COMMERCIAL DRIVER TRAINING
Commercial Driver Training Schools
The Secretary of State office licenses and regulates Commercial Driver Training Schools that provide driving instruction or test preparation for a fee. Driver training schools and instructors must be licensed to provide this service. (The law does not apply to public schools or to education institutions in which driving is part of the curriculum.) The list below covers the major requirements. Please refer to the Administrative Rules for complete requirements.
Location Requirements
Your location must:
- Be commercially zoned.
- Have a minimum of 150 square feet of office space.
- Have a working telephone listed for driving school.
- Have signage indicating office hours (Mon.-Fri., 7 a.m.-5 p.m., minimum eight hours per week).
- Display a permanent school sign visible from 100 feet.
- Be owned or leased by the commercial driving school.
Classroom Requirements
The classroom must:
- Have a minimum of 300 square feet.
- Have charts and diagrams pertaining to driver education, etc.
- Contain a blackboard, etc.
- Contain textbooks, reference materials, audio visual materials, etc.
- Contain adequate fire extinguishers in operable condition.
- Have adequate seating, lighting, ventilation and bathroom facilities.
Training Vehicle Requirements
Training vehicles must:
- Be insured for $10,000 property; $50,000 bodily injury and death of one person; $100,000 bodily injury and death of two or more persons.
- Be in the classification for which the instructor is licensed.
- Be inspected by the Illinois Department of Transportation (blue receipt).
- Have a valid vehicle registration and license.
- Surety Bond Schedule
The following applications must be completed and mailed to the Secretary of State's office if applicable. All forms are available online. It is the school's responsibility to reapply each year. By law, school applications must be submitted at least 15 days prior to the expiration date of the license. Upon receipt of the documents, the Commercial Driver Training Section will contact you to schedule initial inspections of property and processing of applications. CDL Curriculum is required. For information regarding the CDL Curriculum, please call 847-981-7455.
- Agreement between Parties for Use of Vehicles by Commercial Driving Schools
- Application for Driver Training Instructor
- Application for Commercial Driving School
- CDL Accreditation Form
- CDL Instruction Record School/Student Log
- Driving Instructor Physical Form
- Driver Training School Application For Branch License
- Fleet Sheet
- Notice of Termination (Instructor)
- Oral Agreement Form
- School Ownership Personal History Form
- Surety Bond Form
- Surety Bond Schedule
- Teen Accreditation Form
- Vehicle Insurance Form
Application Fees (two-year license)
- $500 — commercial school fee
- $70 — commercial school instructor fee (per instructor)
Mail checks payable to Illinois Secretary of State and mail to:
Illinois Secretary of State
Commercial Driver Training Section
650 Roppolo Dr.
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
Training Locations
- Commercial Driver Training Schools (CDL Certified)
- Commercial Driver Training Schools (Teen Certified, CDL Certified)
The commercial driver training school is responsible for providing you with a letter of completion. If youlost or misplaced your letter, you must contact the school. Please allow two weeks from the date the request was sent to the Secretary of State's office for processing.