With the new year just around the corner, many people are making sure they're up to date with their driver's license and ID cards, as some residents are preparing for a necessary renewal.
It feels like everyone has had the frustrating experience of arriving at a Secretary of State's office to either obtain or renew their driver's license and being told they're missing one of seemingly dozens of documents needed.
Identification documents accepted by the Illinois Secretary of State's office are separated into four categories:
Individuals hoping to renew their standard driver's license or state ID card will need to bring one document that satisfies Group A, while also requiring a document that satisfies Group D if requesting an address change.
Individuals hoping to receive a REAL ID driver's license or state ID card, which will required to board domestic flights starting in May 2025, must bring one document for Group A and two documents for Group D if requesting an address change.
Documents from Groups B and C are only required for individuals applying for a driver's license or state ID card in Illinois for the first time, in which one document from each of the four groups is required for a standard driver's license or state ID card.