Section 1001.420  General Provisions Relating to the Issuance of Restricted Driving Permits

a)         Burden of Proof.  Petitioners who are not eligible for reinstatement of driving privileges at the time of their hearing must prove that there is no reasonable alternative means of transportation available, that they will not endanger the public safety and welfare, and that an undue hardship will result if they are not issued a restricted driving permit (RDP).  The Secretary of State does not weigh the nature or extent of a petitioner's hardship against the risk he/she poses to the public safety and welfare.  Rather, the petitioner must first carry his/her burden of proving that he/she will not endanger the public safety and welfare in order for the Secretary of State to consider whether the petitioner has an undue hardship.

b)         RDP Classifications

1)         Employment.  A petitioner for an employment related RDP must be currently employed, or present a verifiable commitment for employment, and the employment must be verified upon forms prescribed by the Department.  If the petitioner is self-employed, evidence of self-employment can include, but is not limited to, stationery, business card, official receipt, check, State or Federal tax returns or letters from business associates.

2)         Medical or Treatment.  A petitioner for an RDP for medical or treatment purposes must provide verifiable documentation from the licensed physical or mental health care provider involved that the petitioner or a member of his/her immediate family (who is unable to operate a motor vehicle) must receive or is receiving services on a regularly scheduled basis.

3)         Community Service.  A petitioner for an RDP for court ordered community service must provide certified court documents detailing the terms of the service, including but not limited to the place or places the service is performed, the hours during which the service is to be performed and the nature of the service.

4)         Educational. A petitioner for an educational RDP must be currently enrolled, or intend to enroll for the next available session, in an accredited educational institution for the purpose of taking an accredited educational course or courses.  Prior to the issuance of any educational RDP, the petitioner must submit verification of enrollment from the institution.  The verification shall be on a form provided by the Secretary of State.

5)         Support/Recovery.

A)        A petitioner for a support/recovery program RDP must provide verifiable documentation, from members of the group or program, that he/she has been attending meetings on a regular basis.

B)        A petitioner who wishes to begin or resume participation in a support/recovery program, but who resides alone or in a household in which there is no other licensed driver and resides in a remote location in or near a community in which public transportation is not available, will be considered for a support/recovery program RDP if the petitioner proves that he/she has been abstinent from all alcohol and drugs for a minimum of 12 months and has satisfied the other provisions of this Subpart.

6)         Revocations for Reckless Homicide and Aggravated DUI Involving a Fatality.  A petitioner who has an open revocation for reckless homicide or aggravated driving under the influence that involved a fatality must submit, with the petition for driving relief, either a copy of the Order of the circuit court that states the sentence received upon conviction, certified by the Clerk of the Court, or a document from the Department of Corrections that reflects:  the offense for which the petitioner was imprisoned; the date of release from imprisonment; and the terms of release or parole.  For the purpose of determining a petitioner's eligibility for the issuance of a restricted driving permit pursuant to Sections 6-205(c) and 6-206(c)3 of the Code, the date of release from imprisonment refers to the imprisonment on the conviction for the offense and does not include release from imprisonment for a violation of parole or probation. It is the responsibility of the petitioner to provide documentation that clearly reflects the date of his/her release from imprisonment.

c)         Jurisdiction/Eligibility.  An RDP may be granted only after suspension, revocation, or cancellation for the offenses listed in Sections 6-205, 6-206, 6-303, 6-201(a)5 as it relates to 6-103.4, 11-501.1, 11-501.6 and 11-501.8 of the Code. Petitioners who are eligible to apply for a JDP are not eligible for and will not be considered for an RDP.

d)         Undue Hardship.  A petitioner must prove by clear and convincing evidence that an undue hardship is currently being suffered as a result of the inability to legally operate a motor vehicle.  Mere inconvenience to the petitioner or family and friends is not undue hardship.  The petitioner should produce clear and convincing evidence as to the unavailability of reasonable alternative means of transportation, such as but not limited to:  walking, mass transit, car pools, or being driven; how the petitioner is currently getting to his/her destination; whether driving is required in the course of employment; the distance between the petitioner's residence and his/her destination; and similar factors relating to employment, necessary medical care, support/recovery program meetings, community service and/or educational pursuits.

1)         Appropriate limits will be established for necessary on-the-job driving.  The days, hours, and mileage limits will not exceed those absolutely necessary for the accomplishment of the petitioner's primary employment and shall be limited to a maximum of 12 hours per day and 6 days per week unless the request for increased limits is substantially documented, such as through an employer's verification of the petitioner's work schedule.

2)         A support/recovery program RDP may include attendance at no more than 3 meetings per week.

3)         An educational RDP will be subject to appropriate limits necessary to allow the petitioner to get to and from the subject institution/courses.  The days and hours will not exceed those absolutely necessary for that purpose and shall be limited to a maximum of 12 hours per day and 6 days per week.  Additional parameters to consider in setting these limits shall include whether the petitioner commutes daily to the courses, is required to participate in clinical or student teaching programs in order to fulfill the requirements for a degree in his/her chosen field, or lives on or within a radius of one mile from the campus and only needs to drive to and from the institution on an infrequent basis (less than once per week) and is then able to get to the courses by other means of transportation.  The permit shall expire at the conclusion of the period for which it is granted.

