How Do You Replace a Lost Driver's License in Illinois?
A duplicate Illinois driver's license costs 5 dollars in the standard case, is free in several cases, and comes with a temporary secure paper card only if you apply in person. The online duplicate gives no temporary credential.
The Illinois rule in one table
| Fee, standard | 5 dollars for a corrected or duplicate license or permit | | Fee, exceptions | 81 to 86 corrected: 2 dollars. 87 and older: free. Active-duty military, spouse, and dependents: duplicate free. Age 60 and older, lost or stolen: free. Stolen with a police report: free | | In person | Temporary secure paper card valid 90 days, permanent card mailed within 15 business days | | Online | Duplicate available online, but no temporary credential is provided | | Lost or stolen | Report to local police as soon as possible. Found cards go to a driver services facility or police | | Out of state | Call the License and Medical Review Section at 217-782-2720, or email the Secretary of State with full name, date of birth, Illinois license number, and out-of-state address |
What makes Illinois different
Illinois is the temporary card fork state. The duplicate itself contains the same information as the original, so the choice is not about what you get, it is about what you hold while you wait. In person, you leave with a temporary secure paper card valid 90 days and the permanent card follows by mail within 15 business days. Online, you get the duplicate but no temporary credential at all, so a driver who needs to drive now must go in person.
The second Illinois difference is the free cases, which are wider than a single lost card rule. The standard fee is 5 dollars, but duplicates are free for active-duty military members and their spouses and dependents, free for drivers 60 and older whose card was lost or stolen, and free when the card was stolen and a police report shows the theft. Corrected cards cost 2 dollars for drivers 81 to 86 and are free at 87 and older. The statutory basis is 625 ILCS 5/6-114: a duplicate issues on application, fee, and satisfactory evidence of loss.
The process, step by step
- Report a lost or stolen card to local police as soon as possible.
- Decide in person or online. In person gives a temporary secure paper card valid 90 days. Online gives no temporary credential.
- Apply with acceptable identification and the 5 dollar fee, unless a free case applies: active-duty military family, age 60 and older lost or stolen, or stolen with a police report.
- Use the temporary paper card while the permanent card arrives by mail within 15 business days.
Related Illinois guides
See Safe Driver Renewal in Illinois and Change of Address in Illinois, and the full hub at Illinois Admin Process Directory.
Source
Fee, free cases, temporary card, online limit, and out-of-state process on this page come from the Illinois Secretary of State: driver services fee schedule and Driver's License and State ID Card Information page. Facts verified 2026-10-26.
This page explains how the process works and what the official rules say. It is general information, not legal advice. For a dispute about your specific situation, talk to a lawyer or your state agency.
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