Effective today, July 1st, Illinois will no longer suspend or hold driver’s licenses for the inability to pay tickets or fines, including traffic tickets, automated red light and speed camera tickets, and parking tickets. The state has also reinstated driving privileges for those who have had their driver’s license suspended/revoked for failing to pay these tickets.
These reforms came as part of the SAFE-T Act (HB 3653), a sweeping criminal justice reform bill put forth by the Illinois Black Caucus during the General Assembly’s January lame duck session and signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker in February. The changes are expected to remove license holds and suspensions from an estimated 500,000 Illinois driving records, returning a vital resource to thousands of Illinoisians.
“Beginning today, hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans can get their licenses reinstated and safely return to the road – a big step forward for the equitable Illinois our residents deserve,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “There’s a difference between holding people accountable and taking away the very tools they need to build a life for themselves and their families, thereby reinforcing cycles of debt and poverty. This component of the SAFE-T Act expands the bipartisan reforms of the License to Work Act I signed into law in 2020, further shaping Illinois into a beacon of justice for the nation. I want to thank the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus and the countless advocates and activists who worked to see this legislation over the finish line.”
Driver’s license reinstatement is free and automatic. All Illinoisians who expect that their driver’s license was suspended due to inability to pay a traffic, red light and speed camera, and/or parking ticket are encouraged to contact the Secretary of State’s Office at 217-782-6212, select option 1.
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