e)         Factors Considered.  Factors which will be considered by the Department in determining the propriety of granting a petitioner an RDP include, but are not limited to:  the petitioner's age; whether the petitioner has driven while suspended or revoked; duration of present employment; number of years licensed to drive; number, severity, and frequency of accidents; frequency, type, and severity of traffic violations; efforts at rehabilitation or reform of past driving practices; demeanor of petitioner in the hearing; credibility of petitioner and witnesses in the hearing; credibility of and weight given to the petitioner's documentary evidence; petitioner's total driving record, including but not limited to reasons for violations, prior permits issued (unless such permits were issued pursuant to the order of a circuit or appellate court following an administrative review action) and driving record while on such permits; record of performance while driving with an interlock device; driving history in another state if licensed previously; any arrest or implied consent suspension for boating or snowmobiling under the influence; petitioner's alcohol/drug-related criminal record as defined in Section 1001.410; reports of probation and/or parole officers; and psychiatric reports where the evidence shows that petitioner is suffering or has suffered from a mental disorder which might affect his/her ability to operate a motor vehicle in a safe and responsible manner.

f)         Public Safety and Welfare.  Pursuant to Sections 6-205(c) and 6-206(c)3 of the Code, the public welfare and safety must not be endangered by the issuance of  an RDP.  The evidence must show that the petitioner will operate a motor vehicle safely so as not to be a danger to himself or herself or others.  The mere passage of time since the date of revocation is not sufficient evidence.

g)         Ticket Pending.  An RDP will not be issued while any traffic offense is pending against a petitioner in any court of this or any other state, unless the pending citation or citations are also the only cause of the current loss of driving privileges.

h)         Referral to Remedial Program.  A petitioner who is otherwise eligible for an RDP may be referred to a remedial or rehabilitative program prior to the permit's issuance, if his/her driving record warrants these measures.  (See Sections 6-205(c) and 6-206(c)3 of the Code.)

i)          Probationary RDP – Hardship Not Required.  A petitioner otherwise eligible for reinstatement of driving privileges or termination of a cancellation under Section 6-201(a)5, as it relates to 6-103.4, may be issued an RDP for a probationary or trial period prior to  reinstatement of driving privileges or termination of cancellation in cases where the petitioner has a poor driving record (evidenced by many minor violations or a few serious violations) or involvement as a driver in a traffic collision or collisions resulting in death or injury requiring immediate professional treatment in a medical facility or doctor's office to any person, or has been evaluated as Moderate Risk, Significant Risk or High Risk by an alcohol/drug evaluation.  A petitioner is not required to prove an undue hardship in order to obtain a probationary RDP.  The fact that a petitioner was not cited or arrested for, or convicted of, any traffic offense while driving on a probationary permit does not, in and of itself, entitle the petitioner to reinstatement.

j)          Out-of-state Resident.  An RDP will be issued to an out-of-state resident only if he/she has a valid license to drive issued by the jurisdiction in which he/she resides; he/she has a verified employment, medical, community service or educational related need to drive in Illinois; and he/she complies with all other requirements of this Subpart.

k)         New Resident of Illinois.  An RDP will not be issued to a new resident of Illinois if his/her driving privileges are suspended in another jurisdiction until such time as that suspension is terminated.  An RDP may be issued to a new resident of Illinois if his/her driving privileges are revoked in another jurisdiction, pursuant to Section 6-103.1 of the Code, under the following conditions:

1)         At least one year has expired from the date of the revocation yet the revocation period has not expired; and

2)         The petitioner meets all other applicable requirements of this Subpart.

l)          Decision.  The Director or a designee shall make the final decision, on each petition, on behalf of the Secretary.  If relief was sought at a formal hearing, petitioners will receive a copy of the hearing officer's Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Recommendations, and the Secretary's Order.

m)        Investigative Evaluation.

1)         A petitioner will be required to complete and submit an investigative alcohol and drug evaluation as part of the Secretary's investigative process, where the evidence, including the petitioner's driving record, indicates that:

A)        the current loss of driving privileges is not related to a DUI arrest/disposition yet the petitioner's/respondent's driving record contains, or other evidence indicates the existence of,  a prior DUI disposition or any other conviction or loss of driving privileges that was alcohol/drug related within the last 10 years for which the petitioner/respondent did not or was not required to submit to the Secretary of State an alcohol/drug evaluation to obtain driving privileges, or there is credible evidence that the petitioner had any arrest or implied consent suspension for boating or snowmobiling under the influence within the last 5 years, or the petitioner has an alcohol/drug-related criminal record, as defined in Section 1001.410; or

B)        the petitioner/respondent may be a user of alcohol or any other drug to a degree which renders that person incapable of safely driving a motor vehicle. (See Section 6-103.4 of the Code.)

2)         The petitioner will be required to complete any recommended rehabilitative activity or provide a waiver. Furthermore, if any rehabilitative activity (i.e., a driver risk education course, intervention, or treatment for alcohol/drug abuse) is recommended, then the petitioner must submit an updated evaluation, as provided in this Subpart D, until the petitioner's driving privileges are reinstated.

n)         Examination.  A petitioner whose driving privileges have been revoked or cancelled or whose driver's license has expired will be required to submit to a driver's license examination prior to the issuance of an RDP.

o)         Fourth Conviction.  Pursuant to Section 6-208(b)4, the Secretary of State will not issue a restricted driving permit to any person who has a fourth conviction and revocation for the offenses listed in that Section and who is, therefore, not eligible to apply for the reinstatement of driving privileges, if the arrest that resulted in the fourth conviction was made after the effective date of P.A. 90-738 (1/1/99).

(Source:  Amended at 31 Ill. Reg. 6185, effective May 1, 2007)