee.

For those under 18, the Learner’s Permit is valid for two years. For those 18 and older, the Permit is valid for one year.

With a Learner’s Permit, they must complete 50 hours of driving while accompanied by an adult, 21 or older, with a valid Driver’s License.

The student driver is restricted from driving between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

They may have only one passenger in the front seat and only as many passengers as there are seatbelts in the backseat.

They MUST have their Learner’s Permit with that all times when driving. If caught driving without it, they could lose eligibility to receive a Driver’s License until they are 18.

They MUST NOT TEXT while driving. And they can only use a cell phone to make a call in an emergency.

For most teenagers, this is an exciting time. However, their parents may have an equal case of nerves thinking about their child getting behind the wheel. For the teenager, this means that the can use the time driving with a Learner’s Permit to obtain the skills to drive safely. In the process they’ll put their parents’ minds at ease and, along the way, probably earn the right to borrow the car more often when they do have their Driver’s License.

One other thing to consider – and this goes hand in hand with proving skill and responsibility behind the wheel; insurance companies require teenagers to pay dearly for the insurance required to drive. GOOD GRADES are one way to keep those auto insurance costs down.

To learn more, check out DMV.org.