Chicago – June 21, 2026
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is hailing a new law that will change how senior citizens renew their driver’s licenses.
House Bill 1226, which passed the General Assembly unanimously last year, will officially take effect on July 1, and will impact how residents age 75 and older renew their licenses in the state.
Under the text of the bill, drivers who are age 79 and older will still have to renew their driver’s license in-person, but instead of doing so with a mandatory behind-the-wheel driving test, they will instead have to pass only a vision test in order to renew their license.
The mandatory behind-the-wheel test will instead only be given to drivers age 87 and older, and will be required on a yearly basis. Drivers with commercial driver’s licenses (CDL’s) will still be required to take the annual driving test at age 75 and older, according to the legislation.
“The Road Safety & Fairness Act is about replacing outdated assumptions with facts,” Giannoulias said. “Illinois seniors have consistently proven they are among the safest drivers on our roads. This law removes an unnecessary burden for older drivers while preserving strong safeguards to protect everyone who travels on our streets.”
