Illinois Permit Practice Hours: 50 Hours for Drivers Under 18

Teens under 18 must complete 50 hours of supervised driving, including 10 hours at night. Adults 18 and over have no mandatory practice hour log.

How Many Practice Hours Do Illinois Drivers Under 18 Need?

The requirement is age-based and non-negotiable for teens. Adults have no mandatory logged hours but must still demonstrate competence at the road test.

• Teens (Ages 15-17): Minimum 50 supervised hours, including at least 10 at night. These 50 hours are in addition to the required behind-the-wheel time with a driver-education instructor.
• Adults (Ages 18-20): No 50-hour practice log is required. Separate Adult Driver Education rules may apply when getting the driver's license; see the dedicated driver-education guide.
• Adults (Age 21+): No mandatory logged hours or education course. The state recommends 20-40 hours of practice to pass the road test.

Do the 6 driver's-ed behind-the-wheel hours count toward Illinois's 50 practice hours?

No. For drivers under 18, the 50 supervised practice hours are in addition to the required behind-the-wheel time with a driver-education instructor. Keep the two requirements separate when tracking progress.

Source: Illinois SOS DSD X 152.

How Do You Log Illinois Supervised Hours on the DSD X 152?

Illinois SOS provides the 50-Hour Practice Driving Log (DSD X 152) as an official, convenient way to track the required hours. SOS describes the chart as being provided for convenience; do not describe it as the only possible record or certification method.

• Official Form: DSD X 152 is the SOS practice-driving log for under-18 applicants and is a simple way to keep the required record.
• Digital Tracking: Apps like RoadReady can help track time, but you must print and format the data to match the official form or transfer it by hand.
• What Counts: The 50 supervised practice hours are separate from the behind-the-wheel hours completed with a driver-education instructor.
• What Does Not Count: Illegal or unsupervised driving does not count toward the required practice. For curfew and other driving restrictions, use the dedicated driving-rules guide.

Who can sign the Illinois DSD X 152 practice log?

The final certification may be signed by a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult who can certify the under-18 applicant's required practice.

Does the Illinois 50-hour practice log need to be notarized?

No. DSD X 152 itself does not require notarization. Do not confuse it with DSD X 174, the separate consent form that can be notarized when the responsible adult cannot accompany the minor.

Source: Illinois SOS DSD X 152.

How Should You Complete the Illinois 50-Hour Practice Log?

Examiners do check the log and flag unrealistic entries. A parent signature is a legal certification: falsifying it is perjury, a Class A Misdemeanor, and results in license revocation.

• Signature Rules: The final certification may be signed by a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult. DSD X 152 does not require the signature to be notarized.
• Do They Check? Yes. Examiners review logs for realism. A log showing 50 hours completed in two weeks or with perfectly round numbers can be rejected.
• Forgot to Log? You cannot officially estimate hours retroactively. Falsifying the log is perjury, a Class A Misdemeanor, and results in license revocation.

Failing for a suspicious log is more common than you think. An applicant in Springfield was denied a road test because every single entry was exactly 1.0 hour: the pattern raised immediate suspicion. Log each drive immediately after parking to avoid forgetting dates and times, which creates the kind of inaccurate round-number totals that get flagged.

What Practice-Log Problems Can Delay Your Illinois Road Test?

An incomplete practice record or a teen who has not yet met the nine-month permit requirement can delay road-test eligibility. Before scheduling, check the permit issue date and practice-hour total. Vehicle and road-test document requirements are covered in the dedicated road-test guides.